The New York herald., 1922-02-12
Interference by Tammany,
However, Would Be
Feared by Many.
TALK OF e. J. MCGUIRE
Fact He Is Back in Fold and
Power Revealed by Death
Of Leader.

The Democratic situation in The
Bronx left by the sudden death of
Arthur II. Murphy, undisputed leader,
is so complicated that organization
men fear bitter fight for control.
None Of the ten members of the execu-
tive committee or other men of i'm
portance in the organization will ven
ture n guess as to the successor of
Mr.. Murphy. It is possible Charles
F.. Murphy OF Tammany Hall may
have to step in and use his influence
to iron out tho situation, and yet such
an interference may make matters
worse, some of the leaders think.
Discussion as to the possible sue
cessor of Murphy has revealed the
fact, known before only to the in
siders, that Eugene J. Mcclure, who
potential political figures in The Bronx,
was back in the Democratic organiza-
tion fold. 1t seems he came back un-
ostentatiously after the last municipal
election and he and Arthur Murphy
had since been working together po-
litically. The concrete evidence of the
reconciliation, 1t Is said, was the ap-
pointment recently of Edward w. Per-
peet as Second Deputy Commissioner
of Public Welfare by Mayor Hylan.
He is one OF McGuire's right hand
men.
Mcclure aspired to leadership Of The
Bronx when It became county in 1913.
When he was defeated by Arthur Muir
ply he left the organization and formed
the Jeffersonian Alliance which joined
the Fusionlsts in opposing the regular
Democratic ticket. He has since been
on the outside, although he supported
AL Smith for Governor in 1918 and in,
1920. His return to work as a regular
with Murphy in recent months is at
tributed to Smiths influence.
Talk OF Mcclure.
So It is natural there is talk OF the
possibility of Mcclure coming in as
leader But 1t is believed he would have
a hard time getting the backing of the
ten executive district leaders because OF
his long insurgency. However. it is be-
lieved the new leader will have to have
the good will OF MCGUIRE, which will
make the latter a powerful factor in the
situation.
The leadership OF the organization
goes with the chairmanship of the ex-
ecutive committee in The Bronx, al
though that Is not the case in Tammany
Hall. The bylaws provide the chairman
of the committee must be a member OF
the committee. that Is nomlnally head
Of one of the district ORGANIZATIONS.
Arthur Murphy was accustomed to have
himself elected to this post in the Sew
enth district each year and then turn
the actual district leadership over to
Charles i. Griffin.
Leaders of the other districts are:
III. +. Geraghty. G-Thomas II. O'Neill.
o-J. w. Brown SC. A. Buckley.
SC. Il. Brown. 9-Earl Ii; Miller.
as A. Nugent 10-A. II. Lieznau.
5-John DAILY.
or all these men O'Neil is the strong
est man in the opinion of an unpreju-
diced friend of Murphy. Next In order,
in the opinion of this friend, who will
have something to do with picking Muir
phys successor. come Mr.. Nugent. Jim
Brown and Earl Miller. Nugent Is a
sick man and has been In Florida for
many months.
Doubtless these and possibly some
other leaders have aspirations to become
Boss" but if II were decided to take an
outsider 1t could be arranged by having
one OF the leaders retire so he could be
elected to the executive committee.