The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-09-14
Politics
 -in- Passing
RAYMOND ,. FITZPATRICK

Wednesday, in Wnlcn the reglSOereu Democratic voters will decide which candidates they want to represent them, bring home again the destr- ability of having direct primaries for the nomination of candidates for state office. Both major parties have for years in their platforms advocated the direct primary Sys- tenn, but neither one has gone out of its way to help bills aimed at making such system mandatory.
 Tn brief, the obvious eXplan- ton is that politicians in control of both major parties in the state don't want direct primaries. Why? Because they would make it almost ' impossible for the bosses to choose the candidates, they would give the people too much of 8 voice. So, every two years, each party adopts a platform that, in ringing phrases, calls for direct primaries, and, after election day, fOrgets all about the whole subject until it's time to curry votes again.
 With direct primaries for the nomination of candidates for state office, there would be an end to the training and jockeying that have marked Republican and Democratic state conventions for years and years. If the registered voters of each party were given an opportun- ity to go to the polls to choose the candidates, there would be no more of the sickening deals which are so important in the present procedure.
 The Democratic party of Water bury is fortunate that it will have its two primary contests next week, in the 18th and 1t6h senatorial districts. Politicians may be un- . willing to admit it but an open primary brings forth, in most cas- e, a surge of loyalty that, if it doesnt win the election, at least makes for a better party. It has been my premise since last fall that the sharp primary battle be- tween Mayor Scully and Senator Culhane stirred up enough feeling to win the city election for the Democrats.
 Similarly, it is my argument that next weeks senatorial primaries will do much to help the Democratic party carry Waterbury by sweep ing majority in November. A direct primary gives each registered mem- Der of the party 8 chance to have 8 say in deciding the candidate; 1t leaves him with the important feel ing that he should rightly have. Of course, there are always some poor losers who desert their party if thoir candidate fails, but their influ- erlce is more than balanced by vot- CTS from the other side who are at tracted by good candidate who is the choice of the rank and file.
 Giving the people voice might well be extended from the choice Of candidates to, say, the choice of the number of party town commit tees. In Waterbury, for instance, the present Democratic town com naittee is the result of s0-called reorganization in which most AACAuUCA6sAC VUtCAS UA kAAC CAby A0U no opportunity to say word. The broad powers given the "execu- tive" committee of the town com nittee would almost certainly be missing if the Democratic voters of the city, who are to be thanked fer the party's success, were al- lSwoA to make up the party rules. Months ago, before the present ! rules were adopted, the Waterbury Democrat campaigned editorially for the election of town committee members by direct vote In each of the 32 districts. The Democrats z recommendation was not adopted by the party leaders, apparently being too democratic. Had it been adopt ed, there might not be the recur- rent criticism that the new Set-up, proclaimed to end alleged 'bossism" !, was instead giving the rank and file no more to say.
 It might not be good politics to have the members of the Demo- cratic town committee chosen by direct vote in each district, but it would be good democracy. The writer VIII no doubt be called naive for renewing such suggestion. but criticism, or even ridicule, will not alter the fact that the Demo- cratic party in Waterbury has to become more democratic or face an inevitable let-down. The Re- publican party here, as elsewhere, has always discouraged primaries in favor of letting the leaders pick the candidates, which ac- counts in large part for the Re- < publicans' lack of strength in Wa terbury.
 z. Granted, if there were direct elec- tion of Democratic town committee men by registered Democrats, that there would be squabbles; granted, that there would be hard feelings and jealousy, as are only human: granted that there would not be the Smoothness of hand-picked, we'll oiled 0rganization-on the other hand, there would be real democracy, there would be more interest in par sy affairs, there would be the to- be-wished-for consummation of a political party really run by the peo- pie who are its members.
 xhe Republican party would likewise be better off in Waterbury if it had direct election of it's ! town committee. The COP. here has long suffered because of the fact that . handful of men have been allowed to direct its affairs; even the influx of much new blood in recent years has not been able to overcome the handicap.
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