CANTAB CONVULSIONS

"Quinn--or Shea or Russell or Robart--for Mayor" replaces "I do not choose to run in 1928" as the up-to-date decoration of local automobiles. Torchlight parades give the Square a ghoulish light, as hundreds of horns send their echoes across the Yard. Earnest students in Widener scowl, and wonder vaguely what it is all about. It is the first Cambridge political campaign in many years that has caused them to speculate at all.

The present Mayor of Cambridge, Edward W. Quinn--who prefers to be known as "Eddie" is attempting to win again, for the sixth time, the high office which has been his for ten long years. Charles H. Shea--who prefers to be known as "Charlie"--is running against him, with his campaign slogan "Time for a change." Richard M. Russell, like Shea a member of the City Council, has adopted the war cry of "How about it Eddie? Isn't ten years long enough?" And Ralph Robart, Quinn's opponent two years ago, lets his picture speak for itself. Truly it is a battle of great issues, and a campaign of educating the voters.

Mayor Quinn's chief qualification for office is the fact that he has held his post, for better or worse, a whole decade. At one time h eattefpted to exterminate mosquitoes, thereby endearing himself to the populace. Shea and Robart gain Harvard's attention by placing their campaign headquarters at either end of the yard. Councilor Russell is a Harvard man and the son of former Governor Russell, one of Massachusetts' few Democratic chief magistrates.

Next Tuesday worthy Cambridge voters--and that means many members of the Harvard Faculty--will go to the polls to select two of the sterling quartet, who will compete in the final election in November. Indications now point to the choice of Quinn and Russell at the primaries. That at least will mean a cessation of Robart torchlight parades, and of processions of small children chanting "Yea, yea, we want Shea!" Harvard Square will lapse into its customary quiet non-political atmosphere, and only the Faculty and the local students who have assumed the heavy burden of citizenship will lie awake worrying, worrying.