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mtfm *;m*$ <-'•/ Thursday, Sept. 8, 1966 Niagara Falls Paiette *23

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garans . By UNTJS ORMSBY

Gazette Staff Writer feUFFALO-Wherever Ni­

agara County's Democratic j Party is gathered together in

, the name of unity—there will . be a feud.

This was nowhere more in evidence than at Wednesday's opening session of the New York Democratic State Con­vention here where the coun­ty's divided party presented a somewhat comical display.

One of the scenes was the Hotel Statler Hilton ' where the long-time rivaling factions set up separate camps, each of which was patronized by its individual supporters.

The Niagara County delega­tion, headed by its chairman Sheriff James K. Murphy, maintained a suite on the fifth floor of the hotel. The delegation was almost solid­ly behind New York City Council President Frank D. O'Connor, who ended up the convention's choice to oppose Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller in the November general elec­tion.

On the 15th floor of the hotel, however, it was a dif­ferent story.

There, Niagara C o u n t y Democratic Chairman Er-minio F. Venuto, himself not a delegate and a political ad­versary of the sheriff, main­tained a hospitality suite

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CHAIRMAN - Without a seat on the floor, Niagara Chairman Erminio Venuto stands behind the delega­tion and talks to a news­man.—Gazette Photo.

which was frequented by his backers.

Mr. Venuto was a supporter of Canandaigua industrialist Howard J. Samuels.

* * * BOTH FACTIONS seemed

to avoid contact with each other with the possible excep­tion of Mrs. M. Therese Dane

who took It upon herself to "crash" the Venuto suite— "just for fun."

Mrs. Dane, who .is serving ! as secretary of the Niagara County delegation, is the only woman among the county's 32 delegates and alternates. She formerly served as secretary of the Niagara Falls Demo­cratic Cky Committee under Mr. Venuto, but is now a member of the Murphy camp.

Several N i a g a r a County Samuel's backers, who are also staunch supporters of Mr. Venuto, carried their separate ways from the hotel to M e m o r i a l Auditorium where the actual nominating of candidates took place dur­ing the evening session.

After Mr. Samuels received the nomination, a host of Ven­uto backers joined in the parade for fjie nominee and ringed the auditorium waving signs, flying balloons and beating noise makers.

According to one source, the same Niagara County Sam­uels backers also tried to crash the Niagara County delegation and take seats among them, but they were turned back by the sheriff and by Councilman Gerard J. LaPointe as "persona non grata."

• • 1 < THERE WERE also fears

among the county delegates

PLACARDS HOISTED-The delega­tion signs of Niagara and Kings (Brooklyn) Counties are raised as the demonstration b e g i n s for Frank D. O'Connor after his name

was placed in nomination at the Democratic State Convention in Buffalo Wednesday night.—Ga­zette Photo.

that the Samuels' backers would try to grab the Niagara County delegation sign for the parade, but the threat didn't materialize.

As was expected, the Ni­agara County delegation cast its entire 16 votes for Mr. O'Connor, but for a time it looked as if the vote might be split 15-1. There was one lone wolf among the delegat­es, namely Councilman Pat­rick Dillon.

Prior to the evening session, Councjlman Dillon said at the hotel:

"He's (Mr. Samuels) too good a friend of mine' to go against him, regardless of what happens to my political future."

H o w e v e r , Mr. Dillon's threat didn't materialize when the actual Niagara County vote was cast.

Tuesday, the delegation had voted to employ the unit rule procedure which means that all delegates then had to fol­low the wishes of the major­ity.

The councilman could have asked for a roll call vote of the delegation after its votes were cast, but he did not choose to do so.

• • *

IT WAS REPORTED in some circles that Mr. Dillon had received some severe rib­bing from delegate John J. (Taps) Gallagher and that he (Dillon) left the delegation be­fore the votes were cast

* » *

BUT THE ANTICS of the day were all in keeping with the colorful atmosphere of a convention. Both the Statler and the auditorium, the two main focal points of conven­tion activity, are literally plastered with signs for the various candidates and with colorful decorations.

P o p p i n g balloons, fire­crackers, bands and a wide variety of noisemakers creat­ed a general state of bedlam as convention activity shifted between the hotel and the auditorium.

After the morning session, soma Niagara County dele­gates returned to Niagara Falls, but the majority re­mained here.

During the afternoon hours when there were no scheduled activities, the majority of the Niagara County delegation spent its time in rooms 502-504, the hospitality suite for the Niagara delegation.

Each of the 16 delegates and 16 alternates had con­tributed $5 apiece to rent the suite for the convention, which was used primarily as a meet­ing place and a spot where the weary delegates could re-

DELEGATES ON CONVENTION FLOOR-Niagara County delegates to the Democratic State Con­vention are shown during proceedings Wednes­day night at Buffalo. In photo at left are Leo

Fermoile, left, and John Rinaldo. At right, Stan­ley Brzezinski and John J. (Taps) Gallagher, right, discuss the political situation. Joseph Fad-doul is in background. Caze,,e photos by Bud Barnett

lax in a somewhat informal atmosphere. There were liquid refreshments in both suites.

