Evening star., 1929-11-15

The large plurality achieved by
Mayor Walker of New York is explained
in various ways, though majority opin-
ion places the blame squarely upon the
Republican organization for its failure
to provide an issue.
"This was not a campaign Of parties,
but Of particulars and personalities, -
declares the New York Sun (independ-
ent), offering the verdict: "The voters
Of the city preferred the devil they
knew to the devil they didn't. With all
his faults, they took Walker and they
were wise. He could be . great mayor
il he would" The Sun asks further:
Don't the Republicans Of the city OF
New York ever weary Of the walloping?
Must they always have a candidate
who has no issue or, as in the unpleas-
ant incident just passed, candidate
who has nothing honest to offer in issue
or attractive in presentations"
X \ X "
"The election at. once led to demands
for q better Republican leadership"
records the New York Times (independ-
ent), and that paper concludes: Who
is going to undertake this long and ar
duous labor? The very fact that there
seems to be nobody in sight to set about
it, and that the organization leaders so
much berated seem to be safely in
makes the situation look hopeless to so
many Republicans. They grumble and
complain bitterly, but only q few of
them are willing to do the necessary
fighting"
New York emphatically does not
want La Guardia and Koenig's broken
down Republican organization" in the
opinion of the New York Evening Post
independently, which adds that "a ma
&c
nor Thomas, but does want a chance to
protest against both Democratic and
Republican machines" and the Post
offers the explanation: "An autopsy
should go into the bipartisan under
standings that really sucked the life out
Of RepublicaniSm in the city. 1t should
90 into the present decaderce and i'm
potence OF its leadership; Mr.. La
Guardia cannot aspire to that leader
ship. Despite the fortitude and abil-
ity Of his night, he has clearly been re-
jected not only by the city, but by his
party"
'The New York Republicans" as ap-
praised by the Buffalo Evening News
(Republican), made the mistake, as
they commonly do in the big city. of
irving to win more by imitation than
by opposition. That usually Is fatal
to success, as it logically would be. Evil
IDENTIFY q great many people voted for
Norman Thomas, not because they had
been converted to Socialism, but be-
cause his candidacy represented the
most pronounced dissent from present
methods of government The Repub-
lican candidate for district attorney de-
served TO fare better, but Tammany
also had nominated man who gave
citizens little cause for opposing him.
The most heartening evidence OF a re-
form uprising was the election of
George U. Harvey as borough president
of Queens
From the Middle West comes an
opinion which assays the election much
as New York saw it. The DeS Moines
Tribune Capital Independent Repub-
Iican) says: Neither Walker nor La
Guardia debated single issue of i'm
portance. Walker aSSailed his oppo-
nentS as mudslingers, and that was
about the extent of his debating. La
Guardia denounced Walker as a fancy
dresser who failed to solve the Roth
stein murder case. Thomas brought out
budgets, school reports and number
of other matters of real Importance
The two old-party candidates tried to
rouse the mob. The Socialist candidate
appealed to the intelligence OF the
voters. Thomas had no very radical
program, the more extreme parties had
their nominees and denounced him as
q conservative. and he got the votes OF
many who would not encourage radical
ism at ALL"
r r +
"If Jimmie Walker Is the sort of
mayor New York City wants, then,
popular government being what 1t is,
he is the sort Of mayor New York City
Is entitled TO have" says the Spring
fleld (MsAzs.) Union (Republican).
with this handsome vindication." con-