The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-09-23

prominent places in business, profess
sional and governmental circles lem
phasis ours). The above are but a
few examples out of the historical rec
ords of this state.
TO come down to more recent days,
L look at the current shakings Of
the plum tree will convince the most
skeptical that the labor officials have
not been sighted 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 20
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.
M. Gompers and M. Jacksonr Mr.
Donahue, who is director Of the bu-
reau Of workmen's compensation,
probably achieved office because as an
official Of the Brotherhood OF Locomo-
tive Engineers he had organized and
acted as chairman Of the Railroad
Mems Non-Partisan League Of Greater
New York" supporting Governor
Smith. The other FIVE appointees
were apparently deserving democrats
lTHEN we must not forget some of
the present day luminaries in the
local and state labor movement, men
tioning first Mr.. Peter J. Brady, a
former official of the photographers
and the Allied Printing Trades Coun-
ell. He was for many years the su-
pervisor Of the City Record, the daily
official publication Of the City Of New
York. The modest salary accompany
ing this Office is $6,5O0 Mr.. Brady
within the last year turned over this
office to a 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. It
is understood that in addition to the
$4,000 the Job carries with 1t q small
amount of patronage.
THEN we have Mr.. John Sullivan,
L president Of the New York Trades
and Labor Council, a 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 s10-asession, positions
in the city or state government are
such wellisnown figures as Hugh
Frayne, Jerome B. Heating, John Mum
holland, John K. Hallett and several
others. Alderman Kenneally, pal of
Brindell and power in Tammany cir
cles, is still an ofncial of the Steam
filters Union
A FTER considering this list, one
"A cannot be astonished at the
eleYenth-hour developments m the
presidential campaign of 1924 when
the executive council of the Central
Trades and Labor 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 it
self in the person of Jim Holland.
The Tamrnany Tiger had only to
swish its 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, Or.
Thomas, and lined up with Al. Just
what the considerations were is not
known to this writer. Or. Thomas
opines it was rum, race and reli-
sion" that provided the issues on
which Al could ambIe 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 per-
formed substantial favors for the
trade union bureauerats In their
struggles against the left wing and
the Communists.
IOF course the labor leaders have
Obeen Systematically sold" to Smith
for good many terms. AIS plat
forms have reeked with civic right
eousness and social reform. On the
vital issues, however, and in the criti.