» » *

NIAGARA COUNTY'S Teen­age Democrats were also rep­resented at the convention and made use of it to enrich the treasury of the flounder­ing organization.

Mames Enos, acting county chairman for the Teen Dems, and Ronald McCoy, acting vice county chairman, roam­ed through the lobbies of the hotel selling booster cards for

the Niagara Falls Teenage Democratic Club at 50 cents apiece. '

Enos was appointed a page for the convention by Mr. Venuto.

» • •

AT TIMES, the scene at the hotel looked like a prelim­inary rally for a sporting event. Each of the two main contenders, Mr. O'Connor and Mr. Samuels, had uniformed teams of young girls roaming through the hotel trying to muster support.

The O'Connor team was dressed in bright blue skirts with matching caps, while the Samuels team was dressed in bright orange.

Sen. Robert F. Kennedy who arrived at the hotel dur­ing the afternoon, was greet­ed by a host of Samuels back­ers who sported self-made black eyes and carried signs "I'd rather fight than switch."

Some of Mr. Samuels' nine children were also observed with the same black eyes, but they were wearing badges

READY FOR ROLL CALL-Ni agara County delegates, supporters of they await the calling of the roll Frank D. O'Connor, are pleased as at the state convention. From left

are Matthew F. Toohey,' Sheriff James K. Murphy, Thomas Pren-dergast and Niagara Falls Coun­cilman Gerard J. LaPointe.—Ga­zette Photo.

which stated — "I'm Another Samuels."

* • • RUMORS about candidates

also ran high at the hotel. The most frequent subject was Buffalo Mayor Frank A. Se-dita who at times was said to be either the No. 2 man or the attorney general candidate.

Mayor E. Dent Lackey who attended the convention said he thought Mr. Sedita had the lieutenant governor nod in the bag.

However, during an inter­view he said that he thought State Comptroller A r t h u r Levitt would have the best chance of becoming the next governor of the state, if he were to receive the nomina­tion.

But he said that "O'Connor would make a great candi­date."

* * *

NIAGARA COUNTY Chair­man Venuto, who although he was backing Howard J. Samuels for the nomination, says that he will support the nominee Frank D. O'Connor and figures that he will "run well."

He said that he has been assured by an O'Connor aid that patronage will be dealt out through the County Com­mittee and not through the chairman of the Niagara County delegation.

Republicans: Their Minds Were Far Away By KENT SANDERS Gazette Staff Writer

ROCHESTER — Physically, they were in Rochester, but mentally, they were in Buf­falo and New York City.

This could well describe the atmosphere under which the Republicans opened their two-day state convention Wednes­day at War Memorial Audi­torium here.

With the glamorous mat­

ter of nominating a GOP slate virtually a "cut and dried" i s s u e here, delegates and party leaders turned their at­tention to where the political excitement was happening— the Democratic State Conven­tion in Buffalo, and to New York City where L i b e r a l Party officials awaited word from Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. on whether he would ac­cept their gubernatorial nom­ination.

The convention hall was conspicuously empty during. most of the mudane affairs which occupied nearly all of the convention business Wed­nesday.

Many delegates and party officials could be found re­laxing in their hotel rooms, and in various c o c k t a i l lounges and eateries through­out Rochester listening to television and radio reports and reading newspaper ac-

SENATOR ESCORTED TO ROSTRUM -Sen . Earl W. Brydges of Niagara Falls waves to crowd as he is es­corted to the platform to deliver the keynote address at the Repub­

lican State Convention In Rochester Wednesday. At left Is Niagara County Chairman Allan W. Van-DeMdrk. At right is Vice Chairmen. Elsie Paradise.

counts on the progress of the Democratic gathering and the FDR Jr. situation.

* * * EVEN THOSE HARDY

SOULS who appeared on the convention floor for the initial r o l l c a l l s , w e l c o m i n g speeches, adoption of conven­tion rules, selection of a per­manent organization commit­tee and other such matters, spent a good portion of the time scurrying about the hall inquiring about the status of matters in the other two cities.

Party leaders, however, are hopeful that the GOP jubi­lance created by FDR Jr.'s decision to accept the Liberal gubernatorial nomination will bring forth an enthusiastic display of party unity today during the nominations of Gov. Rockefeller, Lt. Gov. Malcolm Wilson and Atty. Gen. Louis Lefkowitz for re­election to a third term.

* • *

DESPITE THE APATHY Wednesday, one of the prime highlights of the day came at perhaps the most unopportune time — midway through the morning session when only a small percentage of the del­egates had made their ap­pearance on the convention floor.

