Doherty Says Abolition Bill May Pass

Gerald F. Doherty, chairman of the Massachusetts State Democratic Committee said last night that there was a "good chance" that a bill to abolish capital punishment would pass the Massachusetts House.

The bill, which won approval in the Senate by a 20-18 vote last week, would outlaw capital punishment for all crimes in Massachusetts except the murder of prison employee or court officials by persons convicted or waiting trial for homicide.

Speaking before the Harvard-Radcliffe Young Democrats, Doherty said that the question period that there was still a good deal of opposition to the measure. He termed capital punishment "an emotional topic," and said there are representatives who tell me that they'd vote for any other measure before they'd favor this one."

He said, however, that there was a great deal more support for the bill this year than there was last year, when it received only about 55 votes. He estimated that about 70 of the 240 representatives favor the measure now with "support still growing."

"If we can get 90 solid votes, we should be able to get the abolition bill passed," Doherty said. With 90 representatives firmly in favor, the other 31 necessary for passage can be easily obtained, he explained.

Despite the backing of Governor Peabody, John E. Powers, President of the Senate, and the great majority of Massachusetts penal authorities, Doherty said that the Democratic Party would probably not press for the bill's passage. "There's too much emotion, too much sentiment involved," he said.

Doherty was not optimistic about the chances of Peabody's program for state income tax reform. The governor has proposed that the funds resulting from his tax reform go to local town and city governments for aid to education.

The Democratic Committee chairman said the bill would be beaten because any tax increase is unpopular. Although he is in favor of the measure, Doherty said that the bill was weak because it failed to earmark specifically the funds for aid to education. Instead, local governments are allowed to use them for administration or welfare programs. He also said he opposed another plan to increase revenue by instituting a statewide sales tax.

In his prepared speech, Doherty stressed the importance of individual participation in party activities. Afterwards, in a YDCHR election for a position on the Executive Committee, King W. Harris '65 defeated Arthur J. Heath '66.