Boston politics are somewhat like the croquet game in Alice in Wonderland; the rules are topsy-turvy. A criminal conviction not only fails to tarnish a local candidate, but can enhance his political prospects. The latest example of this strange phenomenon is the victory of convict Charles Iannello, a political maverick from Roxbury's eighth ward, in the recent Democratic primary.

Iannello has at least one distinguished predecessor. In 1940 the late James M. Curley ran for alderman and won while serving a term in the Charles St. Jail. Curley almost pulled it off a second time in 1949 when he was defeated in the mayoralty race after serving time for mail fraud. This political heritage is not lost on Iannello, who announced with deep emotion after his nomination: "Curley was my second father. I only wish I could fill his shoes, even one shoe."

Iannello loudly proclaims his innocence. "As a legislator for the past twelve years," he says, "I have the fullest respect for our law and its administration." Indeed, he merely indulged in a common Massachusetts occupation: misusing state construction funds. In 1961, the Metropolitan District Commission awarded a sidewalk repair contract to the B & M Construction Co., an imaginary firm owned by Iannello's wife, daughter and son-in-law. Iannello, acting for the firm, signed all proposals and vouchers connected with the project. On receiving these documents, the State handed him $983.06.

Surprisingly, Iannello was caught, because, not surprisingly, the sidewalk had not been repaired. On July 9,1962, the Suffolk Superior Court sentenced Charles to a year in Deer Isle House of Correction and fined him $300. This misfortune did not dampen his political aspirations, for Iannello immediately entered the primary fight for his old seat. Courageously, he declared: "I leave the final verdict to be rendered by the voters and I have the fullest confidence that they will vindicate my innocence."

His confidence was well grounded. In September Iannello handily defeated ten respectable opponents, none of whom had the advantage of a criminal record. This victory was in part earned by Iannello's many services to his constituents--services such as fixing his neighbor's parking tickets, providing them with apartments in public housing projects, and getting summer jobs with the State for their sons. Yet without his martyrdom on Deer Isle, his triumph would not be complete.

Iannello's saga contains in microcosm all of the elements of the Massachusetts political profess. Yet the citizens of the Commonwealth, not Iannello and his fellow politicians, are responsible for this process.