Herter for Governor

Politics is Massachusetts seems to follow a pattern as dully consistent as the cat chasing his own tail. When the Democrats are in office there is usually a large spending program, and the Republicans rush about distributing claims of extravagant financial waste. Once in office, the Republicans start refilling the treasury while the Democrats charge that the reduction of public benefits is breeding a new "forgotten man," And regardless of the Governor's party, he is generally the victim of vicious corruption charges. While the present gubernatorial race follows in general pattern of past elections, there are also important differences.

In this campaign there has been no mention of scandal concerning the State House, now controlled by Governor Christian A. Herter. His Democratic opponent, Robert F. Murphy, is limited to criticizing specific points of Herter's two year record. Unlike the Congressional battles, there are no easily definable programs supported by the parties in the contest for Governor. Any difference is one of degree, and our choice of Herter is based on a comparison of both candidates' leadership and policies.

Murphy's platform is filled with assorted charges founded on the traditional claim that the Republicans are saving money only by excluding necessary public works. Admittedly, Herter has reduced expenses, but he has likewise given the first personal income tax relief in 33 years. And when Murphy's attacks are reduced to particular issues, little factual evidence serves his argument. He maintains, for example, that Herter has neglected improvements in public and mental health. But Murphy was one of the few Democrats who refused to approve this year's capital outlay program that will help provide the necessary hospitals and facilities.

The same contradiction of Murphy's voting record and his program is evident in the highway dispute. Although Murphy complains that the state needs better roads, he voted against the $150 million bond issue passed by the legislature to accelerate the development. While it is possible Murphy would have voted for these proposals under a Democratic administration, he is still guilty of crowding politics before state progress.

Unemployment Debate

The most acrid debate of the campaign centers on the unemployment problem. Murphy claims that Herter has slighted the issue, despite the Governor's founding of the State Commerce Department. This agency has brought over 200 new industries into the state and helped account for one of Massachusetts' most prosperous years. The revealing part of Murphy's attack is his inability to offer an effective alternative. He has hazy ideas of improving Herter's Commerce Department and advocates unpracticable suggestions such as immediate revision of the Taft-Hartley Law and a 50-cent increase in the wage minimum.

If Murphy's criticisms and policies are weak, his leadership ability is equally dubious. As the Democratic floor leader in the state House of Representatives, he might have compiled an impressive record with his party. But a majority of the Democratic members of the House deserted his leadership a total of 4,766 times on roll call votes during the past two years. And it was only after several other men refused to run that Murphy became a candidate for Governor.

In contrast, Herter has a solid backlog of party support and legislative achievement. In the first half of his term nearly 95 percent of his recommended legislation became law, and since then party loyalty has not dwindled. Despite Democratic fears to the contrary, the Herter record indicates that tax reductions need not bring a stagnation of public programs. In addition to the projects already mentioned, Herter has expanded state educational facilities, created low cost housing for senior citizens, and increased payments under unemployment compensating. He also succeeded in the long neglected streamlining of several departments that grew in sprawling and wasteful motions during the last war.

Compared with the record of the Herter Administration, Murphy's criticisms appear both meager and ill-founded. Herter has been able to command the support of his party and to direct legislative progress. He deserves election in order to continue his program for an additional term.