South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-04-14
BRITISH INDUSTRIAL STRIKE LOOMS
REPUBLICANS IN
TURMOIL, PLENTY
TO PONDER OVER
Politician Throws Wrench h
Into Seebirt Machine by Re
calling Keller Regime.


Efforts Of professional politicians
and those whose personal interests =
are involved TO prevent. II possible.
South Bend citizens determining in
referendum whether the city shall
continue its present form Of mu-
nicipal government or whether IL
shall adopt the progressive commits
sion manager plan. IL was learned
Wednesday night. are becoming
more desperate as the time for fill
Ing petitions with the city clerk FOR
such a referendum draws nearer.
However those behind the move
ment for calling a referendum 20
determine what kind Of municipal
government South Bend shall have
during the next four years appear
confident that the efforts Of poll
ticians and others 10 prevent the
people from expressing their PETER
ence in regard 10 how they shall
have their municipal Affairs admin
istered will prove futile.
In addition to combating the ap-
parent growth in the sentiment fav-
oring the calling Of q referendum.
politicians are bending their efforts
toward the elimination OF the May
nominating primaries in favor Of
their particular set Of candidates,
from that Of mayor down 10 council
man.
Bitterness Acute.
Mayor Carson supporters an
nounced Wednesday night the Sc
curing Of political headquarters at
203 y. Main St, which they say will
be thrown open TO their candidates
political workers, as well as to the
public, not later than Friday, and
sooner if possible.
The opening Of Carson headduart-
ers in the downtown business dis
trict, political observers say. marks
the actual beginning Of the mayors
campaign for the republican mayor
atty denomination. although much
preliminary has been done by the
mayor since his announcement sew
eral days ago that he would be a
candidate for reelection.
Bitterness between the opposing
Eli f. Seebirt and W. w. Ridenour
camps Wednesday night apparently
had reached an acute stage Ride
nour supporters charge that the See
birt forces have captured the city
republican organization, which the
Ridenour forces claim should re-
main nOnpartisan until after tie
primaries and a republican ticket is
nominated. They even charge the
operation Of "Woman's Tam
many" which Ridenour workers
say is a woman's organization work
ing with the full approval Of the
city organization in the interest OF
the nomination Of Mr. Seebirt.
Wealth and Society.
Ridenour supporters also point 20
the secret appointment a short time
ago by City Chairman Herman To-
hulka of Mrs. Delmar Baer. 204 r.
Calvert st, as republican city vice
chairwoman. Ridenour supporters.
while not criticizing Mrs. Baer point
to the way in which she was named
as evidence that the Seebirt forces
have captured the regular city or
ganization, which they say should
be nonpartisan. They declare that
Mrs. BaerS appointment was made
at Chairman Tohulka's Office after a
number Of women had been taken
in automobiles there and asked 10
vote for Mrs. Baer and then keep
the matter secret until the organi-
zation saw fit TO make the an
nouncement.
Ridenour forces also charge that
the pressure of wealth and social
prestage is being brought 10 bear
in an effort TO gain support for Mr..
Seebirt in the primaries. They re-
late an instance Of where a prom
inent republican woman Of undoubt-
ed wealth and social position, but
whose legal residence is said 20 be
outside the corporate limits OF South
CONTINUED on PAGE FOUR)