Evening star., 1950-05-27
The Political Mil 10
6. O.P. Leadership Seen.
Weak in Connecticut
Stote Convention Must Pick
Good Ticket to Win Election
By Gould LINCOLN

With former Governor and Senator
Baldwin on the bench, and j. Henry
Roraback dead these many years Re-
publican politics and Republican strategy
In Connecticut are at skies and sevens,
Unless the Republicans settle down and
pick a strong ticket they may kick away
q chance to gain two Senate seats from,
the Democrats. not to mention a Cover
norship and two or three House seats,
Their dif1culty lies in the fact the
leadership is both weak and divided,
1t may be that when the DELEGATES to the
Republican State Convention meet June
IA. they will be guided to move IN the
right direction. but it looks as thouca
the guiding will have 10 be done by them
selves
It's not because there are not good
Republican candidates available for
places on the ticket that trouble exists.
1t is because of factional and selfish
ambitions. The one bright thing that
mas been done is the call of the State
convention in the middle of June. instead
OF waiting until well on in the summer
This will give the Republican Party an
opportunity, after 1t has named its can
dldates, to get out and make real cam
paign for them.
Democratic Ticket Set.
AT present the Democratic ticket Is all
set. with Gov. Chester Bowles at its
head and Senators McMahon and Benton
to be renominated. They are running .
Tree, wide and handsome. and will con-
tlnue to do so until the opposition puts
up ticket and begins to fight.
Representative John Davis Lodge,
brother OF Senator Lodge OF Massachu-
Setts, Is an attractive figure and a good
campaigner. He would fit in the picture
Tor either Governor or Senator. At pres
ent he is being groomed for q guber-
material nomination and has declared
himself available. To some Republicans.
however u seems advisable to shift Mr..
Lodge to senatorial nomination, and
run former Representative Talbot-now
being considered for a senatorial nomi-
natlon-for Governor, and pick Repre-
sentative Patterson for the other Senate
seat. They go further and suggest that
Mayor Ray Snyder, who won a sensational
Republican victory in Waterbury, should
pe nominated for lieutenant governor.
II S not as easy as that, however
There is a plethora of other candidates.
Tor these nominations Former Gov.
James c. Shannon, who was defeated in
2225 votes. would like to have another
try at 1t. Others who are at least toying
with the idea Of running for Governor
include j. Kenneth Bradley, former
Republican national committeeman, and
William A. Purtell of West Hartford,
president to the Connecticut Manufac-
turers' Association. Despite the fact MIR.
Purtell heads the manufacturers aSsocia-
a Hnitt Lob nrL
came up from the ranks himself.
Speaking Over State.
Miss Vivian Kellems Of Stonington, So
year-old manufacturer of cable grips,
and Prescott S. Bush of Greenwich. a
Yale trustee and partner in the banking
firm of Brown Brothers, Hartman &
Company. are among the candidates for
senatorial nominations. Miss Kellems Ia
known for her fight With the Govern
ment over her refusal to, withhold taxes r.
from her employees pay envelopes. All =
OF these potential candidates have been
speaking widely over the State. -
Messrs. Lodge and Patterson are botn ,
veterans of the last war-the first in
the Navy and the second In the Marine :,
Corps. For a time 1t was thought that
Mrs. Glare Booth Luce could be prevailed
on to run for the Senate-but she now
appears to be definitely out Of the pic
ture.
Beating Messrs. Bowles. Benton and
Mcmahon will be no simple task. There
will be no lack of campaign funds on the
part Of the Democrats, to start with.
Further. Senator Mcmahon has Repub-
lican friends as well as Democratic in
the State, and Gov. Bowles is a resource
full antagonist.
There is an added incentive In the
coming election-the Governors term
will be increased from two to four years.
II the Republicans fail to pick the best
ticket they can. and If they get into Bit
ter fights in the convention, their goose
may be cooked