Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-03
LA GUARD|A TO TAX
TAMMANY'SPOWER
Thousands of Italians Will
Follow His Standard in
Mayoralty Fray.
BY LEMUEL F. PARTON.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, August 3.-There are
392, 225 foreign-born Italians in New
York City and 410,721 whose parents
were foreign born. That's one reason
why Tammany Hall is swapping into
action, deploying its forces and getting
set for devastating fight against
Fiorella H. La Guardia, who was
grudgingly handed the nomination for
mayor of New York at the Republican
city convention.
Representative La Guardia is a
formidable campaigner. His verbal at
tacks can raise blisters like the bull
whip. For months he has been indie
fatigsbly at work, tanning up his Latin
legions, from bootblacks to bank Of
ficials.
Greenwich Village BOiIS.
Greenwich Village is already at the
boiling point and handsome chromos
of Mr.. La Guardia are appearing in
Italian restaurants and shine parlors.
He has a solidi6ed strength among
the Italian population and among the
non Tammany rank and file, which,
under his shrewd and SagaciouS leader =
shi, ought to stack up one of the heaV1-
est political engagements this city has
seen in years.
Although the conservative Republic
an leaders in years past put over
Seth Low, George Mcclellan and John
Purroy Mitchell. all silk-stocking can
didates, they made but q feeble enort
in behalf of Mrs. Ruth b. Pratt, Rep
resentative in Congress: Mrs. Pratt is
wealthy, an allmnae of Wellesley Col
lege, conservative and able, but also
socially arrived. The last is added as
a disqualifying phase. for party man
ayers now find in social leadership a
political bar sinister.
Compelled to make choice, the
rock-ribbed section of the party chose
the former Socialist and recalcitrant,
who has been dealing them misery Tor
years. It seemed their only chance
to beat the dapper and insouciant Mr.
walker.
Was in u. s. Consular Service.
Born in New York City in 1882 and
reared in Arizona, Mr.. La Guardia
entered the American consular service
in 1901. Until 1905 he served at va
rious European posts, returning to
New York City as interpreter at Ellis
Island. In 1917 he was elected to Con-
gress. In his first campaign he kicked
over the party traces and has been
doing SO ever since. He entered the
war and became a major in the Amer
lean air service, receiving two decora-
lions from the italian government.
In 1921 he was defeated for the
nomination for mayor, but was again
elected to Congress in 1922. In this
and the campaign of 1924 he definitely
allied himself with the La Toilette Re
publicans, received their Endorsement
and also enrolled in the Socialist party,
receiving the nomination OF that or
ganization. His campaign was marked
by fiery denunciations of the old
guard For the second time he was
read out of the Republican party,
but was back again in 1928 and was
elected to Congress after a bitter fight.
He became the idol OF the italian
population and of the left wingers OF
both the Republican and Democratic
parties. His victory last Fall was easy.
MIR. La Guardia is tirelesS foe OF
the eighteenth amendment. His pub
lie beer-brewing performance in Wash
ington q few years ago was typical OF
his aptitude in dramatiZing his views,
and also of his gift for catching pub
lie attention when he wants 1t. Who
ever wins in this forthcoming election,
the drys lose. as Mayor Walker and
Mr.. La Guardia will find nothing to
argue about so far as prohibition is
concerned
Copyright. 1927