Evening star., 1937-09-14
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY q. GOULD LINCOLN,

| OF some OF its citizens is to stage a
mayoralty contest in November that for
| the BoStonlan holds far more interest
than the La Guardia Copeland -Mahoney
| fight in New York Unlike the mayoralty
race in New York City, the race here is
bare OF national politics. It's a local
| affair, with local issues. James M. Cur
| ley, former Mayor of Boston and former
Governor of Massachusetts,, is seeking to
stage comeback after his defeat at the
| polls last Fall, when he ran for United
States Senator against Henry Cabot
Lodge, jr.
| Curley and Curleyism are at present
| the chief issues. The former Governor
has always had big following in Boston.
He has demonstrated again and again
| his right to the title of Democratic boss
| OF this city. His record as chief eXecu-
tive and that of some of his appointees
to office have been flercely attacked He
lost considerable prestige while serving
! as Governor and he apparently does not
care what enemies he may make. When
he ran for Governor he romped into
| office on the issue that he was 100 per
| cent for President Roosevelt The Roose-
velts were rather cool to Curley, however,
in his senatorial race last year. This de-
| spite the fact that Curley was one of
| the original Roosevelt for President
| boosters in New England back in 1881
| and 1882.
Candidates for Mayor of Boston do not
| necessarily run as Republicans or Demo-
| Gratis. The election is supposed to be a
! non-partisan affair. There are no pri-
| marleS for party nominations Candi-
dates obtain papers and file them in
| accordance with the law. The election,
therefore, is generally robbed of any
national political significance and that
| seems to be the case this year. A large
| field OF aspirants for the mayoralty Job
| has taken out papers. Not all of them
will be returned, and before election rolls
round some Of those who do return the
papers are expected to drop out. One
Republican, Malcolm B. Nichols, Mayor
OF Boston dozen years ago, is in the
list of candidates. He won in this Demo-
cratic city, when elected Mayor, because
OF division among the Democrats. 1t
is there his hope lies again.
X *
Thousands. of Bostonians, Republicans
and Democrats alike, are out to beat
Curley If they can. They don't like his
machine brand of political government.
They don't like him. 1t is difficult, how
ever to beat Curley without a strong
candidate. Today Curley stands head
and shoulders, as a campaigner and a
public speaker, above all the rest of the
candidates. In fact, Jim" Curley is
probably one of the ablest campaigners
and most brilliant public speakers in
the country today. He has a way with
him that gets the votes. 1t is upon this
ability plus his old popularity in Boston
that he counts for victory Curley is
carrying things with high hand. When
he was asked how the campaign is going.
he replied: "As matter of fact there
is no campaign. Some other candidates
are running for the Office, believe, but"
and the Governor shrugged his shoulders.
Seriously" he continued, 'its unani-
nous, landslide" Confidence is his
middle name. At the proper time his
campaign headquarters, near the State
House, will be going full blast.
The opposition to Curley has not been
aoie 10 center on any one candidate so
lar. Tobln, school committeeman and
a popular young Democrat, and District
Attorney Foley, another Democrat, are
among those most talked Of. Mansfield
tne present Mayor, is a Democrat and a
Curley hater. But he is ineligible for
reelection as Mayor.
There is no reason to believe that Cur
ley's return to active politics and in the
ONCE OF Mayor Boston will bring any
particular JOY to the Roosevelt admin
lstration in Washington. On the other
hand, no issue of the Roosevelt New Deal
seems to be involved in the coming elec-
ton. Curley, during the campaign, NAV
fold himself again in the New Deal
mantle, at that. Curley once desired to
be member of the Presidents cabinet
or to be appointed to an important am
nassadorial post But when he was Of
fered appointment as Ambassador to
Poland he declined and decided to stay
IN Massachusetts and to be Governor.
His constant fights with other Democrats
and his determination to seek the sena-
torial seat then held by another Demo-
crat, Marcus A. Coolidge, were RESPONSE
BILE in large part for his defeat by Lodge
last year, when President Roosevelt was
walking away with the State.
One test of strength between the Re-
publicans and the Roosevelt New Deal
Democrats, however, is to be staged in
Massachusetts this Fall A special cleo
tion is to be held to fill the vacancy
caused by the death of the late Repre-
sentative William P. Connery, ir.. of
Lynn. Connery represented the seventh
congressional district. The primary for
the party nominations takes place today
and the election on September 28 A
victory for Republican candidate in this
district might be of considerable signifi-
canoe. Such victory however, will be
tough thing to put across The district
has gone Democratic in the last three
congressional elections by pluralities
ranging from 1900 to 25, ,0OO-the largest
in 1886
A brother and former secretary of the
late Representative Connery, Lawrence
j. Connery of Lynn is the leading con-
tender for the Democratic nomination
for this congressional seat. He is op-
posed by State Senator Joseph A. La
gone, Jr., OF Boston the most prominent
politician in Massachusetts,, of italian
descent, it is said. There is a large
Italian-American population in the dis
trict. Lagone does not live in the district.
1t is true, but there is nothing in the
law to prevent his running to represent
1t. Lagone is seeking the Republican
nomination also
Of four Republicans seeking the con-
gressional nomination two appear to have
the better chances. They are State
Representative Edward d. Sirois of Law
renee and former Ctota ponroea,,t,4;,,~