But despite King's rhetorical affinity for workingclass people, his opponents believe any man who was director of the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) for 16 years cannot be much of a workingclass hero.

Treasurer

It could be worse for Robert Q. Crane as he seeks renomination for yet another term as Treasurer. Last year, beset with political problems stemming from a criminal investigation into his conduct as treasurer, he looked like a loser.

But that has all changed now. Joseph Kennedy Jr. was persuaded not to run for treasurer and the rumors about an indictment of Crane faded. Somehow, all of Crane's personal connections with banks doing business with the state have not come back to haunt the incumbent, as many expected. Instead, Crane has had some success in stressing improvements in the treasurer's office.

Crane is a politician of the old school--good to his cronies and cheery with the electorate (he sings and pals around with Bobby Orr). Renomination is a likely bet.

Boston City Council President Lawrence S. DiCara '71, Crane's principal opponent in the primary, is a familiar figure on the local scene, though less well-known to voters elsewhere in the state.

DiCara was only a couple months out of Harvard when he became the youngest Boston city councilor and president in the city's history. His has been a consistently progressive and reasonable voice in a body not known for progressivism and reasonableness.

DiCara is ambitious, and he never thought much of Crane, especially after the incumbent offered his help if DiCara would only get out of the race and run for secretary of state.

By charging Crane with squandering the taxpayers' money by running a sloppy office and depositing Massachusetts money in out-of-state banks--not to mention a number of other alleged irregularities--DiCara is trying to create the image of an incompetent treasurer

He has proposed an end to deposits of Massachusetts money in banks doing business in South Africa. He also has a Linked Deposit System proposal--designed to end redlining.

Tip

Of all the names and faces involved in the Mass primary today, the ones you're sure to recognize both belong to Thomas P. (Tip) O'Neill, Congressional representative of the 8th Disctict (including his home turf, Cambridge) and Speaker of the House. Tip has been pretty busy this year in Washington, what with restoring Uncle Joe Cannon's post to its former grandeur and fending off charges of involvement in Koreagate. You've seen his, uh, craggy Irish face splashed all over newspapers and magazines.

And here's the real kicker. O'Neill is, of course, running for his seat. And in the primary, he stands unopposed. No one, even in Massachusetts, is foolish enough to challenge him. He is the surest thing since they invented loaded dice. Isn't it nice to have a choice?

More for the Senate

Congressman Paul Tsongas is a good liberal. Secretary of State Paul Guzzi is a good liberal. Separating them in the Democratic Senate primary today are Tsongas's four years' experience in Congress, Guzzi's willingness to call for a moratorium on nuclear power plant construction, Tsongas's early start in the race before Ed Brooke's messy divorce began dominating the front page, and the fact that Guzzi plays squash to relax while Tsongas jogs. Seriously.