National Affairs: Wickes’s Wicks

In Massachusetts’ 17th Legislative District (southwestern Boston), Real-Estate Man Chester K. Wickes was trudging along in a field of 18 Democratic candidates for state representative. He had never run for office before, and seemed to have little chance to win. But when Hur ricane Carol swept through Boston a fortnight ago, Candidate Wickes remembered that story about an ill wind.

After the storm left a large section of his district without electricity, Wickes stocked up on candles and drove his loudspeaker-equipped car through the darkness, announcing: “Folks, if you’ll step out in front, you’ll get some candles from Chet Wickes, your candidate for the legislature. You’ll notice that in all the candles are wicks. Just remember—wicks are always dependable.” Then Wickes, members of his family and half a dozen dependable recruits moved up and down the streets passing out candles. Before he was through, Wickes had given away 10,000, and voters who had never heard of him before were greeting him with “Hi, Candle.” Last week, when Hurricane Edna blacked out most of his district again, Wickes handed out 5,000 more candles, raised the brightness of his chances for victory to some 15,000 candlepower.