The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1938-10-06
DISTURBED BY
DEWEY

Prospect Of Dewey's nomintion has
been bothering New deal politicians
in Washington for the last year,
Republicans nominated hi munoni-
mously and enthusiastically in the
belief he was the only Republican
who could win and would be I'm
beatable-except perhaps by Sena-
tor Robert r. Wagner or Governor
Lehman, who wanted to run for the
senate seat Of the late Royal s.
Copeland. Almost to the end Nation
al and State Democratic Chairman
Jim Farley depended on his ability
to persuade his friend Wagner tc
run for governor. Wagner refused
Only Lehman's last-minute accept
ance Of draft drive cleared up q
political mess which threatened al
most certain loss Of the Empire
State next November.
Democrats now consider Lehman
invincible, especially because he and
other top men on the ticket will
have support of the American labor
party and the A. r. Of L.
But apparently they don't know
what hidden batteries Dewey, who
gained national publicity In his
prosecution Of powerful Tammany
Leader Jimmy Hines, may have In
reserve. Although Lehman person.
ally may be impeachable, Tam
many Is an important section Of
the New York Democratic party
and the ties-if any between some
Of its shadier characters and some
Of the party's state and national
leaders have never been exposed.
Dewey In the course Of his investi-
cations may have learned . great
deal Rumor says he has.
Dewey has alread been attacked
by Lehman for being willing to run
for governor less than year after
election to q four-year term as dis
trict attorney, although Dewey has
promised to stay In Office at least
until the next gubernatorial term
and prosecute Hines second time
Dewey's methods Of prosecution
which his opponents will assert have
infringed on civil liberties, are under
close scrutiny. Republicans undoubt-
eddy will claim Dewey received a
dirty deal in Judge Ferdinand Peco-
ra's declaration Of mistrial In the
Hines case. Democrats will assert
Dewey was poor trial lawyer who
botched his own case.
The extent to which Dewey will
attack the new deal Is not known.
STRAINED
RELATIONS
Aside from Dewey's threat as a
Republican candidate for 1910 II he
wins the governorship, Washington
Is intensely interested In the control
Of New York's big delegation to the
next Democratic national conven-
ton. Lehman, If reelected, will have
large voice on that delegation
This hardly pleases Roosevelt and
Farley, neither Of whom is on cor
dial terms with Lehman. But they
would feel much worse ifthey lost
the state to the Republicans.
Roosevelt hoped all along to
thwart Lehman's desire TO come to
the senate, even persuading reluc :
tant President Sidney Hillman Of
the Amangamated Clothing Work
ers to let his name be used rs an
American labor party candidate, In
hopes that the threat might help
dissuade Lehman. That didn't
work out and Hillman was widely
accused of personal ambitions he
never harbored. Other considera-
tions persuaded Lehman to give up
the senate race.
Lehman finally realized he would
have little political power If the
Democrats lost state control through
his refusal to run for governor. He
was able to dictate the ticket and
have his intimate friend former Sec
rotary, Supreme Court Justice
Charles Poletti, named for lieuten-
ant governor with the assurance
that he and Mrs. Lehman could
travel as widely as they liked while
Poletti held down Albany. Finally,
Dewey's acceptance speech, describ-
ing Democratic governors as win
dow dressing :. for a thoroughly
corrupt machine" angered him. He
doesn't like Dewey. 1t ought to be
a hot campaign.