The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-02-10

ton claims the credit Tor tne
upturn IN Connecticut business
during the past year may well
turn out to be a boomerang for
the @. o. p. Democrats have been
letting the Republican boasts pass
BY with scarcely any comment but
there Is no doubt that they are
busy storing up ammunition which
+. they will have ready to aim at the
q. 3. p. balloon when the appro-
pirate moment comes.
Gov. Baldwin has only to look
back a few years TO see that the
national Republican party COM
United the same error. The Hard
ing, Coolidge and Hoover admins
tratiOns were all only too willing
to accept the credit for national
prosperity. Then came 1923 and
thereafter, and the voters decided
that II the G. o. p. could main
tain It brought good times 1t must
also accept the responsibility for
depressiOns. Every voter has his
own variation Of the old common
sense adage, who claims the
rain must also claim the drought"
The New York Times this week
carried lengthy front-page arti-
Gle about the Baldwin Plan. The
article outlined gains in Connec-
ticut industry and contained an
interview with the governor IN
which he repeated his slogans
about a government friendly to
business" and there is no substi-
tute for a good job in private in
dustry." The claim was made that
industries were leaving New York
to establish themselves in Connec-
ticut under the benevolent eye OF
a friendly" administration.
What the governor does not
point out is that other states have
made industrial gains Of greater
proportions than Connecticut. Nor
docs he cite the fact the industry
all over the country has doomed
in the last year. Also slid over
gracefully are such matters as
Connecticut's advantage, in view
Of the war and our own cOuntry's
defense program, in having SO
many factories that benefit so
quickly from such a situation, the
many government orders that
have come to our plants, the part
that federal funds have played,
the role that business leaders have
had and the success Of organized
nom political groups, especially in
eastern Connecticut, in attracting
new industry and thereby prOvid-
ing more employment.
The Times article mentions the
work of the State Department
Commission, one of whose func-
tions is to seek new business for
the state. Establishment of the
commission was only authorized
by the legislature last spring, and
the commission did not begin
functioning until two or three
months ago. The business upturn
was well underway before the
commission had a chance to do
anything to attract new industries
or spur employment.
There is already apparent, in
Waterbury at least, a gradual
slackening Of employment. If this
trend continues the governor will
be facing a delicate situation. If
he says that any employment de-
cllnes should be created to sources
apart from his administration he
will be admitting that his pre-
viOus bland claims Of credit for
better business were so much tom
lnyrot. If he admits that the pro-
gram of which he has boosted is
tagging, then he Is leaving him.
self open for that most effective
Of reprisals-by the voters at the
polls.
If the business decline proves to
be only temporary, as experts con-
fidently predict, and a sharp up
turn comes in the late summer or
early fall, the governor will be in
a very favorable time. He can
then say that his friendly" pro-
gram has worked, and not too
many voters will bother to analyze
that statement.
Such D development may prove
that the Democrats might better
have consistently disputed the
governors claims. The statements
about a friendly government"
aiding business and helping better
conditions, made time after time
by the governor and his lieuten-
ants, are not without some effect.
The Democratic strategists,
however, believe in laying low.
They have the feeling that the
governors claims can easily be ex-
ploded at the proper time. Till
then, they believe. their best pol
icy Is to let Mr.. Baldwin get deep
er and deeper into the pit that he
is digging.
1t is no secret that several DEM
ocrats- with aspirations to put
their feet on the desk In the exec
utive office at the Capitol have
carefully fled away copies Of the
governors radio and platform ad-
dresses on business. And the texts
have been carefully studied and
analysed.
The field for attack and defense
Of the governors assertions that
better business in Connecticut can
be credited to his administration
may be broader than just Con-
necticut. The veil Of pseudo-se-
crecy behind the well-organized
campaign to give Mr.. Baldwin a
place on the national G. o. P. is
beginning to be lifted. Baldwin
supporters are openly talking
about his chances at the national
convention.
A deadlock at the national con-
vention would find the governor In
an advantageous position. 1t is not