Evening star., 1933-10-02
The Political Mill
By C. Could Lincoln.

What is AL Smith going to do about
the three -cornered mayoralty race In
New York City? It may be he VIII do
nothing. But it would be interesting
to get his slant on the unusual politi-
cal situation there, with Mayor O'Brien
the Tammany candidate; Joseph "
Mckee, the Independent Democratic
candidate, wearing the Roosevelt ad-
ministration label, and former Repre-
sentative La Guardia, fusion" candi-
date and Republican. The Tammany
outfit, headed by John F. Curry. stuck
to Mr.. Smith like burr at the time
of the Chicago Democratic National
Convention, perhaps not SO much be-
cause of its love for Smith as because
of its dislike of Roosevelt. However
the present Tammany leader was
chosen to head the organization against
the advice and wishes Of Mr.. Smith
way back in 1929. and there seems lit
tie reason to believe that he has much
more love for Curry now than he had
four years ago. Mr.. Smith has no great
affection for the Roosevelt administra-
ton. On the other hand. Mr. Smith
Is a strong party man and has always
been so. A lot Of people would like to
have him leap into the mayoralty cam
paign and make speech or two for
| their candidate. 1t is too bad that the
people Of New York have not been able
| to prevail upon Mr.. Smith himself to
| take the Office of mayor. No one could
| do better Job Of running that me-
| tropolis.
The New York mayoralty contest is
alNa,i of considerable interest the
country over. This year. with the skids
pretty we'll under Tammany and a real
chance for fusion" to defeat Mayor
O'Brien, there was an uncommon
amount Of interest. Now that Mckee
with the blessing Of Roosevelt admins
tration leaders-although it is asserted
the President is keeping hands off-has
| jumped into the race. too, the limelight
| is still more brightly focused on the
event. Any three-cornered race is likely
| to be more uncertain than a race be-
tween two candidates At this writing
| it looks as though Mckee would prove
most formidable candidate, although
an eleventh-hour entry. He will be
| labeled the Roosevelt candidate
whether the President continues to in
sist he Is not taking part or not. La
Guardia already in public address has
endeavored to make it appear that Nc
Kee is not backed by the President
| Apparently he realizes what tower OF
strength the Roosevelt label might be
at a time when the people are strongly
supporting the President He will have
the Bronx. his home borough, organiza-
| ton behind him. He is likely to have
q lot of anti-Tammany Democrats lined
up with him. and there is the chance
| that some of the organization leaders
who have had knife ready to stick
into Curry for some time, will flop to
Mckee. Then there are the Repub-
licans In New York who do not like
La Guardia, believing him too radical
McKee's weakness seems to lie in the
fact that he held off too long; indeed
| until the fusion lines had been cement
ed. Anti i-Tammany Democrats like
Judge Samuel Seabury and Langdon
Post are in the fusion movement body
and soul. 1t Is charged that Mckee
could have had the fusion nomination
if he had not run away from it. Fur
thermore. the fusion people insist that
McKee's entry into the race has divided
the anti-Tammany forces and has given
OBrien chance to win. OBrien is a
pitifully weak candidate, however He
makes absolutely no personal appeal to
ing very hard times. and is bent now
on laying heavier taxes to meet the
waste Of the Tammany administration
of New York and the need for relief
| funds.
In 1892, when Roosevelt was running
| for President, Mayor O'Brien was put
up by the Tammany forces for mayor
| The Republicans nominated Lewis H
Pound, and the Socialists put forward
Morris Hillquit. That was q Demo
cratic year. Any Tammany nominee in
New York City was bound to win. with
the single exception. perhaps, of jim
mie" Walker The nomination OF
Walker for mayor would have made q
mess Of New York politics that year
Tammany substituted O'Brien. In that
election O'Brien polled 10l4,505 votes;
Pound. the Republican, 4l9,385. and
Hillquit. 248.425. The lead of O'Brien
over the others was enormous IN tnat
election. Mckee, the same Mckee who
has made this dramatic entry into the
coming race, had made a decided hit
as acting mayor after Walker had elm
| mated himself rather than be thrown
out by the then Gov. Roosevelt. His
admirers. however wrote his name or
nearly 100000 ballots. That in itself
was an evidence Of extreme popularity
For Mckee was not candidate in that
election. 1t Is clear that Mckee has
hold on a lot of people in little Ole
New York.
As a general thing. it is not safe fol-
a national administration to take sides
in an intra-party row in State OF
municipality. Democrat Is supposed
for example. to look good to Demo
cratic administration in Washington
and any one the home folks pick i
supposed to be acceptable in Washing
ton. There will be plenty OF critics
among the Democrats who will say very
loudly that the Roosevelt administra.
ton should have kept hands of in tht
mayoralty struggle in New York. How.
ever. New York is the home State OF
the President and of Chairman jaime:
| A Farley of the Democratic Natlona
Committee and Postmaster General
Farley is chairman of the Democratic
State Committee, too 1t Is natural tc
suppose they would take an interest II
the mayoralty race in New York City
/ Furthermore, it appears that the ad-
ministration forces have acted at the
eleventh hour to bring about a Demo
cratic victory in New York City. Fol
| the Oe1eat OF " bTltl ny La NunA oA1
seemed a certainty before the entry OF
Mckee.
| X u X
Tomorrow, Virginia. mother OF Presl'
dents-perhaps it would be more cor
rect to say grandmother of Presidents
for its q long time since any Virginiar
Except Woodrow Wilson, who was Gov,
ernor Of New Jersey has been elected
Chief Executives to decide whether
It wishes the eighteenth amendment re-
tanned in the Constitution or repealed
1t is sure thing that the State vii
vote for repeal. The people IN We.
ginia are falling in line, merely. with
the people throughout the country. IN
taking such a position. They will also
be called upon to decide whether they
will retain their State prohibition. Thai
NAV be a closer vote. But even there
the repealists may chalk up victory