Evening star., 1961-01-16

ment, "Ribicoff is a complete
loner."
ABE" he says. "has been
very interested in promoting
his career and he has been
willing to sacrifice outside in
terests and associations to do
it. That seems to irritate some
people, but the only way to be
a successful politician / know
Of is to be one full-time."
Horatio Alger Pattern
The Ribicoff story follows
the Horatio Alger pattern: The
boyhood jobs selling papers
and delivering groceries to
boost the family's small in
come. A year Of college, then a
job with a firm that sent him
to Chicago as q salesman. More
years combining work with
education, and. finally. full
time studies at the University
of Chicago Law School, with
academic honors and q place
on the board Of editors Of the
Law Review; marriage to Ruth
ISiegel, a Hartford girl (their
son Peter now teaches in a
California high school; their
daughter Jane Is a college
freshman): then law practice
In Hartford and a succession of
minor political jobs-two terms
In the State Assembly and two
as Hartford police court Judge.
In 1948 came his big break
and, as always, 1t was John
Bailey who engineered it, per-
suading Mr.. Ribicoff to take
the nomination for Hartford's
lst Congressional District. and
then persuading the Hartford
Democrats to take Abe.
He pitched his campaign to
o "nonpartisan. businesslike ap-
lproach to the housing problem,
including Federal subsidies, and
he won, much to the surprise
of his headquarters staff. which
had not even laid in provisions
for a victory celebration.
Backed Foreign Aid
Through Mr.. Bailey's inter-
cession with Majority Leader
McC Cormack, the freshman
Representative was assigned to
the prestigious Foreign Affairs
Committee. and he quickly won
a reputation as a constructive
advocate-and critic-of the
foreign aid program.
It was in the House, too,
that Mr.. Ribicoff first displayed
his genius for unconventional
and attention-getting political
gestures. The most famous of
these was his introducing, at
the request Of constituents, a
bill to grant subsidies to shade
tobacco growers and then de-
nouncing the bill as an un-
considerable waste Of Govern
ment funds. AS an old associate
says, "Abe lost a few votes
mostly Republicans. anyway
|by his stand. but he convinced
thousands Of people he was the
most principled politician in
America"
During his four years in the
House. Mr.. Ribicoff voted for
bills to expand social security
coverage and benefits, increase
veterans pensions, boost un-
employment compensation and
other welfare measures.
Ironically. however, in 1850
he opposed President Truman's
proposal to create a Depart
ment Of Health, Education and
Security" a fact that he now
finds "a very interesting COM
mentary on the way needs
grow in a decade and the way
a lot of us can be wrong at
any given time"
Defeated by Bush
!, In 1852, Mr.. Ribicoff set his
sights on the Senate seat held
by Republican Prescott Bush,
and, for the only time in his
career, was thwarted. He ran
100000 votes ahead of the
Democratic ticket, but still was
unable to overcome the tide
President Eisenhower rolled UP
for the Republicans.
Nonetheless. in 1854 Mr.
Bailey decided that Mr.. Ribicofi
was the best bet for Governor
) and this time he was proved
right. The highlight Of thai
' campaign-indeed, q legend In
+, Connecticut political history
t was Mr.. Ribicoff's speech or
, the Friday before election.
; The gubernatorial candidate