New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-17
Plan to Draft Him, Al
though He Prefers to
Take Part in War
Opposition from Kings
Justice Cropsey Urged as Can
didate on Straight Re-
publican Ticket

Mayor Mitchell is more anxious 10
take an active part in the war than to
run for Mayor again. according to some
of his close friends. but it is more than
/ likely that he will be drafted" to head
! the Repubican-Fusi cause next fall
| So confident are some of the leaders OF
| the fusion movement that he viii see
| his duty in the direction of renomina-
ton that the call will be sent out with
in few days for the first meeting Of
the new Fusion Committee of $50.
An organization committee Of twenty
prominent citizens, some of whom were
on the old Committee OF l07, which
nominated Mayor Mitchell four years
ago, has all but perfected plans for the
new fusion committee and the fall cam
paign. Among the members are George
w. Wickersham, George w. Perkins,
Henry l.. Stimson, Henry Morgenthau,
Cleveland II. Dodge, Joseph NJ. Price,
who was chairman of the fusion com
mittee of 1O7; Richard Lawrence, Of
The Bronx; Richard w. Higbie, of
Queens, and William Hamlin Childs,
Darwin r. James, Alexander NJ. White
and Edward NJ. Bassett, of Brooklyn.
Mayor Is Non-Committal
Several of these men called on Mayor
Mitchell recently to discuss the fusion
situation. While the members of the
committee, as we'll as the Mayor, are
| non -committal as to whether Mr..
Mitchell will enter the primaries as a
candidate, the fusionists were suffi-
GENTLY encourage to go ahead with def
mite plans.
A member OF the fusion committee
to-be said yesterday that the purpose
in increasing its membership from 107
TO $50 was to broaden its representa-
ton, as many prominent business men
who took no active part in the fusion
movement in the last campaign had
come forward during the last four
years and actively supported and as
sisted the Mitchell administration.
Cleveland II. Dodge. Wilson Demo
crat, and George w. Wickersham,
United States Attorney General under
President Taft. have been favorably
mentioned for the Craftsmanship Of the
Committee of $50. A tentative plat
form is said TO have already been
worked out. Later a committee on can
didates will be appointed, which is ex-
pected TO wait upon Mayor Mitchell for
his final answer.
Candidates will enter the primaries
for nomination for the first time next
fall in a city election. 1t is the pres
ent plan of the fusion leaders to have
practically all the present fusion city
officials enter the primaries for re-
nomination.
Mitchell Faces Opposition
At present some of the leaders in the
regular Kings County Republican or
ganization are opposed to the renomi-
ration of Mayor Mitchell. They have
been urging Justice James c. Cropsey
as a candidate on a straight Republi-
can ticket. The futility OF the cam
paign for a straight Republican nomi-
nee against Tammany is generally rec
ognized among the local political lead
ers.
There has been some talk recently
among the Brooklyn Democrats atfIli-
ated with Tammany Hall of the ad-
vantage of having a Brooklyn man as
the regular Tammany candidate, be-
cause of the split condition in both
the Democratic and Republican organi-
cations in that borough. The name OF
Justice Luke d. Stapleton has been
mentioned as a possibility. Some OF
the Tammany leaders on both sides or
the river feel that he would appeal to
all the warning elements in Brooklyn,
where the Tammany men consider the
real fight will centre next fall. Inc
Murphy men in Manhattan are conn
dent that they will experience no trou-
BILE in getting out the regular large
organization vote in New York County.
Ex-Ambassador James W. Gerard IS
probably the strongest candidate or
those mentioned so far in Tammany
circles. While Gerard is not consld-
cred strong campaigner, his record
and activities in Berlin during the crit
zeal relations between this country and
Germany, will make a strong appeal to
the voters, in the opinion OF the Tam
many leaders. Mr.. Gerard's friends
declare, however, that his ambitions
lie in other directions.
Tammany Adjuncts Spring. Up
The usual crop of mushroom organi-
cations. adjuncts of Tammany Hall,
which the wise old saohems of that so
oiety always manage to cultivate az the
snprcach OF a campaign, have sprung
up.
The democratic Fusion Committee
of no." headed by County Clerk Will
lam F. Schneider, and the Business
Mems League, headed by Joseph Yeska,
clothing manufacturer Of 725 Broad
way. are the two principal ones on the
political horizon at this time. Yeska,
some Of the Republican leaders say,
was an active worker for the Tammany
organization in the old 4th Assembly
District until five or six years ago
Man Firing at Woman
Empties Trolley Car