It came in the form of a rousing keynote address by t h e convention's temporary chairman, State Senate Ma­jority Leader Earl W. Brydges of Niagara Falls. Although it did not draw the

quantity of excitement and applause generated by the speeches of permanent con­vention chairman, Assembly Minority Leader Ferry B. Duryea Jr. of Suffolk County, and Thomas E. Dewey, three-time governor and twice GOP presidential nominee, before larger crowds in the afternoon and evening sessions, the im­pact of Sen. Brydges' stinging attack 6 n t h e Democratic "bosses" had those delegates and party leaders present for the address buzzing through­out the remainder of the day.

* * *

LEADING the acclaim for the senator was a strong con­tingent of Niagara County del­egates—many of whom ad­mitted they would not -have attended' the morning session If he had not been delivering the keynote address.

Some 10 of the county's 16

delegates, several alternates and a number of other county Republicans were present as Sen. Brydges was ushered in­to the hall amid colorful fan­fare heralding his selection as temporary convention chair­man.

Escorted by Niagara County GOP Chairman and V i c e Chairman Allan W. Van De-Mark and Mrs. Elsie Para­dise, Sen. Brydges marched down the main aisle of the hall, preceded by a b r a s s band and followed by a con­tingent of "Housewives For Rockefeller."

• * •

SEN. BRYDGES admitted he was uneasy about deliver­ing the speech — principally because he felt "married" to the carefully prepared text of his comments.

"I don't like to speak from a text," he said en route to the convention hall. "I never have. I feel much freer and more7 able to express my views when I speak from notes. "It's difficult to sound convincing when you read a speech."

Once into the speech, how­ever, the senator appeared to have no difficulty inter­jecting unprepared comments into the prepared text while giving no evidence of read­ing the prepared material.

He blistered the Democrats —characterizing their conven­tion as a "bitter travesty," a "cynical charade," a "mor­bid masquerade" a n d a "mockery of democratic principals."

* * * SEN. BRYDGES did not ap­

pear to be' upset by the small turnout for his speech, but, rather, resigned beforehand to what he termed the ','char-acteristics .of the political beast known as a conven­tion."

"It's the history of conven­tions," he said. "It's hard to hold the interest of delegates when there is liltle for them to do. I hope we have more interest today for the nomina­tions but I knew there wasn't going to be much when I spoke."

• * • 1 THERE WAS no lack of en­

thusiasm from the Niagara County delegation. They, all praised the senator for his "concise interpretation" of the Republican attitude of the

USTENING-A 11 e n t i v e to the Leone, Benjamin N. Hewitt, Mrs.

speech of Sen. Earl W. Brydges in V. Sumner Carroll, Ernest Curto,

Rochester are, from left, A. Russell and Assemblyman Carroll.

Democratic Party's policies and expressed pride that he represents their county.

Assemblyman V. Sumner Carroll, 137th Assembly Dis­trict delegate, said, "He hit the nail right on the head, particularly in respect to his comments about the Demo­crats trying to have the best of two pics—selling one pro­gram for New York City and another for upstate New York.

"Of course, Sen. Brydges is par excellant as an ora­tor," Assemblyman Carroll said.

Mr. Van DeMark termed Sen. Brydges "on? of the greatest speakers in the country. He knows the situa­tion and can present it like no one else can."

Lockport Mayor Rollin T. Grant, 138th Asserribly Dis­trict delegate, exclaimed, "It was simply an excellent speech. I have heard Sen. Brydges speak numerous times and I never stop mar­veling at his gr6at talents as a speaker"—

BENJAMIN N. HEWITT, 137th delegate, termed the speech "very comprehen­sive."

"He spelled out the prin­cipal arguments for the con­tinuation of the Rockefeller team in very simple but con­vincing terms," Mr. Hewitt said. As an t>rator, he was his usual unbeatable self. He makes one proud that he's from Niagara County and you have the privilege to be rep­resented by him."

Mrs. Helen Mannerberg, 138th delegate, said, "He was tremendous as usual. I loved his quotes from the Bible, particalarly the one "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.' "

(Sen. Brydges used that Biblical quote to characterize the ties Frank D. O'Connor, Democratic gubernat o r i a 1 nominee, has with the party "bosses" in New York City.)

* • •

FORMER NIAGARA FALLS City GOP Chairman Daniel W. Risham, 127th delegate,

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said, "Sen. Brydges has again shown that he is without a doubt the m o s t talented speaker to come out of not' only Niagara County but New York State by his deep and piercing analysis of the com­plete political picture in the state. Niagara Falls and Ni­agara County are proud of him."

Perhaps the proudest per­son in . attendance was the senator's wife, Eleanor Bryd* ges, who said she was attend­ing her first convention.

"It was a very good, speech," she said. "I'm very much thrilled with Earl's role in this convention. I knew it was difficult for him to speak: from the prepared text but he didn't appear to have much difficulty.**

Other 137th Assembly Dis. trict delegates present were Mrs. Paradise and Clyde Toenniessen. Sen. Brydges was also a delegate from the 137th. ;

Other 138th delegates pre*, ent were Raymond J. Lee, Mr. Van DeMark, and Eu­gene Hogan.

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