The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-15
Warning Factions Will Gath CT in Soundproof Garage in Thompson Street To Elect Officers One Group May Seek Overthrow of President, George E. Rob erts.

"A good time was had by all," probably will be the sarcastic com ment of the men in the various fac tions of Republicans in the Eighth District Republican club after the meeting that has been called for the garage in Thompson street tonight The purpose of the meeting ostensibly is to elect officers other than presi- dent for the Eighth District Republi- can club.
 Some of those who know and ap- preciate' the bitterness that exists be- tween the Rooney, Dell and Clark fac tioh and the O'Connell, Gilmore and Fasanello group. have predicted that before the meeting is over the warning factions will have all the furniture broken up and thrown in the street. For this reason President George F.. Roberts has called the meeting in the garage where there are only hard concrete walls and automobiles too big to be used as weapons or to be promiscuously toyed with.
 President Roberts is one of causes of the antipathy between the factions. Chosen president of the club as com- promise measure at meeting when there were few members present, his selection has done little to heal the i'll feeling existing. Tn fact it is said that his choice has wideneu the breach and some members tonight may question the legality of his election. An install lation ceremony, which had been plan ned for tonight, is likely to resemble the Fourth RoughhoUse degree of some of the fraternities that make a speciality of such things.
 At any rate, MT. Roberts. who lives at 129 Parallel street, is not acceptable to many Republicans of the district, who claim that he is not Republican. Some time ago the Rooney faction suc- ceeded. in having James Gilmore re- moved as district chairman. They expected that one of their number would succeed him. but Town Chair man Robinson appointed Senator John M. O,Connell. Later the Rooneyites went after Gilmore's' scalp as president of the district club and they got that. Again they expected one of their num- Der would succeed him, but again they were doomed to disappointment.
 Mr. Roberts was selected to preside over the destinies of the organization and on him will devoIve the task of building a broken down association of 23 members to one of 150 or more for this is what the Republican ma- chine requires of him. f9
 Men in both factions who are op- posing MT. Roberts say that he is not a Republican and not entitled to the office. In support of this contention they point to the fact that at the last election Roberts worked openly for Atty. John A. Cornell. Democratic candidate for alderman against Har- ry@ A. Clark. the Republican who was elected. It is also charged that MT. Roberts favored the Citizens ticket.
 Far from having healing effect the appointments of O'Connell and Roberts have been directly opposite. Since Senator O,Conne1l made the an- nouncement that he again would. be a candidate for office 1t is said he de- sires that some one else be appointed chairman. Francis Rooney and George Dell. leaders in the faction that has consistently opposed O'Con- mel, have announced they will oppose him both in the convention and later at the polls if he gets the nomination through machine control.
 Tonight will witness the preliminary skirmishes of the battle which is to come N