Evening star., 1934-06-03
BY DENNIS TILDEN LYNCH.

0pCSlol AloPdGAAA w AlC oval
A LBANY, N. Y, June "A
~ movement to nominate Su-
~ preme Court Justice Salvatore
4 n A. Cotillo as Democratic can
didate for Governor has been
under way for more than a month.
1t is sponsored by Democratic leaders
who believe the chances of Gov. Her
bert H. Lehman for reelection have
been impaired by the part played by
the Lehman-Flynn-Fa Farley wing of the
party in the municipal election last
November, which ended in a Fusion
victory, as we'll as by some of
Gov. Lehman'S acts as Governor. The
supporters of Justice Cotillo are con-
vinced that he can unite the opposing
Democratic factions in New York
City, an accomplishment which is
generally regarded as prerequisite to
Democratic victory in November.
Opposition to Gov. Lehman's re-
nomination assumed definite form on
May 2 when Frank j. Prial. former
deputy controller and Democratic
candidate for controller in the last
election, announced he would carry
the hight against Gov. Lehman to the
Democratic State convention. He
based his decision on his belief that
the Governors denomination would
mean certain defeat. The triumvirate
directing the Democratic organization
Of Brooklyn, the home borough of
Mr.. Prial, decided not to oppose his
candidacy for delegate to the Demo-
cratic State CpnyantjOy,
Taree Reasons Are Cited.
Mr.. Prial cited these three specific
reasons for opposing Gov. Lehman's
denomination:
l. The Governors support and ap-
proval Of the bill cutting the pay of
Civil Service employees.
2. The Governors approval of the
bankers agreement with the city, ear
marking $173,OO0,O0O in tax collec-
tions and putting the city in hook"
to the bankers for the next three
years.
3. The Governors approval of new
taxes and the increase of others, espe-
cially the gasoline and income taxes,
which, Mr.. Prial charges, will be dis
tributed to the disadvantage of the
City of New York.
In addition, Mr. Prial shares with
other Democratic leaders the convic-
tion that he and other Democratic
candidates who went down to defeat
in last November's election can attrib-
ute the Fusion victory to the injection
of the recovery party ticket into the
contest by the Lehman-Flynn-Farley
faction Of the party.
Whatever the unprejudiced analyst
may say Of New York Citys tangled
political situation in 1888, and of the
vote on election day, he cannot escape
the conclusion that the Democrats
lost the contest for controller because
of the Recovery party. Mr.. Prial en-
tered the Democratic primary against
John N. Harmon, the choice for the
nomination for controller of John F.
Curry, then leader of Tanmany Hall,
and the late John H. McCooey, then
the Brooklyn leader, and carried all
five boroughs against his machine op-
ponent.
Had 100000 Vote Margin.
This was an unparalleled victory,
and was due to Mr.. Prials popularity,
which was bottomed on his record of
% years in the controllers Office and
his advocacy during quarter of a
century Of the cause of civil service
employees. In the election itself he ran
at the head of his ticket, polling
nearly 100000 votes more than Mayor
John p. O'Brien. And he lost the con-
test to the late w. Arthur Cunning
ham by fewer than $1,000 votes.
A comparison of the vote for con-
troller with the total polled by James
I. Cuff, the Recovery party candidate,
shows how we'll grounded is the charge
that this Office was lost to the Demo-
Gratis through the efforts of the Leh-