Hurley-Curley

The hurricane that hit Massachusetts last week (see p. 11) was only slightly more surprising to its citizens than the results of the Democratic primary vote for Governor, cast the day before. Beaten by Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. for the Senate two years ago, beaten last year in a try for a fourth term as Mayor of Boston, James Michael Curley was supposed to be "all washed up." But political weathermen knew that Governor Charles F. Hurley, since he succeeded Mr. Curley in the State House two years ago, had been exercising an unusual talent for repelling people and making enemies. His downfall was forecast when he failed to put over a $23,625,000 fund for his Highway Department last June. The Republican Legislature, fuming because he kept it in session most of the summer, finally voted only $5,000,000 and placed it beyond his control. Meanwhile, sly Mr. Curley had been smiling his devious smile, filling his campaign chest, promising jobs to Massachusetts' 400,000 unemployed. When more than 500,000 Democrats turned out for the Hurley-Curley, they gave Mr. Curley nearly 3-to-2 victory over Mr. Hurley. Mr. Curley at once offered his services to Governor Hurley to supervise hurricane relief work. Mr. Hurley let him wait in an anteroom for 90 minutes.

Of 440,000 Republicans who turned out to vote, three-fourths chose lanky Leverett Saltonstall, 46, a blue-blooded Back Bay clansman, whose ancestors include Colonial Governors of Massachusetts and Connecticut, old Harvard oar, former Speaker of the Massachusetts house.

Victorious by 4-to-3 over the discredited incumbent. Warren L. Bishop, was boyish, clean-cut Robert F. ("Bob") Bradford, Republican reform candidate for district attorney of Middlesex County (TIME, Sept. 19). His Democratic counterpart, clean-cut, boyish Thomas H. ("Tom") Eliot, running against four Irishmen, narrowly won nomination for the House.

Most widely celebrated Massachusetts campaign was that of Patrolman Thomas Leary of Cambridge. Nominated without his knowledge or consent to be a delegate to the Democratic State Convention, barred by police rules from running for office, he campaigned vigorously ("Be wary of Leary") to get himself defeated (TIME, Sept. 26). When the returns showed him elected last week by 59 votes over his nearest opponent, he indignantly demanded a recount.

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