Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-25
WAGNER PROPOSED.
AS TAMMANY CHIEF.
Triumvirate Also Suggested
to Rule Until New Leader
Is Found.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
staff CORRESPONDENT of The Star.


staff Correspondent of The Star.
NEW YORK, March 25.-The row in
Tammany Hall over the selection of a
new leader to succeed Judge George w.
Olvany has resolved itself in the pub
lie mind here 20 a contest between the
so-called new Tanimany' and the old
Tammany In some quarters this Is
regarded as a fictitious contest. But
the new Tammany" has ben put for
ward to the public gaze prominently by
former Gov Alfred E. Smith and Judge
Olvany. When Judge Olvany handed
in his resignation as leader, 1t was a
signal for those who have not been
content with the way things have been
going in the new Tammany' to put
on their fighting clothes.
The paint Is scarcely dry on the
new Tammany wigwam, at Seventeenth
street and Fourth avenue, an immacu-
late new home for the organization
which has dominated Democratic poll
tics in New York City for generations.
1t is not likely, according to many of
the politicians here, that there is to be
a backward step-not if Tammany Is to
continue to be reckoned with as the
controlling factor in the greater city
elections. That being the case. it
looks now like a victory for Gov. Smith.
to whom the organization has been in
a measure forced to turn in it's ex-
tremity. Gov. Smith, although but one
OF the Big Four" whose advice is to
be sought by the Tammany commit
tee before leader is chosen, has a
greater hold on the voters of the CITY
than any or all the rest. His will be
the deciding voice in the picking of a
leader, it Is believed.
Smith and Foley Ont of City.
1t looks now as if there would be an
effort to let time bring wisdom and
calm to the Tammany district leaders.
1t may be couple of weeks or more
before any decision is reached. Gov.
Smith has gone with his family for a
two-week vacation at the Seaview Club
at Absecon, N. j. Surrogate Foley, an
other of the big four" is out of the
city for a week. So far as is known
there has been no time yet fixed for a
meeting OF the committee of seven ap-
pointed by the executive committee of
Tammany Hall last Friday 20 meet
with the big four"
Over the week end a crop of rumors
and several suggestions for way out
of the present difficulty, in which the
district leaders of Tammany Hall are
insisting upon the selection of one of
their own number to succeed Olvany.
have sprung up. One plan advanced is
that the leadership shall go to Senator
Wagner. He Is entirely qualified. it is
urged by those who put forward this
idea, to take the leadership of Tam
many Hall and to keep it moving along
the lines of the new" Tammany. If
Senator Wagner is to become leader,
however. he will have to be drafted for
the job He likes his present position
in the Senate In Washington, and while
he might be able to hold on as Senator
and take the leadership, too, it would
be difficult. For the job of Tammany
leader is an arduous one. Indeed
Judge Olvany decided to relinquish the
leadership of Tammany both because
he is sick and because he is sick of the
job, it is said. There is one thing about
Tammany members. they do not hest
tate to ask for what they want. and a
leader is under a constant fire of re-
quests. As one of the best posted men
in Tammany said to me:
1T takes a man of steel to be leader.
For there are boys in the organization
who do not hesitate TO go after what
they want. A leader has got to be able
to say No and to make it stick"
Inclined to Minimize Row.
This same Tammany man was in
clined to minimize the ROW" in Tam
many Hall. He gave it as his opinion
that it was case of lesser leaders. not
qualified to handle the organization and
keep it controlling factor in the city,
seeking to bite off more than they
could chew.
The impression is gaining here that
it will be exceedingly difficult now for
one of the prominent candidates for
land the job in the end. But there is
still the same puzZlement as to what
''outsider"-as distinguished from the
members of the executive committee
may be the final selection.
Another suggestion is that a trium-
virate may be set up to handle Tam
many affairs until new leader has
finally shown himself. This, it is
pointed out, is in line with Tammany
precedent. A triumvirate was set up in
1902 after the resignation of Lewis
Nixon as leader. It consisted of Charles
F. Murphy. Daniel F. Mcmahon and
Louis F. Haffen. 1t wasn't long, how
ever. before Murphy emerged as the
Tammany leader That, 1t is figured,
may be the case if a triumvirate is set
up now One of the three may prove
himself the much-sought leader. Some
of the Tammany people are mentioning
for membership in the proposed tri-
umvirate Senator Wagner. former chair
man of the Transit Commission: John
F. GilchriSt, friend of Gov. Smith,
and one of the district leaders. II is
possible. in the event of the setting up
of triumvirate. that Martin G.. Nc
Cue. district leader and one of the can
didates for leader of the Hall, might
be included. Marty" McCue is one of
the strongest of the district leaders.
Even now. when the opinion is swing
ing toward the ultimate selection of
an outsider" for the Tanlmany lead
ership, McCue looms as the most likely
of all the district leaders to get the
office. He was prizeflghters years ago.
and good one. Later he owned a sa-
loon. The fact that the newspapers
have discussed these matters consider
ably may make it difficult for him to be
selected as leader. particularly If the
new" Tammany slogan is to be con-
tinued
McCue's two principal opponents for
the leadership among the district
leaders also have been painted as
aligned with the gambling interests
and the bootleggers. Take it alto
gether. it is not surprising that the
leadership which has brought forward
the new" Tammany Is inclined to
seek a leader outside the ranks of
the district leaders if ne can be found.
From the point of view of national