The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-09-16
LaGnardia, Fusionist,
Was Tammany Lawyer

assailed the proposals of government
employees on the wage question.
In the summer of 1919 when the
nations postal employees asked leg
islatiOn for an increase in their
wages, LaGuardia offered stubborn
opposition to their appeal. On
September 6, 1929, he made a viciou
attack on the postal employees bill
! in the House of Representatives
He was instrumental In defeating
the measure and winning for him
self much admiration in reacti0nary
circles.
In the fall of 1929 LaGuardia was
again seeking seat in Congress as a
Republican candidate from the goth
District of Manhattan. Shortly after
his election, however, LaGuardia
announced that he was progress
sive."
1t was not long after LaGuardia
armed himself with the tag Of a
progressive that he began to have big
business deals with the Tammany ad-
miniStration in New York City. The
Tammany regime engaged LaGuardia
as its special counsel in case against
the Citizens Water Supply Company
Of NeWtown.
I A GUARDIA, who has sternly de-
nounced rival capitalist politicians
for their grabs" of taxpayers money,
showed himself to be not too reluctant
when there was chance to "cash in. Z"
On August 81, 1923, he collected
SS.508 Of taxpayers money from
The Tammany gang at City Hall
for legal services. On December IA,
1928, he received another check of
S26SS from Tammany officials for
services rendered.
In the following autumn, when the
Republicans rejected LaGuardia as a
candidate, he entered the race for
Congress on the Socialist ticket. Not
withstanding this switch, LaGuardia
in the 1926 election was back in the
good graces Of the Republicans. On
October "a Of that year he received
the blessings of the reactionary Her
aid Tribune, mouthpiece of the
then Republican administration at
washington.
True to Type
As a Socialist, LaGuardia had often
expressed his opposition to war. And
LaGuardia played exceedingly well
the part of a Socialist leader For
on August 6, 1925, he approved of
$150,000,000 aviation building pro-
gram by the War Department.
LaGuardia's only objection to the
measure during the debate in the
House was that it did not provide for
three brigadier generals as flying
officers.
AS the candidate for Mayor, the
major burden of firing Fusion broad |
sides against Tammany corruption
will devolve upon LaGuardia. Were
the workers not made to be the |
ultimate sufferers, one could have a |
hearty laugh at the spectacle of this |
farce. Only as an unprincipled poll
tician can LaGuardia stand on the |
public platform and attack the rotten |
Tammany machine that he has on an |
occasion defended with much glowing
eloquence and enthusiasm.
Defends Tammany
On March 7, 1926, in a debate on
the floor of the House, Representa-
tive Lewis G. Champion of Michigan
attacked the Tammany administra-
ton. At once LaGuardia was on his
feet to defend the disreputable
Democratic machine.
"Tammany Hail." said LaGuardia.
'fs full Of heart and full of human
interests. Tammany has done
more than for the welfare institu-
lions of that great city in one year
than any private foundation with
its theories and statistics can do
from now until the end Of time
and" LaGuardia fastened to add,
Il am not Tammany man."
THUS spoke LaGuardia before he
was Mayoralty candidate on the
fusion ticket. Now that LaGuardia
wants to represent the Wall Street
in City Hall better than
Fammany, LaGuardia contends that
ranmany instead of being "fl1u of