The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-03-01
Special to The Democrat)

Thomaston, March Here in Litchfield county, one of the state Republican strongholds, where com- ment concerning state politics has always been very accurate, there is at the present time, perhaps more comments, suggestions, and "off- the-record" predictions than ever in the history of the county. Perhaps no state election will ever be as hotly contested as will the state elections of this year. Republicans through out the county are not sure just where they stand, but of this much they are sure, however. And that is that the Mckinley dinner which was held last week at the Hotel Elton was boomerang in that the split between the old guard and the young guard Republican members is wider nof than at any other time.
 Frank "FIopped"
 This feeling. which is existing among Republican leaders, not only here in Litchfield county, but throughout the state, can be traced to the fact that the speech given by Dr. Glenn Frank failed to click.
 One thing the dinner did accom- plish was the aligning of the com bination of Senator J. Kenneth Bradley of Westport and Samuel Pryor of Greenwich, Republican na- tional committeeman and the AL corn forces of Hartford county. The meeting elected Hugh Meade Alcorn, Jr., son of Hartford county's states attorney, as president of the Con- necticut Mckinley association.
 The nomination, however, ran into obstacles and number of the delegates who were not ill favor of Alcorn. Former Senator Kenneth F. Cramer of Wethersfield, chairman of the Hartford county organization protested MT. Alcorn to the very last ditch. And from the comment heard around the county over the weekend it seems an assured fact that State Chairman Benjamin E.. Harwood of Chester, Clarence G.. Willard of New Haven, secretary of the state republican party, and John Buckley of Union and former liquor commissioner, did not approve the choice of young Alcorn for the posi- ton.
 Hand Picked!
 Frank E. Healey of Windsor Locks. close ally of States Attorney Hugh M. Alcorn, hand-picked young AL corn, Jr. Other members of the nominating committee were Chau- cey R. Hutchings of Harwinton, Senator Charles Arrigoni of Dur ham, Ellery Allyn of Waterford, Rop. Doris Hall McBee of Willing ton, Archa Walker of Eastford and Willard.
 Only Senator Arrigoni held out against the nomination of young Alcorn. When Alcorn's name was finally presented for a formal vote the only vote of "No" was registered by State Central Committeeman Harry J. Ward of Hartford.
 And the county comment has it that the Bradley-Pryor combine will lend their support to nominating States Attorney Alcorn in his plans to win place on the Republican state ticket, no doubt as United States senator.
 Comment around the county has it that the opposition registered by Cramer, Buckley and Willard was instigated by Harry E. Mackenzie of Bethel. for years the number two man of the state Republican party (Roraback was number one). The report also has it that Mackenzie is out, so far as state politics are concerned, providing, of course, that the new guard" movement is suc- cessful. Senator E. Gaynor Bren- nan of Stamford is reputed as hav- ing completed deal with the Bradley-Pryor combine whereby the combine can have full swing of state Republican policies, with Mackenzie on the sidelines, provid- ing the combine stays out of Stam- ford and allows the Brennan broth