The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-08-14
Politics
 In Passing

The gubernatorial nomination among Democrats is apparently fairly live issue. even at this ad- vanced stage of the 1944 campaign. Not so many weeks ago 1t was Sen ator Francis T. Maloney being men, tioned in this connection. Last week 1t was J. Francis Smith of this city with the senator avowing that he would support MT. Smith If he saw fit to run. Might it not be, though, that another MT. Smith-Richard Joyce of Southport-will actually get the backing of the first two men, tioned stalwarts when 1t comes right down to the fine point of making the nomination? Richard Joyce Smith was their candidate for National Committeeman last December, losing to ex-governor Robert A. Hurley. But right now the Hurley forces don't enjoy the popularity or strength that was theirs through l941-42. And US believed that by convention time Tn 1914 their depreciation may be even greater. So-o-o, the Maloney-Smith cohorts are encouraged to the point that they anticipate more demand for their leaders opinions and heip in matters political.
 With talk of a contested Demo-
 cratic primary sort of petering
 out leaders are quietly considering
 dates for conventions, etc. TWO
 years ago when Mayor Scully was
 renominated without any ands, ITS
 or buts the conventions were held
 on October 3, the primary on Sep
 tenber 19. It's barely possible that
 those dates will more or less guide
 the Democratic Town Committee
 in picking out the 1943 dates. It's
 the Executive Committee of the
 Town Committee that decides on
 dates and authorizes the Town
 Chairman to issue the official call.
 The 1899 Democratic contest TOT control of the party was, of course, its most memorable in a great many wears. Oddly enough the principals in this contest-Vincent A. Sculiy and George T. Culhane-are both dead now. That was year Of much nolitical news. The Republicans were in charge of both the mayors and controllers office at various pe- riods - MT. Perriello succeeding IFrank Hayes upon his resignation, Sherwood Rowland being the elected controller, but dying in office. How ever in the fall of '30 began the fight for control of the Democratic Party with Senator Culhane on the me side, Vincent Scully Of the cor noration Counsels office on the oth- CT. And to add to the excitement sthe regular election day was gwen [ over 10 a referendum on whether or mot the city would adopt the city manager form of government. Alter that was decided in favor or con- tinuation of the present form of gov ernment, the famous Scully-Culhane primary was fought and won by the former. who also emerged victorious in the November election.
 But the original lineup that the
 gcully forces showed in those days
 has undergone considerable chang
 6ng. It's Mayor John $. Monagan
 nov. the late Mayor Scully's AI-
 dermanic President having suc-
 ceeded him after his death. The
 controllers office lost Thomas
 Conlon and Cornelius r. Maloney
 is the present incumbent there.
 In the Corporation COunsePs office
 !. Gregory Lynch, in military serv- ice. has been replaced by Maurice
 IT. HeaIey. Several aldermanic and boards changes were also : necessary. So the lineup will be 1 different, primary fight or no fight ! Down in Georgia the age limit TOT voters has been lowered from 2l to I18. The action has started drlVe ali over the nation for correspono- ing steps by the necessary Legislative bodies. If every state did the same &ne voting population would be ln- 1 creased by more than TOGO 900 peo- ple. Right here in Connecticut alone there are 98, ,456 persons between the ages of IS and 2l who could vote If the legal age were changed. US interesting to note, though, that re- cent surveys among youngsters III fhis age group brought out trem- endous amount of indifference to- wards the proposal. They weren't Interested in becoming voters, even though the opportunity was being given to them three years earlier than anticipated. And the same IS true. in some degree, of persons over t21 years of age. Despite the fact lthat in big cities like Waterbury the first Wednesday of each month IS sdeyoted to making new voters, the response is very small. If it weren't Ixor the efforts of some poltlcal uroups the response would be even Ismaller. Proving conclusiyely that lthe right to the franchise IS no aV- |traction in itself?
 Mayor John s. MOnagan's atten-
 tion to plans for postwar aviation
 development in this state is praise
 worthy. The mayor recognizes the
 fact. as do most wide-awake city