The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-05-24
Politics
 in Passing
Bx RAYMOND ,. FITZPATRICK

BX RAYMOND ,. FTTzPATR1CII
 Had the taxpayers of Connectl- cut been able to see the August General Assembly in action this past week they could hardly be blamed for wanting to rout the legislators out of the Capitol. It has been, ever since Jan. 6, Q ses- sion of interminable stalling and maneuvering but this past week took the cake for unreasonable delay stemming from petty poli- teal motives.
 Though the end of the session Is due q week from next Wednesday most senators and representatives seemed highly unconcerned about the fact that important and badly-needed legislation might get lost in the shuttle during the hec- tic closing days. They seemed con- tent to leave things in the hands of the party leaders, and these llarried gentlemen were doing q tremendous amount of running around without being able to get too much done.
 Ft must be conceded that these closing weeks bring many extra duties and worries to the mem. bers of the legislature, but on the other hand much of the rush of business now facing the legisl- ture could have been avoided if more time had been spent earlier in the session on enacting legis- Iatlon than on jOckeying for p0- litical position and using the ''staIw as the favorite tactic.
 The scramble for patronage, which finally came Into the open this week, illustrated again the accepted fact that many legiSla- tors are more interested in jobs for themselves and their friends thah they are in representing the interests of the people of their district and of the entire state.
 AS 1t is now there is much more interest and activity in the fight for minor court appointments and for other plumS than there is in the governors legislative program and In other major legislation.
 Session after session the people of Connecticut have looked with frank disgust at the job-grabblng antics of members of the Assem- bly, yet they see the same sight again this year. Eveh the leglsla- tors themselves, in high-s0unding speeches, say that the judgeshipS should be taken out of politics, but, instead of doing anything about 1t, they jump in with their hands 0utstretched when It's judgeship time at the next session.
 Way back at the start Of the Legislative session, Gov. Hurley declared that legislation should come before patronage and that he would withhold appointments until after important bills had been adopted. Whereupon the General Assembly proceeded to stymie most of the governors program, with the result that much of 1t still awaits adoption in the few legislative days remain- ing. The governor was forced to make most his major appoint- inentS while must" bills on his list were being Jugglcd from one house to the other or being pigeonholed in committee.
 As if that weren't enough, the patronage hunters are now hold Ing up action until an agreement on minor court plunis can Dc nc. g0tiated.
 Another reason for pride on the legislators part is the spectacle of high court judgeshlp nomina. tlons being held up In both h0us- es because of suspicion of the other house. The Democratic Sen. ate has delayed action on con. firmlng Judge Edwin c. Dlcken. son for the supreme court and Judge Alfred c. Baldwin for an- other term on the superior court bench simply because both are Republicans. And ths Republican House is delaying the c0nfirma- ton of James E. Murphy and Charles '. Mclaughlin for super for court judgeships simply be- cause both arc Democrats. Each chamber Is openly afraid that the party in control of the other chamber will attempt to pull z fast One."
 The ranks of those dBgusted with the stalling and the jockey ing include many legisla tors themselves, who only shake their heads in resignation. They fail to realize that they are contributing to the situation by not crying out in protest no matter how weak their voices may be nor how little they may be needed.
 There is no great objection to the dispensing of legitimate pa- tronage, . by-product of the dem- Ocratlc system, but there Is great objection to making patronage almost the sole end and aim of . legislative body elected by the people. As long as minor court jobs are to Dc given out as plums, surely the distribution could be effected without tieing-up . whole legislative program and making the last weeks of the session one long job hunt.
 The legislatures tactics have only served to make Coy. Hurley's stand appear in bold contrast. His Legislation before patronage" declaration and his attempt to follow such policy make the three-ring circus performance of the legislature take on its true