The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-05-25

", that q Hist OF highestsfhnking
candidates would be submitted TO
the governor and the final choice
made BY him.
The Merit Systemites criticized
this plan In vigorous fashion, and
the governor was In q difficult po-
Sition. But an easy solution was
found. Gov. Baldwin appointed
as personnel director william Don
ming, but, presto, decided that Mr..
Downing would need the help OF
an assistant IN his $500 a year
Job. And, strangely enough, the
man chosen for the $500 O year
post as assistant director was
Laurence g. Smith, executive sec.
rotary OF the Connecticut Merit
System association.
Mr.. Baldwln's advisers must
have clapped their hands In EIee
at their master stroke. You
could almost hear them saving;
see? We appointed the man we
wanted. then we stopped the
Merit System boys from giving Us
the blast by giving q nice juicy
plum 20 their own executive Sec
rotary. Smart, wasn't It?"
IT may seem smart 10 the poll.
ticians, but q few taxpayers may
ask why " was necessary 10 name
an assistant at almost 800 a week
Mr.. Marsh managed TO direct the
affairs OF the personnel Office
without any titled assistant,
The political mark was placed
indeiIbly on the appointments by
the fact that the candidate
named, Downing, was the only one
Of the five on the final list Of
candidates given the governor who
IL o registered Republican. The
ether four also ran.
A stop Cornell" movement has
already developed 10 keep the Re-
publican senatorial nomination
from Paul Cornell, OF Waghlng-
ton, and, from the information
ut hand, appears 10 have been
started In Mr. Cornell's home
Lltchfeld county. For the past
few weeks there have ben heard
about the state claims that one
man or another would be q
stronger candidate than the
former New York advertising man
The gossip began 10 center
about the name Of william J.
pape, local publlsher1 This led
Mr.. Pape 20 announce q few days
ago that he ID not o candidate
ard that he has no intention of
hclng used 70 hamper the Cornell
candidacy.
Mr.. Pape's statement did not
halt the movement, but only serv-
cd 10 direct II elsewhere. The
name OF State Treasurer Joseph
y. Talbot OF Naugatuck received
favorable mention, though some
time ago he announced that he
would not seek the senatorial
nomination. Other names we're
brought into the picture, and still
more are being added daily, among
them those OF Hugh Alcorn, Sr.,
and Thomas FULLY Of New Haven.
Mr.. Cornell IL still In the lead
for the nomination, but he Ii not by
any means sure of being the
choice when the state convention
meets this summer. The steady
movement against him In several
parts Of the state indicates that
some organization leaders are 0p-
posed TO him and would rather
nee the nomination given to an
other.
Sponsors of Mr.. Cornell believe
that the opposition TO him was
started In Litchneld county,
though leaders there only few
weeks ago gave him a unanimous
endorsement after he had defeated
Rep. Walter Howe OF Litchheld, In
a county caucus. Any decline In
support for Mr.. Cornell would
benefit Mr.. Howe, but the Cor
nell hackers do not blame Mr.
Howe for the start OF the stop
Cornell" movement. They blame
diseruntled leaders and workers
In the county, and tie 1t up with
the aspirations OF several candi-
dates for the congressional nom
ination from the fifth district,
which takes In all Litch1ield county
ana the Waterbury portion OF
New Haven county. There may
be some fireworks soon.
P0tpourTi q. The resolution
praising President Roosevelt,
which the local Democratic con-
ventiOn adopted the other night.
AaRAfsa1lw o.tnss1nL