Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-03-22
Democrats Confident
They Hold Advantage
In Connecticut Race
By Gould Lincoln
Ster $toH Corrsspondent


exactly today whom they will nom
mate for Governor. and for the
two Senatorial seats in next No
vember's elections. They express
confidence, too, that as of today
their candidates will be elected.
Gov. Chester Bowles will head
the Democratic ticket. Although
some CT the old-line Democrats
look askance at Gov. Bowles, con-
sidering him too bound up with
the Fair Deal and Americans for
Democratic Action. they realize
that the Governor is in the driv-
er's seat-that he is, in effect, the
Democratic Party so far as Con-
necticut is concerned and there is
nothing they can do about it.
For the Senate, Senators Nc
Mahon and Benton are as certain
OF nomination as day follows
night. The only job left is the
selection of Democratic candidates
to run for the three House seats
now held by the Republicans,
Representatives Sadlak Cat large)
and Lodge and Patterson. The
three Democratic members of the
House, Mrs. Chase Going Wood
house and Representatives Ribi-
coff and Mcclure. presumably,
will be renominated.
Know Where They Are Going.
The advantage the Democrats
have today. as expressed by Sen
ator Mcmahon, Gov. Bowles and
others, is that they know where
they are going" They have their
candidates-the top three-and
they are making all the running.
1t may be different when the Re-
publicans finally get themselves
lined up. If and when that hap
pens, the Democrats will be run
ming against somebody-instead
OF against nobody, as of today.
Gov. Bowles, in his Office at the
Capitol, expressed the belief that
the Democratic Party and its
candidates are in good shape for
the coming campaign and that
they will win. He is prepared to
run on the record Of his admins
tration-and to blame any part of
his program left undone-as for
example his proposals for labor
legislation-on the Republican As
sembly. The State Senate is
Democratic.
The Legislature, now in session.
is tackling the report and recon-
mendations Of the Commission on
State Government Organization.
The report has become overnight
the most controversial issue of the
day. 1t is intended to streamline
the State government, to make
1t more efficient and less wasteful.
Office Holders in Fear.
When it is understood that the
report proposes to take 2o2
agencies Of State government and
compress them into Is or 20 de-
partments, it becomes immediately
clear why the issue is controver-
sial. Interests OF all kinds are
affected. First, there are the
ONCE holders, many of them
Democrats, who will be forced
out OF jobs of responsibility. The
State has about 1900 employees
OF all kinds, and they are nervous
TOO. about what may happen to
them.
In addition there are what Gov.
Sowles calls "the vested interests"
which are affected. In trans
hitting the report of the commits
sion to the Legislature, Gov.
Bowles frankly admitted it would
run into strong opposition. IT
realize" the Governor said, that
the acceptance of this report will
call for political sacrifices on the
part OF some of you. know that
1t will require courage and a will
ingness to stand firm in the face
OF pressure groups and vested in
terests."
The opposition is formidable
and expanding. One of the latest
OF the organized groups to oppose
the program is the Connecticut
Conference of Farm Organiza-
tons, representing about Is agri-
cultural bodies. The conference
charges that the commission and
Gov. Bowles are recommending a
form of government almost TO-
talitarian"-one that would result
in complete domination of all
State services by whatever politi-
cal party that happens to be in
power"
10 Bills Introduced.
The Importance Of this particu-
lar opposition lies in the fact that
the Republicans in the House
inclined to be opposed to anything
Gov. Bowles does anyway-owe
their elections in many cases to
the rural voters and farmers.
Ten bills to accomplish the re-
organization have been intro
duced. The opinion here is that
the program will have hard sled
ding, and that it will be a surprise
II much of it is enacted. x
Gov. Bowles stands to win, po-
1itically, either way the fight goes.
II the reorganization program is
defeated he will go to the voters
and say, II tried to get you a more
efficient and less costly govern
eminent, but the Republicans in
the House wouldn't let me-" Dem
ocrats in the Senate will put
through the program bills, it is
predicted, even though some of
the Democrats may be violently
opposed, knowing al. the time
that the Republican House will
turn these bills down.
On the other hand, should the