Evening star., 1933-09-21
The Political Mill
By G. Could Lincoln.

By G. Could Lincoln.
The revolt against Tammany In New
York, which seems to indicate to Demo-
Gratis in exceedingly important positions
in Warrington that Mayor O'Brien will
be defeated for reelection, is giving the
national party leaders food for though.
Just now. What they want to know 1,
where the Democratic party will get OF
in 1894 and In 1886 In New York. when
the congressional and presidential elec-
tions are due. II the Democratic or
ganization is smashed by the fusionists
headed by Representative La Guardia,
Progressive Republican, 1t seems clear
1t will not be in a position to deliver
the votes to Democratic candidates in
these coming elections.
The Roosevelt leaders have no love
for John r. Curry, the Tammany boss
There Is no particular reason they
should. Mr.. Curry refused to play ball
with the supporters of President Roose-
welt for the presidential nomination. He
carried his opposition to the last ditch,
and voted the Tammany Democrats in
the Democratic National Convention at
Chicago last year against Roosevelt to
the very end of the convention. Mr.
Curry had no love for AL Smith, whom
he was supporting for the nomination
ostensibly at the convention. But ap-
parently he feared what might happen
to the Tammany leadership In New
York II Roosevelt became the head of
the Democratic party nationally, with
all the political power possessed by a
President of the United States. Mr..
Roosevelt not only gave Mr.. Curry q
drubbing at the National Convention,
but he was ready. 1t Is well understood,
out Of ONCE later, had not Mr.. Walker
prevented that course by the then Gov.
Roosevelt by resigning.
Mr. Curry has had a tough time Of
it. Whenever he has gone up against
the Roosevelt power in New York he
has taken a sock on the jaw. And it
looks as though now he was about to
take the count. The Democratic lead
ership In New York City. headed by
Curry, Is about as unpopular as 1t well
could be. The old days when Tammany
could put a Jimmy Walker across for
mayor, despite the fact that millions
of the citizens knew his utter unfitness
for such q position, have gone. The
people in New York are suffering from
tremendous tax burdens and are threat
ened with more, largely because Of the
laxities Of the Tammany officials. The
Democratic primaries, just held, tndi-
cate the proportions OF the revolt
against Curryism. While Mayor O'Brien
was renominated, his opponents in the
primary rolled up surprisingly large
votes, and his own vote was small
enough to throw fear into the Tam
many braves. John H. McCooey, vet
eran Democratic leader of Brooklyn,
Curry's foremost ally in the effort to
control New York City, saw his candi-
date for controller defeated at the pri-
maries for the Democratic nomination
by Frank j. Prial, deputy controller,
whom McCooey and Curry would not
indorse for the nomination.
What happens in the New York
mayoralty race is likely to be watched
by the whole Nation. The party lead
ers here may not care a great deal
who Is mayor of New York, but Who
ever is mayor, in their opinion, should
be a Democrat. 1t will not look we'll
in the political picture If La Guardia,
who is certainly not Democrat, should
defeat the regular Democratic nominee.
Eighteen of the Brooklyn district
Democratic leaders out Of total of
twenty-three have told McCooey that
they cannot carry their districts for
O'Brien.
Prediction is made here in high
Democratic quarters that before a week
is out something will be done to
straighten out the situation in New
York and make 1t possible for the
victory at the polls IN the city elec-
ton. Just what Is to happen has not
been revealed. The only way that
O'Brien could be taken out of the race
as the regular Democratic nominee
would be for him to receive q judicial
nomination. II that were done, then
another Democratic candidate for
mayor could be named. If that is not
done. then an Independent Democrat
might be launched for mayor. A lot
Of the Democrats in Brooklyn and New
York would like to see Joseph v. Mckee
substituted for O'Brien. or even to see
him run IS an Independent Democrat
Mckee Is the man who stepped into the
mayors office when Walker resigned
last year and did more to show up
the loose manner in which Walker had
conducted the city's affairs than did
the Legislative Investigating Committee
which had compelled Walker to quit.
Hard times and corruption are a
combination that is making things ter
ribfy dimcult for the Democratic or
ganization in New York City. Hard
times are even more effective as a cam
palgn issue against a party in Office
than is corruption. There will be
minimum OF tears shed by national
Democratic leaders if Mr.. Curry goes
New York City. Curry took command
when Judge George w. Olvany resigned
as Tammany leader not SO very long
after the 1928 presidential election.
Olvany had been an ardent Smith man.
Smith had been defeated for President
and lost New York State. Smith had
insisted on new Tammany" Curry
was an old-time district leader. When
the "fusionists" last Summer were able
to get together on La Guardia for
mayor the days of Curry and OBrien
seemed to be numbered The danger to
the movement against Tammany lay in
the ambitions Of a number of gentle
men to head the fusion ticket orsto be
the powers behind the throne.
X
If Mckee should become the Demo-
cratic nominee for mayor or even an
Independent Democratic candidate for
that Office. the influence of President
Roosevelt and of James A. Farley.
chairman Of the Democratic National
Committee and Postmaster General,
might be placed behind him. Mckee
was protege of Edward ]. Flynn,
democratic leader Of the Bronx. and
strong Roosevelt Democrat FLYNN has