Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-16
The New York Mess.

New 1OIR is having LerrlDIe Time
getting itself investigated The Re-
publicans up in Albany, under the
leadership of w. Kingsland Macy, the
State chairman, are demanding a
legislative investigation of the greater
city. Two Westminster Republican
State Senators, acting, it is said, at
the direction of the veteran county
leader, William Ward, have so far
blocked the adoption of the necessary
resolution. AS a result it has been
charged that Ward is playing the game
of the Democratic organization in New
York. The Democrats, however, are
rowing among themselves over the
proper kind of inquiry into the affairs
of the city.
A shocking condition in the city of
New York has been brought to light
with justice undermined and officials
and politicians, not to mention attor-
nays, preying on women, with many
CT the victims framed" to extort money
from them. Notwithstanding the in
quiries which have been held during
the last eight months, there is a feel
ing that the lid has not yet been prop
erly lifted, and that underneath the
surface an even more scandalous con-
dition exists than has yet been limited
Mayor Jimmy" Walker has gone to
California for a rest. In his absence
a move has been launched to have the
mayor turned out Of Office, headed by
the City Affairs Committee" The
mayors assistant, Charles F. Kerrigan,
has issued a statement declaring that
the city government of New York is a
model affair and that the attack upon
the mayor and District Attorney
Thomas c. Grain has been inspired by
persons who wish to halt a thorough
investigation of the collapse of the Bank
of the United States, an investigation
which the district attorney has been
pressing. The Kerrigan statement is
declared by other New Workers to be
merely fine breast-beating statement,
typical of Tammany at its boldest.
At the same time an inquiry into the
vice conditions and the conditions of
justice and the police in New York City
is under way with Judge Samuel Sea-
bury in charge. This investigation is
making it difficult for the district attor-
ney. And there you are.
What happens to New York City, with
its more than seven millions of people,
is important to the whole country, not
only because New York encompasses
such big block of humanity, but also
because Of the significance which New
York City affairs sometimes have in
national politics. William Jennings
Bryan'S attack on Tammany at the
Baltimore convention in 1912 was
largely responsible for the nomination
Of Woodrow Wilson and the defeat of
Champ Clark, for example. When
former Gov. Alfred E. Smith of New
York was running for President on
the Democratic ticket in 1923, one of
the arguments used against him
by his opponents was that he was
Tammany man. Gov. Franklin D.
Roosevelt Of New York Is today an out
standing figure among the Democratic
possibilities for the presidential nomi-
nation next year, His political for
tunes may depend to a great extent
upon the manner in which he meets the
situation in New York City today. If
he assumes a hands-of attitude, he
may lose strength with the Democrats
throughout the country On the other
hand, if he is too severe on the Demo-
cratic organization and It's leaders in
the city, he may find himself without a
solid New York delegation at the Demo-
cratic National Convention next year.
Despite charges that he was bolster
ing up Tammany and corruption, Gov.
Roosevelt did keep his hands off the
New York mess last Summer and Fall
when a general inquiry into the judi
ciary was demanded. He was elected
Governor Notwithstanding by upward
of 5000 votes over his Republican
opponent, Charles H. futile, who was
shouting "CorTuption!" from the house
tops. Sentiment in New York City it.
/ self, however. is more aroused today
than it was last Summer by the piece
meal revelations Of conditions which
have come 10 the surface. A bold stand
by the Governor for a cleanup in New
York City may in the end be a better
stroke politically than pussyfooting.
Certainly it would help him out in the
country.
Congress sometimes suspends its in