New-York tribune., 1919-02-11
Hearst Stops
His Attack on
Boss M'Cooev
Also Editorials Assailing
Riegelmann End as New
Victory Body Gets Active
Delaney Holds Meeting
designations Are Acknowl-
edged; Contributions to
Memorial Fund Fall Off

The dwindling Brooklyn Victory
Celebration Committee settled down
to work yesterday in an atmosphere
charged with rumors of politics. Bor-
ough President RiegeImann conferred
in the morning with Representative
James j. Delaney, who was selected
as chairman of the committee. Many
letters were sent out acknowledging
receipt of designations of members
who supported Nathan S. Jonas, the
former chairman, in his effort to keep
the committee free from Hearst in
fuence.
Mr.. Delaney said tnat $4,000 of the
$4,000 collected by the Jonas commit
tee remained in the treasury. Before
retiring Mr.. Jonas had his accounts
audited. Consideration of the requests
for the return of contributions, which
began to come in Wien Mr.. Jonas re-
tired, will be postponed until after
the appointment Of a new executive
committee. Because of the eXpendit-
ure of ono-fourth of the fund it is
thought to be unlikely that such re-
quests will be granted, unless upon a
proportional basis
Contributions Falling OF
Contributions have dropped from
about $1,000 day to less than 500
a day. The permanent memorial COM
mlttee quit in body, making the plans
for lasting monument to Brooklyn's S
soldiers and sailors more remote than
ever. Only seven of the TWENTY-FIVE
mem bers of Mr.. Jonas's executive com.
mittee remain, and they have had no
meeteng since his retirement Mem
bers of the women's committee are
said to be on the point of withdraw
ing.
Nevertheless Mr. Delaney started
work cheerfully with the Borough
President with the remark that he was
going to run the celebration without
taking orders from anybody" He
issued this statement concerning his
immediate activities:
AT present all my time is engaged
in the selection and organization of a
new executive committee. and | shall
be in position within few days to
call a meeting of this committee to
discuss the several matters now pend
ing.
"The Brook yn Victory Celebration
Committee officially received the old
18th Infantry, now the 3G9th Regiment,
hack home yesterday. and l am sure
that the Brooklyn people would re-
srond most generously if they wit
messed, as | did. the joyful look of real
I happiness that their own boys dis
! played as they once more viewed the
shores of Brooklyn."
Politics in Full Command
Notwithstanding Mr.. Delaney's an
nouncement that he would take no.
tody's orders, the opinion was ex-
dressed freely in Brooklyn that poll
ties had entire command Of the situa-
tlon, and that suitable rewards might
be expected for those who had de
posed Mr.. Jonas for William Randolph
Hearst The evidence OF political
power possessed by Mr.. Hearst in the
borough was regarded by many Brook
lynltos as more serious menace than
his domination of the committee of
welcome.
As proof of Mr.. Hearst's conviction
that the victory was his and Of the
manner in which it was Won they point
ed TO the Withdrawal of the Hearst
newspapers editorial attacks on John
II. McCooeY, the Kings County Demo-
cratic boss, who at first hesitated to
accept the resignation Of Mr.. Jonas.
Similarly the editorial attacks on Bor-
ough President Riegelmann stopped
Instead editorials wcre directed at Mr..
Jonas and THE Brooklyn Daily Eagle"
which had objected to political domi-
nation of the boroughs welcome to its
fighters.
Shadows of Coming Events
1t was pointed out that next fall
such offices as those of Sheriff, Reg
lister, County Clerk, District Attorney
and Surrogate would be open for de-
serving Democrats. Both Z. T. OLough
lin, eX-Register, who now stands i'll
high favor with the organization, and
Representative Delaney have been men
toned as possible candidates for
Sheriff has been discussed as candi-
date for the office of Surrogate, for
which Surrogate Ketcham will be in
eligible by reason of his age.
The election of such a ticket, it is
believed, would assure the continuance
in power Of "Boss" McCooey and his
retention of his $4,000 job as clerk of
the Surrogates Court Mr. Hearst
loomcd as potent factor for the sue
cess or failure of this ticket in the
eyes of those familiar with the Brook
lyn political situation
Many moro of the old members of the
committee resigned yesterday. Among
them were Lawrence Abraham, of Abra-
ham & Strause, Mrs. William A. Prem
dergast, wife of the former Controller;
Louis, Berger and Casper v Gunther
president and cashier respectively of the
Ridgewood National Bank; Abraham
Stcrzelbach, commission merchant; Ed
ward +. H. Corner, Frank Harvey Field,
attorney; Walter Rothschild, APP Full
ton Street; John f. Dwyer, 219 Man
haitian Avenue; John Shelton, 1872 De
voc Street; Isaac Meseritz, Bogart
Street; Mrs. H.. Craig, sos Bedford Ave