CCA Loses City Council Majority; Newcomer Watson Holds Key Vote

For the first time since its creation in 1945, the Cambridge Civic Association has lost majority control of the City Council in the recent municipal election. Charles A. Watson, key new independent councilor, is believed sympathetic to many CCA plans, however, and should keep Council action constructive.

Alan Steinert, CCA president, said two days before election was certain, that although he was "nominally" not a CCA-man, he was "a perfectly decent fellow, a good man. I think Watson is on the side of the angels."

Watson, a Harvard Square lawyer who had run unsuccessfully twice before, indicated he was much closer to CCA policy than all other independents. He told the CRIMSON, however, that when the Council chooses one of its own number for mayor, "I'm going to vote for an independent."

Speculation over the next mayor of Cambridge brings two names prominently to the fore. One is popular Marcus Morton, CCA-endorsed, who left public office in 1945 after serving two years on the City Council and was just reelected. The other strong candidate is Watson himself, who controls the pivotal vote on the nine-man body. Election of a newcomer to the Council as mayor would be unprecedented in Cambridge Plan E government.

Former City Councilors W. Donnison Swan and Chester A. Higley, both CCA-endorsed, were defeated by Morton and Watson.

Reelected for two-year terms are Edward J. Sullivan (Ind.), Joseph A. De Guglielmo '29 (CCA), Edward A. Crane '35 (CCA), Thomas M. McNamara (Ind.), Hyman Pill (CCA), John J. Foley (Ind.), and John D. Lynch (Ind.).