Evening journal., 1919-11-22
SOLDIERS LOSE
Fights FOR JOBS
Only 20 of GO Throughout
Country Won on
Regular Tickets
ORGANIZATION BEATS
WAR SERVICE PLEA


spicuous instances throughout th'
country IS veterans were defeated. II
almost every one Of the remaining p
cases the successful men were carriec
through by the strength OF the tickets
as a whole.
Comparatively speaking, few elections
were held this year Only three States
chose officers. and county elections
were not numerous. Cities and town,
chiefly were concerned but polltica
observers 1nd In this fact an added
significance, so far-as soldiers aspira.
tions are involved Locality campaigns
are more intensive, and personality is
as a rule, more Of a factor than when
the district is larger.
What happened to the veterans at the
polls is, therefore, being regarded as
an Indication Of what the country at
large may be expected to think II the
new political G. A. r." OF which So
much has been said during the last six
months, eyer should be attempted.
II even may be taken as an index Of
possible opinion when the national
campaign Of next year begins to take
form. The instances 10 which refer
ence has been made were widely
enough separated, at least. to suggest
that the feeling is general.
Another significant element Of the
situation Is that the primary elections,
which preceded those Of November q,
eliminated a large number OF members
of the army which has been demobil-
ized. One illustration OF this occurred
IN Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, OF
which Pittsburgh Is the principal COM
munity. There a carefully organized
and generously financed movement was
started for the overthrow Of the Re
publican organization The antl-Leslie
ticket, as It was called, was made up
almost entirely OF veterans, from leu
tenant-colonels down 10 prlvates. Not
a man on this ticket came through the
primaries. In Philadelphia exactly the
same thing came about, the primaries
diSposing Of every soldier who sought
nomination for city or county office
Politically speaking, the real import
ance Of the election is that in not one
instance did a veteran upset a party or
ganization or survive organization Op-
soldiers, although going down to de-
feat. ran ahead OF their tickets, but
they were so few that they are hardly
to be considered az the same time with
the instances In which appeals on the
frank score Of service were dsre-
Garded
The town OF Rye, N. Y, offers an
illustration OF what happened when a
strsight-out soldier Issue was raised
This town embraces the villages OF
porichester and Rye and part OF the
village OF MamarOneck. Six OF the can
didates there were soldiers, all on the
Democratic ticket. Five OF them were
defeated by majOritles equal 10 those
OF other years, when there were Re-
publican sweeps. The sixth, Edward
Le'brOck, who ran for town clerk and
who lost a leg at Verdun. lost by 500.
while the next man 10 him lost by
400 Leibrock was defeated by Charles
Q. Derby, who was reelected for the
third time.
John d. Cesarlo, an italian, who was
drafted and rose from the ranks TO a
first neutenancy, was defeated by 1880
votes for Justice OF the peace by Evans
Republican leader OF Westchester coun-
ty. An especially energetic campaign
was made for CesariO, not only by his
fellow-soldlers but his fellow-Itallans.
and his defeat has precipitated a rather
unusual situation.
Principally because Of Cesarlo's de-
feat but also because the 1ve other
veterans nominated with him were
turned down so definitely the veterans
of the town have started a movement
10 demand that their names be taken
from the roll Of honor. which is posted
IN the station square az Port Chester.
"If we are not good enough to have
our men elected TO ofilce, we are not
good enough TO have our names posted
as having fought for our country"
say the leaders OF the movement, most
Of whom are OF Italian blood.
The one soldier elected In Rye was
Sergeant Frank Schips who ran for
constable on the Republican ticket. His
success was due, admittedly, to Or
gsnizati0n support.
Almost as sharp line was drawn IN
Mount Vernon as In the town OF Rye |
Corporal Abel J. Levine, who lost his
q
in France, but who was able to make
a busy campaign. thanks to an extra /
ordinary surgical operation, was de-
feated for city comptroller. He cam /
paigned as a veteran. Capt. r. w. Ji
Flynn. who fought with the Twenty !
seventh Division, was defeated for city !
treasurer by a woman. /
One OF the instances in which a SOL
dier was opposed by soldier was in .
the fght for assembly in Nassau coun- !
ty. There Lieut. Col Theodore Roose- /
velt was opposed by Elias Ran. who /
was IN the draft, and was picked. for /
one thing. because he was a private p
and not an officer. During his campaign
much was made OF the fact that he
might easily have gained exemption. /
but did not. Colonel Roosevelt defeated .
him BY an unprecedented majority.
In New York city the soldier issue |
was not sharply drawn Philip J. Nc ,
Cook. elected 10 the Supreme Court. /
and Henry II. CurTan. elected President ,
OF the Borough OF Manhattan, were not
chosen because they had been majors
the United States Army. but because 7
they were running on the Republican 1
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