Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-23
DEMOCRATS ROW
IN "ALTE BERKS"
Stronghold Upset Because of
Interference by the State
Party Bosses

Berks county which occupies much
the same relation to the Democracy
in Pennsylvania that Lancaster does
to the Republican party in the Key
stone state is showing signs of row
brewing among the leaders of the
| Democratic organization which is
due to the interference by state
bosses. 1t will be recalled that Ma
tional Committeeman Palmer and his
pals ordered w NJ. Croll, of Read
ing, q federal job holder, to be a can
didate for Congress against Con-
gresham Arthur G. Dewalt and that
they set up candidates for state COM
mitteeman and Legislature. The rest
of the Democrats will not submit
and the wet" segment is insisting
that the bosses keep hands off or
take the consequences.
Ira G. Kutz, former District Attor-
ney and representative Democrat,
who was talked o. as a possible con-
| gressional candidate and whom the
state bosses thought would weaken
Dewalt, says he will not be a candi-
date. This is what he said: "I must
confess that / have found a strong
undercurrent in Berks for the pres
ent Congressman, Arthur G. Dewalt.
Many voters feel that, because we
are at war he can do better service
for the state and nation during the
next two years and by reason of his
experience, Mr.. Dewalt should be re-
! tanned. For that reason I have been
loath to submit my name to the
voters"
Mr.. Kutz is one of the two Demo-
! cratic state committeeman from
! Berks, the other being former Coun-
! ty Treasurer William ID. Reeser, of
! Yellow House. Some time ago Wash
ington dispatches announced that
| Sheriff James j. Merkel and Jacob
II. Mays, of Wormelsdorf, would be
candidates for the state committee.
Mr.. Kutz told Reading Eagle re-
porter that he really had seriously
| considered not running for the place
| again, but with the announcement
apparently coming from Washington.
| putting Mays and Merkel in the field
he was practically forced to change
his mind.
Voters have come to me-" Mr.
Kutz said, "and asked whether | in
tended to calmly lay down without
! a. DSnl. 1 CAN l uO llldls % MI.
Reeser and | are going to put the
matter right up to the voters.
rather think that they will decide
the matter fairly, without outside in
reference, said to be coming from
state leaders"
This narrows the congressional
fight for the party nomination to
William NJ. Croll, Reading; Charles
B. Spatz, Boyertown, and Mr.. De-
walt, the incumbent. The state COM
mittee will be a contest for party
leadership in Berks between Messrs
Kutz and Reeser on the one hand
and Messrs. Merkel and Mays, on the
other and it will be worth watching
EX-Judge Robert Grey Bushong, OF
Reading, has denied the report pub
lished and received with favor in
many quarters, that he would be a
candidate for Congressman from the
Berks-Lehigh district. While admit
ting that he enjoyed his various ex-
cursions into politics, and that he
still retained an interest in things
political, Judge Bushong smiled
away questions and said: You can
say for me that | will not run foT
Congress. Many friends have been
kind enough to suggest my name for
that honor, but l am devoting my
time to my practice" Asked as to
possible Republican candidates, the
former judge stated that it was like
ly that Berks and Lehigh leaders
would consider available congress-
ional timber within short time.