Evening star., 1928-12-12

parceling the city out for beer and
"alky" distribution.
Out of this arrangement came the
gang wars, fights for more territory,
more power, more money. A racketeer
might have an arrangement with the
political powers enabling him to dis
tribute beer or liquor in a given terri
tory, but If that racketeer was killed
there was a chance for another hood
lum to take over the territory, and SO
the guns of the beer gangs sounded and
Chicago got a reputation as gang
ridden city.
The hoodlums had attracted atten-
| ton by the wealth they accumulated
and the lavish fashion in which they
| lived. They had gained notoriety
through the wild-West manner in
which they shot 1t out for supremacy.
They had even gained sort OF ad-
miration, for a stratum OF the Amerl-
can people-witness the Jesse James
school of hero worship-always has 9
sneaking, fondness for a blackguard II
his personality be colorful, his exploits
startling to the ordinary man.
- There was a time in Chicago, not
long ago. when many a citizen viewed
the gang wars as a sort of savage en-
tertalnme1t, a kind of modern gladiator
combat, a spectacle for the average
man.. inasmuch as the casualties were
confined to the ranks Of hoodlums
= But that sentiment, never, of course,
held by the thinking citizen, is passing
The April primary and the November
election were signs of the change. Busi-
ness and civic leaders, spurred on by
| the newspapers, are largely responsible
for the vanishing of the indifferent or
amused view of Chicago gang killings.
Chicago IS young and lusty, world
metropolis, yet with its hundredth
birthday to celebrate. The city had
still has-its pressing tasks. There were
skyscrapers to be reared, the traction
problem to be solved, plans made for
the 1888 worlds fair to celebrate the
city's centennial.
There was progress to be made on the
far and fair vision OF the Chicago
plan," with a Strengthened river, wide
and handsome thoroughfares, a COM
prehensive park and boulevard system.
Museums must be opened, a stadium
completed, great civic auditorium
built. Many and pressing were the tasks
the city faced.
But Chicago Awakens.
These were civic tasks-tasks to be
completed in time snatched from the
| dull roar of the stockyards, the clamor
and pound of factories and mills, the
| high tension Of the stock market, the
hustle of trade.
Why then bark to the echo, faint
| amid the city's clamor, of pistol shots?
| But barking. in the midst of important
| tasks, why weep over the killing OF men
who had done nothing for the city?
But Chicago awoke. Awoke to the
realization that the gang killings had
hurt the citys reputation throughout
! the world.
Gibes snapped from the press OF
other cities. from the pages of the
comic weeklies. Chicago gang war
plays flooded the theaters of New York
and the studios of Hollywood. Chi
| cagoans journeying beyond the city'S
confines learned to their amaZement
| that legends were abroad in the land
that the city's children used automatic
pistols for play toys, that bullet-prooi
vests were as conventional in Chicago
as a pith helmet in the tropics, that
| life in Chicago was as dangerous as q
| gold camp on Saturday night.
Chicago'S first reaction was amuse-
ment, but the amusement faded, anc
then chagrin and anger. The city
turned on the officials who had allowed
Sucn a SltuaLlOn 10 come ABOUT. OIdIc
Attorney Grove, as chief law enforc'
ing officer of the county, had convicted
no gang murderers. They turned upor
him and he went to defeat by 200,0 ,00(
They elected States attorney pledged
to end gang wars, pledged to redeem
Chicago's reputation among the citie'
of the world.
! The politicians know now that {
hoodlum alliance is fatal. Their frs
lesson came in the primary. The sec
ond came. at the election Of Novem
Der s.
The hoodlums as yet haven't full.
realized what has happened. They con
tinue in business with little or no eff
fort at concealment. If John A. Swan
son, newly elected States attorney, car
ries out his pledges, they are due for
sade awakening.
Swanson can stop the gang killings
All that situation needs is the Swif
and successful prosecution of gam
murderer or two, and the machine gun
ners will cease their promiscuous kill
ing. =. =, ...- -. 80. ia.
Z; racketeefs are not the only organize,
:. hoodlums who need attention Man
Il Chicago industries are In the grip o
racketeers who grew to power Will
Grove was States attorney. Their ac
tivities will be treated In another article
(Copyright, 1929 by North American News
}. nRpag Ajanck,l