The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-12

| (Smith) asked me what office was running for. told him: I have already announced my candi- dacy for lieutenant governor
 "Then Smith asked the governor If certain leaders of the party in the state presented considerable ob- jection to a candidate whether he wouldn't have preference. Smiths inference was that third candidate might be offered and that this third candidate might be objectionable, so far as reading his meaning might be interpreted.
 Governor Talks
 "The governor said that in the event described by Smith, provid- ed the so-cailed third candidate was objectionable, that he would prefer Hewes. inferring that should this third candidate be successful against my candidacy, then he wanted Hewes.
 "'Do you want me to withdrawn" asked the governor"
 Then, according to Commission CT Tone, the matetr was left In status quo with the governor re- marking at conclusion of the con- versation:
 "'We won't be able to settle that here. Wed better let that rest for @ couple of days"
 Tone Asks Governor
 Commissioner Tone said that he asked the governor again yesterday if he wanted him (Tone) to with draw and that the governor did not answer that this was the case.
 Thus, today, with the convention contest due tomorrow night, Com missioner Tone ''is in the race to the finish" so far as the present indi- cations point.
 Smith Commits Delegates
 And Chairman Smith, who, Sat. urday, pointed to the Bridgeport delegations defection from Thomas I. Dodd, IVA director, in favor of Colonel Hewes, has committed" the Waterbury delegation to an un- oflcial favoring of the Hewes' can- didacy. The announcement, made through Judge Francis T. Reeves chairman of the Waterbury delega- ton, was explicit, however, in re- marking that the Waterbury delega- ton Is "unlnstructed".
 Controversy over this commitment public ly of the Waterbury delega- ton to Hewes caused a hot time at Saturdays meeting at the Demo- cratic Voters Committee headquar- ters, with Sen. George T. Culhane, acting as proxy for Michael J. Daly, leading a contest to defeat the pro- posal. The latter told the delegates that Col. Hewes was opposed to la- Dor" on an occasion some years ago and, saying that Waterbury "is an industrial city" pleaded for consid- eration for Tone,
 Chairman Smith Wins
 A vote resulted in fairly close victory for Chairman Smiths pro- posal, however, at least one of the delegates having personal thought in the preference of the candidates, as this delegate remarked, later, to The Democrat.
 Meanwhile, the possibility of a third candidate, as intimated in the Smith-Tone controversy, came to large importance today with Mayor Thomas J. Spellacy, of Hartford, at- tacking the Hewes' candidacy and offering again the name of Edward P. Ahearn, president of the Hartford board of education, as the 70 Hart ford delegates Mayor Spellacy de- clared that "Hartford's claims should be considered and respected if the Democratic managers really wish to win in 1938."
 Heated Contest
 Thus, there Is threat that the con- vention will see heated contest be- ween the Smith-Senator Maloney forces and Spellacy with possibility that National Committeeman David E. Fitzgerald may be a factor which will have most bearing on the lieu tenant governorship nomination, this in the event Governor Gross fails to make official notice of his choice.
 Spellacy's delegation generally is conceded as favorable to Tone and is believed ready to swing to the la- bor commissioner after the first bal- lot. And candidates of other Spell