Evening star., 1933-09-29
FIGHT ON B0SS|SM
PLEDGED BY M'KEE,.
ANNOUNCING RACE.
Comes Out for Mayor of
New York on Independent
Ticket.
ASSAILS TAMMANY HALL
AND REPUBLICANS ALIKE
Barbed Attack Directed Against
Arrogant Leadership of Stu
pidity and Corruption"
BY the Associated Press.

NEW YORK, September g9-Break-
ing a silence that had the big town
jittery, Joseph " Mckee, banker ald
former acting mayor of New York City.
came out today as an independent can
didate for mayor.
In statement saying he entered the
race in response to flood of appeals.
Mckee blistered Tammany Hall and
Republicans alike with barbed phrases
directed against IAN arrogant leader
ship of stupidity and corruption"
Il now dedicate myself to the serv-
ice of the voters of this city who want
bossism. both Democratic and Repub-
lican, ended for all times" he said,
who want honesty and intelligence to
replace corruption and stupidity in,
public office and who want the city's
credit restored
Mayor John P. O'Brien, Tammany's
with silence.
Ends Guessing Game.
McKees other opponent, in addition
to Socialist and Communist candidates,
is Mai Fiorello La Guardia, independ-
ent Republican and former United
States Representative, who is backed
by fusion groups
For the past 70 hours New York po-
litical circles waited nervously for Nc
Kee to make up his mind. and when his
announcement came, handed out by
Charles Keegan, his associate. it set at
rest one of the widest guessing games
ever to set voters tongues to wagging
along Broadway.
Backed by Edward ]. Flynn, Bronx
Democratic leader and New York secre-
tary of State. McKee's candidacy in
jects a decided major third party move
ment into an already scrambled po-
litical situation.
Fusion forces see in such a third
party movement an attempt to split
the anti-Tammany vote.
They charge that McKee'S entrance
into the campaign is to be interpreted
as solely an attempt by Flynn and
regular organization members to wrest
the patronage powers from John F.
Curry, Tammany boss" with no re-
suit but change Of leadership in the
hail.
Statement Spares No One.
As acting mayor. following the res
ignation of Mayor James j. Walker at
the height of the Seabury probe Nc
Kee earned the hearty dislike of Tam
many and was dropped for OBrlen at
the election a year ago.
"As acting mayor" Mckee said to-
day. from the day Mayor Walker re-
signed, until my successor took otfice
on January OF this year, l learned
what it was to preside over hostile
board Of estimate, run by Curry and
McCooey John McCooey. Brooklyn
LEADER as they are doing today through
their Tammany board of strategy
Mckee spared no one. and directed
q blow or two at fusion:
There Is no real fusion in this cam
paign. The so-called fusion standard
bearer is as Objectionable to the solid
element of our Republican citizenry as
he is to the vast army OF Democrats
who are disguised with machine politics.
The present standard bearer OF the al
legged fusion is poor compromise by
faction of would-be bosses"
The announcement follows in full:
Many Requests to Run.
"For nearly two weeks, by letter and
telegram, by resolution and personal
appeal, I have been asked to be a can
didate for mayor of New York City on
an independent ticket.
THE requests have come in great
numbers from all sections of the city
and from people of all walks OF life.
One and all protested against leader
ship that has shattered the city's credit
and made the people of this city bow
their heads-an arrogant leadership OF
stupidity and corruption, unmatched
since the days of Boss Tweed.
Since Tweed's day, Tammany had
stretched out and had expanded its
sway to the neighboring borough OF
Brooklyn, where John H. McCooey is
the Tammany vice regent and the
mainstay of Boss Curry.
Leadership Assailed.
'"Their leadership has been marked
by incompetence. stupidity and utte-
callousness for public opinion and
total disregard of decent standards in
political life including the attempted
rejection of Herbert H. Lehman for the
governorship of this State.
"As a result of their complete con-
troll Of our municipal government. New
York today is on the threshold OF
bankruptcy, its citizens are overbur-
dened by unnecessary taxes. its en-
ployes threatened with payless pay days
and its obligations brought to the
point of default and dishonor.
Decent men and women in the
Democratic party of New York, city
have made futile attempts to effect re-
forms within their organization in re-
cent years.
"All who have help public ONCE or
subordinate leadership who dared to at
tempt a change in the system or VINO
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