The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-09-23

pupHCan COnBeFVAtlbme WnlCn boasts Boies Jenrose, Matt Quay. and Joe Grundy, would go dem- OcrAtic. MA
 That is the definite trend to- day. Roosevelt has gained since 1032, and the democratic me. chine has been hOisted with him. Even Joe GuHey, deTmO- cratic boss of the state, who for years played ball with tlc .AIcl1Ons, the Dave Reeds, and other pillars of republicanism, has travelled to . position Of some popularity and consider able respect as Q result of his flrst-term performance in the senate.
 But all this is built on precar- ious and shifting soil. Pennsyi- vania has learned what she could not seem to learn for half a century--the art of scratching ballots. And many things may upset the New Deals newly found popularity.
 Parole Scandal
 One of these recently has cropped out in the parole board scandal. It may prove to be just the ammunition the republicans need to start the democratic landslide sliding the other way. The Pennsylvania committee on. penal affairs has recently dis closed the political saboting of the parole system by group of democratic m ach h Inc bosses, which matches the slcight-of- hand of the old republican ma chine in all It's glory.
 The parole staff, which had won the reputation of being one of the most efficient and non- political in the state, suddenly has become the personal dumping ground Of State Attorney Charles J. Margiotti.
 Into 1t he has dumped - in the Pittsburgh office alone "Onc former dance hall bOunc- CT, a radio commentator and law student, a house painter, q , fruit and produce salesman. a stationary engineer, a iiachin. ist and a steel worker"
 Others are listed by the com mitee on penal affairs as "an appointee 60 years old who falls asleep on the job; one who has only an eighth grade education and is united for the work; tailor; grocer; unemployed and too i'll to work; in business with father; no substantial position; investigator; deputy marshal; contractor"
 Many of these were democratic division leaders and committed men.
 Contracts and Politics
 What has reacted as q boom erang against the democrats has been the fact that simultaneously with these appointments, the parole and prison system is plan- ming to spend $17,000.000 on maintenance and improvements "a record for the state.
 Politics and contracts are old bedfellows fin Pennsylvania. az scyrcal newspapers critical of the administration have warned Democratic Governor Earle with great delight.
 Up until the parole scandal, Earle had kept the old-line poli- ticos pretty well at bay, had given a surprisingly good account of his first year in office. But now the political barragc is com ing his way.
 On how tightly he holds the reins over his state bosses for the next twelve months, is going to depend whether Pennsylvania fuiflls Jim Fhrleys proud boast that 1t will go overwhelmingly New Deal in 1036.
 New Machine
 Old Faces
 Meanwhile western Pennsyl- vanin Is developing a smooth rum ing democratic machine while the old republican machine is full of squeaks and 4rattles. Some of the cogs of the demo- cratic machine formerly were vigorous ward workers for the republicans, transferring their allegiance to the democrats when they saw a new bandwagon driving by.
 In 1881 and in three elections thereafter, the people of Pitts- burgh rebellcd against tho old re- publican bosses and when the latter tried to hang on to control. the county eventually became heavily democratic.
 Now, for its fifth successive election, the old republican crowd again has captured sev- cral important nominations for county offices and faces It's fifth
 defeat. Chief of them Is Scna. tor Jimmy Coyne who squeak cd through tO . nomination for
 county commission. when he. got out . strong machine vote
 in. primary characterized generally by light balIoting.
 But Coyne finds himself op- posed by some of his former ward lieutenants. now wearing the democratic label. including John Verona, alderman of the hill district and long a dictator of the negro vote, Luke Sullivan and his brother, former. Con- gressman F. J. Paddy" Sullivan. czars of Pittsburgh's biggest controlled district. and Charles Papale, new democratic nominee for clerk of courts. Two former independent republicans, city councilmcn P. J. McArdle and Charles Anderson, are also defn- cratic nominees for the same offices to which they were elected four years ago as republicans.
 Thus the smooth democratic