The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-10-19
Political Experts StiN Analyzing City;s Election


 Waterbury's attempted election of almost two weeks ago, now before the superior court, still is puzzling political observers and writers throughout Connecticut. Some see in the slim margin by which the head of the administration ticket, Mayor Frank Hayes, continues, presently, as the mayor, Q rebuke and a loss of prestige, careless of the fact that the Democratic leader boiled nearly 2,500 votes more this year than in 1895 and won against Q Fusion ticket of very general mixture.
 Others are more concerned with the Waterbury election as baro- meter foreshadowing the potential temperature of voters in the 1940 presidential elections. They are con- sidering recourse to fusion of min- critics to combat the Democratic leadership, whoever 1t may be.
 One such political writer, Robert D. Byrnes, former city editor of the Hartford Courant, writing in that newspaper, toys with theories con- corning the whereabouts of the 1895 Socialist vote in Waterbury, some several hundred Republican votes which were cast for John M. Burrall that same year. But MT. Byrnes more determinedly tries to find par- allel between conditions in Water bury and those throughout the land, come 1940.
 He writes as follows:
 One of the puzzles of the Water- bury city election, the answer to which might throw some light on what to expect in other elections. is the concealment this year of Q Sizeable block of votes which were visible in the 1885 election. Spe- cifically, some TOO Republican votes and HOO Socialist votes of 1885 can- not be Identified in the 1887 re- turns.
 The New Deal was not an issue In the Waterbury election, but the pattern there, if not the isues, was similar to that which must be pre- sented to the country as 6 whole in 1888 and 1940 if there is to be @ coalition of all the forces opposed to the New Deal in behalf of 0 sin- gle slate representing that point of view. The biggest handicap to the effectiveness of such e coalition movement nationally is disabusing the voters of the Idea that has been presented to them for generations. namely that none of the members of the opposition party Is At to hold office, and that the only ticket which will safeguard the country. the state, or the municipality, Is that composed of members of "our" party. Determination of the suc- cess of the fusion campaign in Wa. terbury would be guide as to what may be expected from other similar movements.
 Choice Sharp
 The situation in Waterbury, in general terms, was this: The in. cumbent administration had been In power for c long time, eight years, and as often happens, there had been developed within the same party as the administration an op- position group. This year the mi- nority party i1 the city made com. mon cause with the minority group in the party of the administra ton, c joint ticket was nominated, The voters in Waterbury had his choice between two tickets, one the admin- istration, and the other anti-admin- iStration.
 The results were mixed, but the mayoralty candidate of the admin- istration ticket the spearhead of the administration attack and the major focus of the attacks by the fusion opposition, was reelected by narrow margin of the face of the moderator's returns.
 Like all elections, that in Water. bury involved many factors. Econ- omy In government was apparently the major issues discussed with the voters, and the voters had the choice of believing the claims of the administration or the claims of the opposition, which were diametricaliy opposed. The administratio ton, as the "ins", had the advantage of pat- ronage and the supposed possession of a machine" The opposition had the advantage of enthusiasn,. on early start on It's campaign and the intangible, but real, benefit of the disposition of Q certain number of voters in every election to vote for c change.
 Vote Exceeds 103e Totals
 One fact which seems to stand out in the Waterbury result is that the total vote cast in the city cleo. ton was slightly greater than the total cast in the presidential elec- ton last year. Even taking into consideration the increase of more than 1900 in the voting population of the city, 1t is still remarkable for local election to draw more voters to the polls than Q presidential eiec- ton.
 Tn the 1DS6 Waterbury city cleo. ton, there were 30,e32 votes cast, the administration candidate Ret. ting 1T,074 and the combined oppo- sitior getting 10,060, divided with l6.0o0 for the Republican candidate. 2e2l for the Independent Demo cratic candidate, and ii4i for tha Socialist candidate.
 Tn the 1887 election, the adminis. tration candidate got i0i20 votea a..A hs.m -......lIa. VSVvD