The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-06-22
The Tammany Machine and the Unions

| the plum tree will convince the most
skeptical that the labor officials have
not been slighted in return for their
services in the field of "non-partisan
politics" Take first the state depart
ment of labor, where labor men would
most naturally be found. Some 28 are
now on the roll and six of these belong
to the class exempt from the civil
service examinations. These six are
Mr.. Curran, referred to above; Mr.
Gernon, Mr.. Deering, Mr.. Gompers and
Mr.. Jackson. Mr. Donahue, who is a
director of the bureau of workmens
compensation, probably achieved office
because as an ffiocial OF the Brother
hood of Locomotive Engineers, he had
organized and acted as chairman OF
the "Railroadmen's Non-Partisan
League of Greater New York." sup
porting Governor Smith. The other
five Appendices were apparently
equally deserving democrats.
Then we must not forget some OF
the present day luminaries in the local
and state labor movement, mentioning
first Mr.. Peter j. Brady, former Of
fetal of the photo engravers and the
Allied Printing Trade Council. He was
for many years the supervisor Of the
City Record, the daily official publ
cation of the City of New York The
modest salary accompany this office
is $500. Mr.. Brady within the last
year turned over this Office to friend
and now devotes his time to banking,
being the president of the Federation
Bank of New York.
Mr.. Stephen Kelley, former presi-
! dent of the Allied Printing Trades
Council, was very glad to pick UP Mr..
Brady's job with the City Record. 1t
is understood that in addition to the
$500 the job carries with it small
amount of patronage.
Double Salaries.
THEN we have Mr.. John Sullivan,
president of the New York Trades
and Labor Council, former official of
the Brewery Workers Union. Since
1921 Mr.. Sullivan has held a $4,000
position as director of the industrial
aid bureau Of the city. Mr.. James f.
Costello of the executive council of
the Central Trades and Labor Council,
Is assistant director of the same bu-
reau, receiving $4,000 per ,annum in
addition to his income from the Metal
Polishers' and Buffers Union.
Other labor officials who now hold
honorary, or $1O-a-session, positions in
the city or state government are such
well-known figures as Hugh Frayne,
Jerome B. Heating, John Muhholland,
John K. Hallett and several others.
Alderman Kenneally, pal of Brindell
and a power in Tammany circles, is
still an official of the Steamfitters'
Union.
After considering this list one can
not but be astonished at the eleventh
hour developments in the presidential
campaign of 1924, when the executive
council of the Central Trades and La
Dor Council of New York City swung
from LaFollette to Davis, accompanied
by the officials of the Allied Printing
Trades Council of the city, and the
state federation itself in the person of
Jim Holland. The Tammany Tiger
had only to swish it's tail and these
gentlemen walked away from their
LaFollette pledges and delivered. in a
body to the Tammany candidate.
One must remember ALSO that the
"Al Smith Socialists" in the needle
trades deserted their candidate, DR..
Thomas, and lined up with AL. Just
what the considerations were is not
known to this writer. DR. Thomas
opines it was rum, race and religion"
that provided the issues on which Al
could amble away with the socialist
vote. Whatever there may be in this,
one cannot overlook the close political
relations of the needle trades leaders
and certain democratic politicians who
had performed substantial favors for
% trade union bureaucrats in their
struggles against the left wing and the
Communists.
Support Smiths Game.
OF course the labor leaders have
" been Systematically sold" to
Smith for a good many terms. AIS
platforms have reeked with civic
righteousness and social reform. On
the vital issues, however and in the
critical moments, he has not delivered.
Take, for example, two of the hardy
perennials among the resolutions
passed yearly by the New York State
Federation of Labor~--child labor and