New-York tribune., 1919-11-08
Socialists Seek
Recount of Vote
For Alderman Lee
Also Planning Contest ia
10Th District, Where Ed.
ward Cassidy Lost by so
Votes ON Face of Returns

Algernon Lee. leader OF the Social
lists in the Board of Aldermen, said
last night that steps we're being taken
to ask for recount Of the vote in the
Sth Aldermanic district, where he lost
on the face OF the returns by 256. and
in the 10th. where Edward Cassidy,
the Socialist candidate, lost by about
fifty votes on the face OF the returns.
Commenting last night on the ex-
periencc Of the Socialists on Tuesday,
Mr.. Lee said
"The result in the 9Th district, even
as 1t appears on the face Of the returns,
IS more favorable than had dared to
expect. A year ago I went through u
hard fought campaign in the l3th Con-
gressional district. which includes
cons derable part OF the Sth Alder
manic, ana what saw on election
night in 1918 was almost enough TO
MAKE me lose faith - the prac tcability
of political action. One Of our cam
paigners WAS stabbed almost to death
one OF our watchers suffered broken
Jaw, snd many We're beaten. In sew
eras polling places the electric lights
we're put sut and re2 iymade ballots
suost ;uted FOR BALLOTS regularly cast,
hundreds OF Socialist ballots were
aIked or torn by election inspectors
the evening; ard the temper Of the
police authorities and the Judges on the
bench was such that We had absolutely
no chance o. redress.
Remembering al this, feared the
fusionsts would be able to woc Us OF
the sla this year all over the East
Side. ! nave been pleasantly surprised.
There was just as much Will to terror
i2e the voters and 20 steal their votes
n Ia- hut
they could not ret away with the gams
TO the same ,Nteut. Whore we lost
votes bN hundreds in 1913, 7.e lost
them 1y score this time.
There were several reasons for tins.
For enc thing. the war hysteria has
died down. and the policemen on duty
in the polling places felt free 10 stand
an FOR Law and decency IN q way the
did not dare to do last year. For an
other ching, hundreds Of Socialist
woTkingmen who were IN the service Il
year ago re now back home, with sol
dier experience added to their eHpe~
rience or. tnc picket line, and tho am
many g2ngstors in many districts rec
ognlzcd That if thy should start some
shjng' cur boys might finish it.
"Qr the face OF the returns. am de-
fcated by margin Of 206 out OF total
vote OF about 10000 | am conident
tnat d recount VIII turn tNc tdbleS.
sThrre IS ore election district where
seventy Of my votes were declared void
oeoause the ballots had been torn. IN
another IT IS certain that about one
hundred votes marked for me were
counrer for ,ny opponent. There are
several other districts in each of which
we shall be able TO regain from ten to
thirty votes if we can get an honest
recount, as ! believe We shall
The 9ninmAny law committee, of
vhic. Assembyman Charles D. Dono-
hue j. chairman. is still goinG over the
returns OF last Tue days election with
the intention Of obtaining Il basis for
a recount, m the hope that errors may
oe found eat vill result in the elec-
tion Of RoNort l.. Moran as President
Of the Board of Aldermen in place Of
Repres eutative f. Il. La Guarda who.
on the face of the returns, was elected
by 1.363.
The Board OF Aldermen, sitting as
Roarn o. County Carvas ssers, VIII he
rim the canvass OF the vote next Tues
day. They viii BE busy week or ten
days. Il u understood the Tammany
law committee VIII wait until the of
ficlal returns are in before applying for
the court order for q recount.