The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-01-24
Politics
in
Passing
ny RAYMOND J. FITZPATRICK

Attempts TO read into the special
election OF last Tuesday q great
political significance seems TO this
corner TO be unjustified. The fact
OF the matter Is that Joe Talbot.
not the Republican party. won the
election. Actually, Joe Talbot won
in spite OF his party, for he was
given no great amount OF finan-
cia1 support by the organization and
election day efficiency on the part
OF the q. o. p. was sadly lacking.
To us II seems ludicrous TO
hear Republican party leaders
and anti-Roosevelt newspapers
hail Tuesdays outcome az a sign
Of a great anti-Democratic trend
this fall. Had the result gone the
other way, you may he sure, they
would have minimized the poll
teal importance Of the election;
they would have said that ar
rival Of the war had removed any
partisan import.
} Joe Talbot won the election be-
cause he is personally popular, be-
cause he Is older and more eXper-
fenced than his Democratic rival,
John Monagan, because many peo-
pie believe that he is at heart a
strong New Dealer, because he had
the good fortune 10 run for office
at time when many Waterbury
city employees, their families and
their friends were seeking some
way TO show resentment against the
city's refusal to give them wage
Increases.
The New York Daily News,
most consistently bitter Of the
Roosevelt foreign policy until
Dec. !, tells us that the election
in our district Tuesday was an
OminOus portent for the Demo-
cratic party, while the Water
bury Republican goes SO far as
to decide that the vote was "A
pprotcst by the people against
sectional discrimination against
New England" Even to The Re-
publican that must have been a
hard one to figure out.
Party allegiance was in the back
ground Tuesday for two reasons
First and foremost, America Is
fighting for her very existence;
secondly, party workers found that
It's hard to rouse party loyalty in
an election In which the names Of
only three individuals are on the
machines
We do believe that there may
be some local political signii =
caHce in the figures, that there
were signs of a revolt against the
local Democratic leadership. Mr..
Monagan, in carrying Waterbury
by almost 1000 In the face Of an
extremely light vote, revealed
considerable getting ability.
However, his vote locally would
have been much higher had it
nos been for the many protest
ballots, of which he was the vic
tim, on the part of teachers, pO-
,e.lic:men, firemen and their fam
lies.
Al City employees, ii seems to this
( corner, were seeking TO assert
n their independence. Unfortunate
Iy for Mr.. Monasan, Ire had TO
/, run at the wrong time.
/, CT Mr. Talbot's qualifications there
MS 70 question. He will represent
!. the district capably, we feel sure.
sHe goes TO Washington at q time
tfwhen the fifth district needs the
tycry best representation 1t can get.
ION his shoulders are great respon-
tlsibilities but we in the district
,,knoU that he win live up 10 them.
(, The political d0pesters should
not forget to notice that Edward
r. J. Ryan, who lost his biggest
campaign point when we entered
. the war, polled over 1900 votes
:. in Waterbury. This. il might be
= pointed out. is twice as many
NJ votes as the Independent Demo-
v cratic party received in the city
d, election last fall. Had those votes
y gone to Mr.. MOnagan the district
Nj totals would have been great
deal closer.
II Tuesdays voting, the Waterbury
apart OF 1t, indicates To us a grow
: ing protest movement against dom
!. ination OF the Democratic party by
a few individuals. The people want
! no bossism, they want the true
!. American democracy for VIII c n
, their sons and brothers and neph-
eWs are fighting TO save.
IN HONOR OF LIEUT..
Manchester, N. H., Jan. 24-CUp)
.-rEhe Mear=QId MancheetGt. iii ha en