The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-10-25

NA0k3%AAGASA&A AnR that bally furnace; to the sport. enthusiast it is the period of the booming punt and the long forward pass; to the observer of the inter- national scene it Is the prelude tc Che sWirling Snows on the eastern front that may at least check the ceaselesS advance of the Hitler nordes.
 But, to the politician it's only election time.
 1t Is the time for the politician
 tO read unfriendly references to
 himself and his party into every
 Hem he reads in the newspapers;
 M is the time for him to com-
 plain that he isn't getting enough
 publicity and that his opponent is
 getting toO much; 1t is the time
 for him to deny that he said
 something foolish whict a whole
 hall full of people heard him say:
 1t Is time for him to believe
 that he ,mOuld dictate new
 papers policy.
 The politician, whatever his party, doesn't seem to realize that it's the function of a newspaper to present all sides of campaign and not to fill its news columns with stories favorable to him. He can't under stand, apparently, that the readers of a newspaper look to it for news not for propaganda on his behalf; nor does he seem to understand that a papers editorial policies and views should be reflected only on the editorial page.
 No, the politician sees the news paper only as an instrument for use in his behalf. means to build up his ego and nelp him toward a lush job.
 It would be an interesting bit of psychological research for some expert to delve into the reasons why men and women, at other times normal, believe when they are candidates for office that the newspapers exist only to present their side of the case; and why the politician takes 1t for granted that any item of political news,
 if not to his liking. has been written to hurt him and his cause.
 It Is a hxation that affects can didates of not one party, but all and 1t makes election time one long headache for a political re- porter.
 As the candidates of the three parties go into the last full week Of campaigning, the strategy be- comes more apparent though the efforts to interest the voters are still failing.
 Tke Democrats, with the advan- tage of being "in" and with the backing of an efficient organization, are naturally cautious. For the most part they are counter punch ing, waiting for the opposition to lead, then hitting back.
 Tie Republicans, seeking weak spots, have been experimenting with their blows. The keynote Of their campaign was given by J. Warren Upson. who sought to make it a contest of parties rathen than can- didates.
 The Independents are doing little campaigning, obviously hoping to pick up whatever protests there are against the major parties.
 The direction of the Republican campaign on the part of the lead CTS seem indecisive, unsure. There Is 8 jittery air, as witness the carefully prepared series of speeches the other night denying that Bunker Hill and Boulevard voters weren't supporting the Per- Riello ticket. The very fact that such reports were deemed worthy of denial gave them more sub- stance.
 Some Democratic leaders are likewise more and more uneasy as Nov. { approaches. Their prin- cipal worry seems to be the Italian vote, but they are getting 2 gray hair or two wondering how many | votes the Independents will poll. It seems to us that the importance | of the Italian vote Is being over emphasized, and that claims that 90 per cent or more of 1t will go to | MT. Perriello are fantastic. Un- doubtedly well over a majority of the Italian voters will pull the Re- publican lever but we doubt that 90 per cent of any racial vote can be secured for soy candidate.
 The dullness of this years cam paign recalls, by contrast, the elcc- ton battles Of other years when no punches were pulled and no . holds barred. Those campaigns didn't consist of polite exchanges; they were snarling, name-calIing bitteR fights right down to the time the last vote was counted.
 Though the passing of most of Ghe ssa-type campaigning Is not Co be regretted, there is reason to be Gssry that the old aggressive ness is missing. In fighting cam maign, the voter benefits by having aaes introduced and debated. This &S~& S@AnP~ASh cSVS sAC AeSpOU~ McanS slow in bringing up issues and then only half-hearted in pressing them.
 Whatever the developments during she rest of the campaign, the signs point to nothing but another Demo cratic victory.
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