Jewish Community Relations Council, Boston, Massachusetts

               Mayoralty Race:
iredentials To Examine
There Is no more Neanderthal approach in Ameri-
political  action   today   than to  vote (or "one's
wn."
One of tlie surest sign* of maturity
ind sophi stiff tion In the new genera-
Ion offspring or grandchildren of im-
•nignurt psreejte la the inclination an
their part to examine all of a caftdl-
fete's crertewttalt whatever his social.
jconomic, rnclal or religious back-
pround--«nd to decide whether these pertinent fac-
:crs stack up objectively as favorable to the biyjad
■ommunlty Interest and the public welfare.
OcosSakBally, however, a single, localised election.
posing old questicns. does come
along which hats hot* tmrlnslc importance and same mtcrc<»smic
ImpUcationa beyond tha ken.
Such a political event Involves
the forthcoming Newton, Mass..
Mayoralty contest in which a Jewish candidate. Alderman William
Carmen. Is making a detarrnined
effort to become the first person
of his religious persuasion to be
elected Mayor.
The sMtaog population tides of
thai venerable Garden City, with Its
cemeraporary tapsurge of many Jewish residents, aa well as the more
enlightened **f» in which we live,
have now ohrtoosly made it possible for a Jew not only to aspire
for the mail! lpality*s highest office but also to have reasonefcfc
assurance that it am be ohtafoed.
This, encotiraglngty. Is true In other
cities  and  towns   across the land.
Minority groups, in such a situation, do have a legitimate right to
weigh carefully the oharacter and
qualifications of tbe candidate from
their ethnic or religious ranks.
R-wton's first Jewish Mayor should
left enviable records for others to
•hoot at.
Bot what of Bill Carmen'
1 have known him and his lovely
wife and family for a long time and
I must confess to considerable annoyance when 1 have heard others
cotnment th« "Bill is a fine fellow
but he has come along too fast* or
"Bill Is Involved In so many things
that he is spread too thin.*
Mr. Carmen, now 46 years old.
has been fortunate enough to have
the means and inclination to take
time from a successful business
so that he could devote considerable
artemton and substance to the public
interest. Not an unworthy endeavor.
1 know other* in like circumstances
who could well emulate this.
As   for tpreadteg himself   too
thln-thls remarktbout Bill Carmen
I reminds me of the recent editorial
j comment about Ralph Lowell made
| by The Boston Globe,  Mr. Lowell.
"Mr.  Boston" himself at dote to
iS.   had   ;ust   been   listed  as  the
nation's busiest executive because
be a superb one; hit impact should • In 1964 he had added 12 more cor-
be both  present and future.*
1 do tK* k-aow at all Mr. liasbas.
Mr. Car-lien's opponent, although on
the surface the former's educational background and experieiwe
seem first rate and there Is little
doubt that this man's candldacv Is
a legitimate and .orious one. In
addition. Mr. Basbas Is backed by
ithe so-called 'Establishment* but
In   Newton,   with   Its   tradition of
! remarkar>iv good i-iuni. i;>al government, this is bi. no means » Mack
m*r)i. The present Mayor Don
Gibns.   is  j  (hie.   hot.f and
■»    d Whlrmoi • *;>d
porate and institutional affiliations
to his  already  impressive  l(sr of
79.     Said  Tin; Olobrr    " If you
[warn to get  a   ioh done,  b
jto the busiest man in town."
Actually, in affairs that interest
(him. Bill Carmen has always moiten
things done, and door welt, whether
this was his campaign for National
Commander of me Jewish War Veterans or hise' .on and re-eh
M Alderman or his plane*
in fair housing daring back to 195T,
the latter Ktfvtty narking him as
one of thu Commonwealth's most
enlightened and oonce.ned realtors.
is   nisi  a  smatteiino
Carmen's   record,   which   is  long
and very impresstvp.
Most intriguing ihout Bill Car-
mpn. however, is the fact that he
is horh morally and intellectually
honest. He is liadepasoderit and
beholder, to rtotody. He has energy
and ideas. He might rub some
entrenched people the wrong way bur
In the long run. he has capacity
to wear well.
b short. Mr. Carmen could rjjore
than uphold Newton's tradition of
fine Chief Magistrates. It would
be wise for the decorate, with
two good candidates, to make a
sea: i hlng ex animation of tbe superior qualifications