Compromise Sought in Curry Dispute

After a month of constant feuding, the two factions of the Cambridge City Council came together last night in an attempt to reach a compromise over the removal of City Manager John J. Curry '19.

All nine councillors--the four that back Curry and the five who have favored Joseph A. DeGuglielmo '29--met privately in the office of Mayor Daniel J. Hayes Jr. The details of the negotiations remained secret. Hayes called off a public session of the Council "in order that these discussions might continue."

He said that the talks were "very important" and told an audience of about 200 that "I'm sure you will appreciate the fact that we are trying to reach some solution."

Observers Surprised

The prospect of a compromise to end the long dispute surprised most observers who have ranked this fight as one of the most bitter and closely-contested in many years. Councillor Thomas H. D. Mahoney, a Curry supporter, has three times offered a "compromise" to allow Curry to remain in office until a new manager, other than DeGuglielmo, is found. Three times, including once only two days ago, it has been defeated.

One seasoned observer of the Council assessed the situation this way:

"Look, all the nine councillors are together and that's the first time that's been true for a month. They're at the Talking stage where they may be able to come across with some mutually beneficial ideas. But this thing has gone pretty far and one wrong word could set it off again."

"If they come to an agreement," he continued, "it will be one based on expe- diency, not friendship. This thing's gone on too long and been too bitter to heal sore wounds in a day or two."

The presence of attorney Robert J. DeGiacomo, who has appeared on behalf of Curry only once before, was considered important by some observers. Last Saturday DeGiacomo urged that three of the anti-Curry councillors, who face possible criminal charges on infractions of the City's charter, disqualify themselves. DeGiacomo's participation in the negotiations was thus believed to make the possibility of criminal charges an important factor.

"A lot of individual reputations are at stake as well as the reputation of the City," one man commented.

The negotiations came in the following context: the Council had suspended Curry and was approaching the end of the public hearing that must precede his official removal.

Absent from at least the early part of the negotiations was DeGuglielmo. The success or failure of the talks may become apparent tonight at 7:30 p.m., when Mayor Hayes has called for another public session of the Council