The sun., 1916-11-21
MITCHELL SILENT
ABOUT REELECTION
Mayor Refuses to Take Any In
terest in Effort to Revive
Fusion Committee.
"MY HANDS FULL NOW,
X. A. G. Smith and Arthur
Woods Also Mentioned as
Suitable Timber.

Mayor Mitchell said yesterday that he
IL too busy attending to his job In the
City Hall to discuss whether he will bs
q candidate for reelection on n fusion
ticket. Many Of the men who wers
members Of the Committee Of 107 which
nominated him for Mayor In 1919 are
busy organising another such committee
for the purpose Of arranging fusion with
Mr.. Mitchell as the candidate. and II val
this activity that prompted the news
paper men yesterday to Quis the Mayor
on his attitude.
viii you accept another fusion nomi-
nation9" he was asked, after being In.
formed Of the work OF the OF
the fusion committee.
II am not thinking about that matter
replied the Mayor. "T've rot my hands
full attending to the business which
m up in this ONCE every day. Am
! to be asked every day for the next
two hundred whether ] will run again?
II I am I Won't Answer
No Part n the Csafere.ces.
But the Committee Of lot which
nominated you three years nc 10 hold
ing daily conferences and organising
again in your behalf" he was informed.
II don't care what the Committee Of
107 has DONE" responded the Mayor. Il
was not at their dinner or conference
and am not going to take part In such
conferences. I am going to attend to
the business Of his administration and
not put of matters Of to-day to rive
time to things that will be decided
months hence"
Hut while the Mayor processes to ne
paying no attention to what Ia going on,
political circles are already busting with
the M~ayoralty situation. and all signs
point to a very early beginning Of the
campaign. The gossip heard among poll.
ticians Is that II Mr.. Mitchell cares to
run again there will be no doubt that
he can get the support Of the Republic
a organization M all factions which
supported him as a fusion nominee in
1918. And the opinion prevails that he
a defeat any candidate put up by
Tammany.
Talk Of Straight Ticket.
There Ia still talk. however. among
certain Republicans. especially those in
Brooklyn. that the Republican organise
ton should put up It's own candidate.
There will most likely be q night on this
issue when the time ONE for action.
hut the Republican leaders Of Manhat-
tan hold the balance of power I'M are
decidedly In favor Of supporting the
Mayor should he care to make the race
again.
over in Brooklyn the Republicans are
very insistent that one OF their own
party be nominated. The name OF r. A..
c. Smith. COMMISSIONS OF Docks M
Ferries. IL frequently mentioned al q
who could make an effective cam
psign against Tammany. Mr.. Smith Is
wealthy. has a good record. Is immensely
popular In the organisation and a good
Why not nominate him,
say the Brooklyn Republican,. and get
complete control Of the city government.
Mr.. Smith. however. Is q loyal sup-
porter Of Mayor Mitchell and IL one Of
the men organizing fusion sentiment for
him and preparing for the coming cam
paign. There II only u contingency
would open up the way for the
Dock Commissioner to make a bid FOR
the Republican nomination, and that
would be the FIAT refusal Of Mayor
to run.
Along with the Smith talk there is
also heard the name Of Police Commits
sioner Arthur Woods as a possible
in the event the Mayor re-
fuses to run. The record Mr.. Woods has
In the Police Department. together
with the strong financial interests which
would be behind him. are cited az rea-
CONS why he would make a very de-
candidate.