The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-03-24
THE CHURCHES CHANCE TO
ELECT A WET
BY n. ID. Cochran =

Invisible undercurrents probably will have much
to do with the result of Chicago's mayorlfty cleo
ton. 1t was SO the first time Big Bill Thompson
was elected mayor by majority of nearly 10000.
In the Republican primary he nominated by
a mere 1000 plurality over Judge Harry Olsen, but
he defeated Robert Sweitzer, Democratic nominee,
Overwhelmingly. And then now practically all Of
the newspapers, both Democratic and Republican,
against Thompson
The inevitable undercurrent then was the peri
odical revival of religious warfare What figure that
will cut in the coming election depends the pres
ent strength of that feeling. 1t will be worked for
all is WORTH Of course politicians always work
it for all it is worth.
Aside from this Thompson has back of him
the Grove Barrett Republican organization, which
controls the States Attorneys office, all of the tax
ing machinery of Cook County and the various park
boards, whether the park commissioners appoint
ed by the governor or by the circuit judges.
One Of the biggest patronage machines in Chi
cago is the Sanitary District the trustees which
controlled jointly by George Brennan, the Dem
ocratic boss, and the CroweBarrett Republican or
ganzation. The two partisan machines generally
work together to control Chicago politics, with
Sam insult public utility magnate in the background
with big bank roll.
insult was shewn up by the Reed committee of
the U. S. Senate, as the big contributor to Frank
Smiths campaign fund, when Smith beat Mckinley
for the Republican nomination and George Brennan
for the election The big contribution of $4,000 that
insult refused tell about and which got him cited
for contempt of the United States Senate, is sup
posed to have been given to the Crowe-Barrett or
ganization.
1t will be remembered that while insult contrib
uted largely to the senatorial campaign fund of
Frank L. Smith, Republican nominee, he also handed
his friend George Brennan, the Democratic nominee,
$4,000 as a token of good will when Brennan was
after the Democratic observation-disclosures Brennan
had no real opposition at the primary.
Naturally Thompson, who is dripping wet, will
get the bootegger vote and all of Chicago that goes
with it; for Thompson is for a wide open town.
Mayor Dever is not dry, but is for law enforce
ment and has made it uncomfortable for political
brewers and bootleggers during his administration.
On the face of things, Brennan and the Demo
cratic organization will support Devery despite the
close afiliaton in Chicago and Cook County politics
of the Brennan and CroweB Barrett machines. But
you tell what's going on under the surface
of Chicago politics.
There is movement among independent Repub-
licans to help defeat Thompson but many independ-
ent Republicans were against him the time he de-
feated Bob Sweitzer, who was Roger Sullivans cam
ddate These independent Republican forces, in
Guiding all of the newspapers of that persuasion,
will cut little figure if the Protestant church element
focks to Thompson it did the first time he ran.
incidentally, the Hearst newspapers are the only
newspapers in Chicago supporting Thompson. They
began a campaign for his nomination early in 1926
On the whole it may be said that if large
church element is governed by its religious pref
udices and votes with the bootleggers and organ
lied crime, Mayor Dever is a goner.