The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-02-24

Il was pointed out here recently
that Democrats were only bsdlng
their time before answering Mr..
Baldwin's repeated boasts that q
friendly government" was bring
ing new firms TO Connecticut,
thereby Increasing state payrolls
and bringing more prosperity.
Though other leaders would have
ureferred TO withhold the attack
ON the Baldwin claims, MIR. Tone
Is perhaps the best-qualified to
speak and he had every right to
answer the governor when he saw
ne. As commissioner Of the state
labor department until he was
Ousted by Mr.. Baldwin last June,
MIR. Tone won the esteem Of in
dustry and labor alike. His re-
mOval came not because he was
inefficient but because he was a
Democrat.
Gov. Baldwin claims that N60
new business establishments came
to this state last year. Mr.. Tone
says the figure was SO. a total
considerably less than that OF pre-
ceding years, under Democratic
administrations. Mr.. Tone says he
takes his figures from labor de-
partment records; it's up to the
governor to disprove them.
The former labor commissioner,
with the u. s. Department of La
Dor, touched sore spot when he
cited additional figures to show
that employment in the state has
been declining rapidly since De-
Cember. He pointed out the large
increases in unemployment COM
pensatiOn payments.
The drop in state employment
is a weapon that the Democrats
plan to use in attacking the gov
errors claims of prosperity
brought ON b. his administration.
They feel they can ask the chief
executive lots of embarrassing
questions about 1t.
Mr.. Tone, from his Washington
post, will give close study to facts
and figures about Connecticut for
the next few months, for he will
be one Of the leading candidates
for the Democratic guberna tOrial
nomination. The approach Of the
SDring conventions will no doubt
lead him to dispute further the
claims of the present state admin
istratiOn.
Election Day does not come I'M
tn November, but already there is
considerable skirmishing along the
still undefined battle fronts. DEM
ocratic tacticians are still trying
to figure out the statement the
other day by National Committee
man David E. Fitzgerald that this
states delegates to the Democratic
national convention will back
Postmaster General James A.
Farley in the event that President
Roosevelt declines to run for q
third term. All kinds Of reasons
and motives are being ascribed to
Mr.. Fitzgerald.
The fact that Mr.. Fitzgerald
feels he can speak for the as yet
unsolicited delegation to the Chi
cagO convention would seem to in
dictate several things. 1t can be
taken TO mean that MIR. FITZGERALD
will seek to assume the party
leadership, at least indirectly.
For another thing, it implies a
challenge to State Chairman J.
Francis Smith of this city, the Of
ficial leader Of the state organ
ization.
Those Democrats criticizing the
statement do not do SO on the
grounds Of any lack Of accuracy.
They realize that whatever dele
gates are chosen, 1t Is odds-on that
Mr.. Farley will receive their votes
If Mr.. Roosevelt does not run.
They base their criticism rather
on the fact that Mr.. Fitzgerald
elected to speak for the state Or
ganization, as well as on claim
of the declaration being "prema-
ture."
II there is one thing a politician
diSlikes, It Is a simple, unquali-
fled statement Of fact. He hates
to answer a question with a direct
Eyes" or mo" This is one Of the
reasons for the speculation as to
why the FITZGERALD statement was
made. It puzzles the politicians
because they know that the ma
tional committeeman is one Of the
most astute of their number.
Hence, they are looking beneath
the surface to see what they can
find.
There are rumors by the dozen
about Mr.. Fitzgerald's move. Some
hold that it indicates that an al
lance between him and Mayor
Thomas Spellacy Of Hartford.
Others say that the enmity bet
tween Mr.. Fitzgerald and Mr..
Tone will be buried and the for
mer will aid the latter in his bid
for the gubernatorial nomina-
ton. Still other reports have 1t
that Mr.. FITZGERALD wanted his
statement praising both Mr..
Roosevelt and Mr.. Farley read in
Washington, where they are Won
dering these days about a new
federal Judge for Connecticut. One
of the candidates for the job is
Mr.. Fitzgerald's son, Attorney
John FITZGERALD.
Az Only MIR. Fitzgerald knows the
answer to the puzzle, and he is
keeping his own counsel. For the
drums are beginning to beat and
politicians are ending their hiber-
nations, IS primaries and state
conventions are ON the way.