RUNOFF DEBATE

SET FOR TODAY

Supreme Court Agrees to
Hear Oral Arguments

The Louisiana supreme court is expected to act this week on the question of whether the Democratic state central committee must call for a run-off election Feb. 21 for the two high candidates for Democratic nomination for attorney general and agriculture commissioner.

Oral arguments in the matter were set for 11 a. m. Tuesday before the supreme court, and the issue is expected to be passed on within 24 hours after the issue is submitted to the high court. Counsel for all sides and the principal litigants were notified by V. J. Courville, clerk of the supreme court, that the matter was set for argument at that hour.

The high court late Monday in a six-to-one decree granted supervisory writs calling up from the Baton Rouge district court cases in which Attorney General Fred S. LeBlanc and Agriculture Commissioner Dave L. Pearce seek court orders for a run-off election between them and Jack P. F. Gremillion and Sidney J. McCrory, respectively, for the nomination for the attorney general and agriculture commissioner i posts.

Order by Hergets

The two cases had been scheduled for hearing in Baton Rouge Tuesday morning before district Judge Jess Johnson. District Judge G. Caldwell Hergets had signed an order restraining the Democratic state central committee from action which would prevent a run-off with LeBlanc and Pearce, who were second men in the first primary, competing against the two high men for the Democratic nominations.