The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-11-29

and by those y. w. r,s.r.,y,.Ie too who dis- '. w. sas1sT''N agree with him. It is the snooper from afar who invariably insists that the local idol has feet of clay even though he knows nothing about the idol and less about feet. A case in point is Thomas J. Spellacy who on December third will take the oath of office as mayor of Hartford.
 Weird!
 MT. Spellacy has been for years the Democratic leader in Hartford and because of that fact a wielder of influence in the councils of his party in Connecticut. He has made unsuccessful runs for United States senator, for governor, and for mayor of Hartford but his showing in all these adventures was most creditable. Now as a re- suit of the death of John A. Pil- gard, nayor-elect, and the unari- nous vote of the Democratic majority in Hartford's board of aldermen he will direct the gov- ernment of the Capitol City for the coming two years. It is a weird freak of fortune that when Mir. Spellacy wanted to be mayor the honor was denied him and when he had no desire for the office 1t has been forced upon him. For despite any and all statements to the contrary that it what hap pened.
 The Reason.
 When MT. Pilgard died any number of aspirants for his vacant job appeared. The Demo- cratic aldermen who had the naming of his successor were un- able to agree and 1t looked as if another bitter party split was inevitable. Tn the interest of harmony the aldermen picked MT. Spellacy who gave his con- sent only after continued pres- sure was brought to bear upon him. It is conceivable the real- ization that he would be blamed personally for anything and everything a Democratic mayor would do may have had some weight in forcing his consent. He would not be the first man to decide that if he was to have the name he might as well have the game. I doubt 1t. Nothing in his political career warrants the assumption that he ducks responsibility for the deeds of those who have been elected to office by his help. His concept of leadership, that the general not the soldiery should take the rap for errors, has more to do with the creation and per- petuation of the malign Spellacy myth than any personal action of his. My own idea of his re- fusal to serve as mayor until party necessity compelled his consent is the simple fact that he just did not want the job. There are men like that although MT. Spellacy will not be credited with being one of them. Certainly not by the newspaper Pharisees to whom his very name is anathe- ma.
 In His Own House
 The lead editorial in last Sum- days Hartford "Courant" is re- sponsible for St. Matthew Q3-5D being dragged into print this aft ernoon. The "Courant" has never been a fanatical advocate of MT. Spellacy's political canonization but the exhaustive comment it's editor made on the possibility of his occupancy of the mayors office shows that Thomas is not without honour in his own house. The editorial was not merely good hammered. It was soundly written, altogether intelligent, and characterized by spirit of honesty which put to shame the scurvy cheapness of the Water bury Republican and the Water bury American output on the same topic. The Republican with its customary hill-billy out look on human affairs and its backwoods expression of that out look declared that the purpose of MT. Spellacy's acceptance of the mayoralty "is to strengthen his grasp by this backdoor entry to
 By Ed Reed