Evening star., 1936-10-04
BAY STATE DEMOCRATS FATE HINGES UPON GOV. CURLEY
DEFEAT BY LODGE
APPEARS LIKELY
State Executive Is at Best,
However, With Back
to the Wall.
BY W. E. MULLINS,
Special Correspondent Of The Star.

6pcClAl SULIebpouucut VI uC otAIs
BOSTON, Mass, October 3-The
political situation in Massachusetts,
hinges on Q single figure, Gov. James
Michael Curley. With him and be-
cause OF him the Democratic party
in Massachusetts, will stand or fall.
As matters stand now it appears
the party is headed for q fall. Curley.
q candidate for the seat of Senator
Marcus Coolidge, Is already desper-
ate, with q month to 60 until cleo
ton. Against him is the non-aggres-
sive Henry Cabot Lodge, jr.. 34-year-
old grandson Of a Massachusetts
great"
The betting commissioners are Civ
ing three -to-one odds against Curley,
and there is every prospect that by
the beginning of next week the odds
will 60 up to five to one.
Repetition Of 1884 Expected.
But Curley Is at his best when his
back Is against the wall. 1t can be
confidently predicted that during the
four intensive weeks Of his campaign
through every city and town in the
Commonwealth. there will be cries of
persecution, promises of jobs, talk Of
social security, and praise of that
great humanitarian" President Roose-
welt. It was with such talk that Cur
lev was carried into Office by the
President in 1894, and he looks for a
repetition in 1896. The odds will
probably even out during the month.
In his present straits, Curley has
boldly attempted to remove two Of his
independent opponents from the bal
c lot on technicalities, and for time
he had the temerity to seek the re-
moval also of his Republican oppo-
nent He was able to persuade Mayor
Robert e. Greenwood of Fitchburg, a
son-in-law of Coolidge and bitter
enemy of the Governor, to withdraw
from the race. The circumstances
have been successfully veiled, but ru-
NOR connects it with the appointment
Of Harry Woodring. another Coolidge
son-in-law, as Acting Secretary of
War.
With the stubborn Thomas C.
O'Brien, Father Coughlin's senatorial
and presidential candidate. he has en-
countered more difficulty, and O'Brien
Il still in.
On the frivolous charge of using the
SUNK junior, he attempted, through
his assistant candidate, former Repub-
lican State Auditor AlonZo B. Cook, to
remove Lodge from the ballot. The
story became known, however, while
there was still time for Lodge to re-
strain the Curley-controlled Ballot Law
Commission from hearing the protest.
and with typical Curley grace the
commission was instructed to drop the
matter.
Roosevelt Backer Suffers.
At the present time, things are 60
ing badly for the leading Roosevelt
exponent In Massachusetts,. The man
he appointed city treasurer when he
was mayor of Boston has been ordered
by the courts to pay back to the city
more than 100000, the Democratic
attorney general ruled null and void
nearly 81 900 900 in contracts. which,
1t was testified. Curley had urged, pub
lie works projects have collapsed on
the eve Of their dedication, there have
been automobile accidents in which the
Governor was involved-and all this
within the past few weeks.
But Curley has promised $50, ,000,-
600 w. p. A. spending, orgy, his heu-
tenants have threatened to disenfran.
chise $4,000 illegally registered Repub-
licans, and he has guaranteed that his
election to the Senate will insure .
universal five-day week.
The anti-Culey sentiment was best
demonstrated at the primaries Sep
tenber IS. Curley polled $4,000
votes as against 243,o0o for Lodge.