The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-02-21
Politics
in
Passing
nv RAYMOND y.FTTZPATRICK

An open letter to Democratic
Town Chairman Maurice F. rang
uey:
Dear Maurice:
This seems an appropriate time
to talk to you about Waterways
democratic party, which you
have served So well for so many
wears. with the state election
camuaign still months away and
with the special congressional
election now out Of the way
wouldn't 1t be well now for your
committee TO consider making
some changes In its rules ana
policies?
Politically, Maurice, your organi-
ration has Waterbury seWed up
tight. You have an organization
that works smoothly, that has
proved itself In more than electlon'
You need have no worries for any
long while about the Republican
marty. for instance. And you know,
as we all do, that the Republican
party in Waterbury has lost many
a golden opportunity to be major
force here simply because its al
fairs have been directed by a select
few because the average Republican
voter hasn't been given a chance
to have his say. You know, 100,
that that's a danger the Demo-
cratic party has to avoid.
Unfortunately, however. it's a
danger that's more and more real
for your party, Maurice. In the
rank and file the unrest is growing,
the justified grumblings are grow
ing louder. The average Democrat
you see, is willing to stand by the
party through thick and thin but
he does not have any liking for be-
ing bossed around. He wants to
feel not only that his help is APP
preciated but that he is really a
part Of the organization to which
he gives his unquestioned loyalty.
We know, Maurice, that you, like
us, don't hold bossism in any high
regard; we know that there are
changes you yourself would like to
make. Why not start making them
now?
You could start, Maurice, by
abolishing that town committee
rule designed to prevent any pri-
mary contests, the one that re-
quires payment of S25 deposit
for each district in which pri
mary ticket is filed. As long as
that rule is in effect the Demo-
cratic party here can't pretend to
be democratic.
Primaries are a lot of bother,
yes, but they do make for
democratic decision. They do let
the people, who really are the
party, decide the candidates. As
it Is now, we all know, it's a
tightly-knit little group that de-
cides on the candidates and ev-
erything else.
After changing that rule, Maurice
your committee could well go on to
have the members of the town
committee chosen by the voters of
each district in caucuses or pri-
maries You'd have a town commit
tee then that could truly say it rep
resented the Democratic voters of
Waterbury If you did have such
new rule, the voters would probably
elect many of the present town
committee members, but it would
be the voters doing 1t as members
r,f II uYnlt1Tf,'t hn tho
result Of manipulating by few
leaders.
As a political expert who has
almost hit the bullseye in several
recent elections, because you
know how uncertain the public
is, how difficult it is to sense a
change of trend in peoples feel
ings until 1t has become an al
most irresistible movement.
Such trend against the DEM
ocratic organization in Water
bury would be most unweIcome,
naturally, to your committee.
You know. though, that there
are unmistakable signs of such a
trend, so isn't it time to take
vigorous action before 1t grows
any more?
Now that our nation is fight
ing for democracy, Maurice,
shouldn't we have real democ-
racy at home?
Yours very sincerely,
RAYOND FITZPATRICK.
Naugatuck,s Democratic party,