The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-07-31
By DOLLY DALRYMPLE

thy the grace of the democrats being
Tx in the majority and the very good
~ luck of possessing a tremendous
amount of executive ability, Alderman
Francis P. Bent has served as vice chair
man of the board of aldermen Of the
city of New York with a great deal OF
honor and credit to himself.
When Mr.. Bent was vice chairman OF
the board, the present mayor of New
York city Mr.. Mitchell, was president OF
the board 1t was during the absence
year of 1911 that Mr.. Bent gained his
wide experience of municipal affairs in
New York; also acting as mayor for
Mayor Gaynor during the time that
that chief magistrate was laid up from
an assassins bullet
Mr.. Bent is distinctly a man to be recll-
oned with; he combines those qualities OF
clear thinking, acute observation and
cool judgment which belong to the sue
cessful politician with those traits OF
quick understanding, ready sympathy
and answering directness which I inn
agine make such a powerful appeal to
the voters.
A heavy thick set man is Mr.. Bent
slow moving and reserved, with the head
or philosopher and the determination OF
prize fighter.
The fact that he wears bunch OF
"whisker-ettes" on his chin is offset en-
tirely by the fact that he has such a
leen sansa ne h,,r,or tba+ fool s,,re
If anybody alluded to them (Which
was dying to do yesterday when /
called on HIND, he'd join in saying they
were very sporty"
''Politics-New York politics. Mr.
Bent said. as he looked me over and
thought what an easy thing" he'd be il
he talked politics and expressed opin-
ions to woman. "Td rather talk about
politics in Birmingham. I've just beer
over to call on your mayor, or rather the
president of the commission, and | found
MI. Ward most agreeable and enter
tanning gentleman / can tell from the
few minutes talk | had with him that
he is good business man, and if New
York had a man like him I'd imme-
diately be in favor of the commission
form of government"
l. was about to ask Mr.. Bent If they
wrangled and fought over municipal at
fairs in Greater New York lke-er-er
well, like we do In Birmingham some
times, but | decided that as he'd never
seen one OF the tea fights" round at the
city hall, and was not acquainted with
the dramatic personnae" I'd let him off
and talk about something else.
Tell me about how the people of New
York are safeguarding the clty during
the war; 1 asked, changing the sinh
ject from politics, although the fact was
drumming in my brain that here was a
man who was one of 70 aldermen of the
biggest city in the world; he represents
5000 people, and for three terms, six
years, in other words has hao a .'say
So about the municipal affairs Of New
York.
The Home defense league" said MIR.
Bent In answer to my question, SIS the
most effective organization we have
during war times. There are over TO-
900 members trained in the service and
the purpose is to take the place of the
police force which also numbers TO-
600, in case they are called on to do
other duty. Our New York policemen
are trained in the fundamentals of mill
itary tactics and in case of rioting or
the city being attacked, they could
serve as well as any military organiza-
ton"
New York is looking upon the war
with very serious eyes," Mr.. Bent told
me. "The universal opinion is that it
will require several million of our men
to go to Europe, and everybody is
standing by the President in every
thing he does. Politics is back mum
Der now patriotism alone rules the
day. We are all fighting under the same
flag, it matters not what party we be-
long to-
I'm regard to New York's big cleo
ton in the fall I suggested, "there
must be great deal of interest in
who is going to beat Mr.. Mitchell for
mayor; who, in your opinion, will be
the MANI"
THE man who can and will beat Mr..
Mitchell said Mr.. Bent, warming up
a bit to the subject, will be Brooklyn
man, because Brooklyn will decide the
vote, and that man, in my opinion, is
John F. Hylam; he is not seeking the
nomination, but if he is drafted by the