Evening star., 1953-05-14
The Political Mil
The Political Mil
SuItonstuII Looks Like
A Sure Winner Again
Massachusetts, Republican
Fuces No Real Opposition
By Gould Lincoln

Dy 0oulo Lincoln
Senator Saltonstall. Republican, Of
Massachusetts, is making no formal
announcement of his candidacy to Sue
ceed himself, but his denomination next
year is as certain as day follows night.
Further his friends confidently predict
his victory at the polls. Also. this Mas
sachusetts seat in the Senate is of major
Importance to the Republicans if Presi-
dent Eisenhower Is to have a Repub-
lican majority in the upper house of
Congress during the second half of his
White House first term.
Massachusetts Democrats frankly ad-
NIT they will have tough time defeat
ing Senator Saltonstall. Further, they
are uncertain about a candidate to run
against him. The three men whose
names have been mentioned frequently
as potential Democratic nominees for
the Senate are former Gov. Dever, for
mer Gov. Tobin, and Representative
Philip j. Philbin of Clinton. Mr.. Phil
bin is serving his sixth term in the
House.
None Very Strong.
None of them looks too strong a cam
didate against Senator Saltonstall. who
was three times elected Governor of
Massachusetts and has twice been
elected to the Senate. His first election
to the Senate came in 1914, to fill a
vacancy caused by the resignation of
Henry Cabot Lodge. jr., who entered
the armed services. and his second, in
1948. In both these elections, Senator
SaltonStall won despite the fact Demo-
cratic Presidents were carrying the
State by large majoritieS. first Roose-
velt and then Truman. His margin of
victory in 1948 was $4,000 votes.
The situation is further complicated
find a candidate for Governor, as we'll
as for Senator. In the 1852 campaign.
Gov. Dever and Representative (now
Senator) Kennedy passed the ball back
and forth until finally Gov. Dever de-
cided he would run for reelection and
Mr.. Kennedy for the Senate. AS Of
today. Mr.. Dever and Mr.. Tobin seem
to be engaged in a similar pastime-
but no decision has yet been made as to
division of these two nominations.
If Representative Mccormack of Bos-
ton. Democratic whip of the House.
wished to get into the race, he might
seek with success either the guberna-
torial nomination or that for Senator.
Obviously. however, Mr.. Mccormack
will be in line for election as Speaker
OF the House, if and when the Demo-
Gratis regain control of that body, and
Minority Leader Sam Rayburn of Texas
decides not to be a candidate.
New Faces Needed.
One prominent Democrat. who does
not wish to be quoted, believes that
what is needed by the Democrats in
Massachusetts, are new faces" Both
Mr.. Dever and Mr. Tobin suffered de.
feat at the hands of Republican candi-
dates the last time they sought election
to that office. They are old stories to
the voters. Doubt is expressed that Mr..
Dever would run next year as we'll as he
ran last year. when he was defeated.
Maurice Tobin, former Mayor of Boston
and Governor. was seeking another GU
bernatorial nomination when he was
picked by former President Truman for
Secretary of Labor. He served in that
cabinet post until Mr.. Truman went out
of Office last January.
sets last year may have contributed
somewhat to Mr.. Dever's defeat by Re-
publican Gov. Herter, but 1t was not, it
is believed, the dominating factor. Mr..
Dever had lost ground with the voters.
While Mr.. Dever was going down to
defeat, in the same election Senator
John F. Kennedy, Democrat, was win
ming handily over former Senator
Henry Cabot Lodge. jr.. his Republican
opponent. There is little reason to be-
lieve Mr.. Dever will regain that lost
ground during the coming year. Indeed.
he may be less strong than he was in
1852. Mr.. Tobin was out of the State
for nearly five years, while he was Sec
retary of Labor. In all that time he has
not gone before the voters, except to
speak for other candidates.
Among the new faces" that NAV
emerge as major candidates next year
are Howard Fitzpatrick, the first DEM
ocrat to be elected sheriff of Middlesex
County; Mayor John B. Hynes of Bos-
ton, and State Treasurer Foster Fur
colo. who gave up seat in the House
to run for his present Office. Whether
any Of them, however, can defeat Sen
ator Saltonstall is extremely doubtful.
Senator Saltonstall was popular Gov
ernor, and he has served we'll in the
Senate and has big personal follow
ing. An Eisenhower man, Senator SAL
tonstall helped to line up Massachu.
sets delegates for the general. Repub-
lican victory in the Senate gave him
the Craftsmanship of the important
Armed Services Committee, where he
is rendering outstanding service for ma.
tional defense.