The Washington times., 1933-03-06
CERNAK' 5 RISE
STIRRING AND
COLORFUL
Born Near Prague, Late Mayor
Climbed to Political Fame
In Past Thirty Years

CHICAGO, March 6 G.N.S0.
Anton Joseph Cermak was born
to the peasant life of old Bo-
hemia.
Fifty-nine years later he was
mayor of the second city in the
land of his adoption, a political
tower Of strength, a vindication
of Americas philosophy that
every man has opportunity to
scale the heights.
Practical Politician
His rise for 80 years was an
epic in Democratic politics. But
more pulse quickening, more stir
ring to the imagination, was the
drama Of his whole life-a life
that carried him from the peas
antry of Bohemia to the coal
mines of Illinois, and on to-
Clerk Of election, precinct cap
tain, secretary of ward organi1a-
ton, chairman Of ward organiza-
tion, ward committeeman, mem
ber Of the State legislature, alder
man, chief bailiff Of the munich
pal court, alderman again, presi-
| dent of the county board, mayor.
He chose Chicago for a career
when he was tossed out Of the
mines at Braidwood, Ill. He gave
Of himself to Chicago. Chicago
gave him in return honor and po-
litical preferment.
Through it all Anton j. Cermak
kept his feet on the ground. He
recognized realities, never at
tempted to dissipate them in the
rose glow of illusion. He was q
practical politician.
Born Near Prague
He came into the world in a
two-room cottage in a mining vii
lage, so miles from Prague, the
ancient capital of what then was
Bohemia, which, since the world
upset that began in 1914, has been
Czechoslovakia.
It was one year after his birth
that Anton Cermak was brought
to this country by his parents
along with his brothers and sis
ters. The family came to Chi
cago. Then they went to Braid
wood, where the father went into
the mines, a work he had followed
in his native land.
Onc by one his boys followed
him into the bowels of the earth.
Anton Cermak was earning his
own living by the time he was II
At 10 he was in business for him
self. He had married and built q
house for his bride when he was
81.
Reelected in 1904
In 1902, the rising young
politician had the thrill of get
ting his name finally on the
ticket as a candidate for the
State legislature. He was elected
Thereafter he never lost his trip
on his district or ward.
In 1904, he was reelected, al
though that was the year of the
Roosevelt landslide, and he was
the only Democrat elected to the
Illinois legislature. Again he was
sent to the legislature in 1906
and 1908, and the following year
went to the Chicago city council
to which he was reelected IN
1910.
He was renominated for alder
man in 1912, and also was noml
mated for chief bailiff OF the
Municipal Court, the office to
which he was elected while run
ming $4,000 votes ahead OF his
ticket. He resigned as alderman
Finally Chosen Mayor
Cermak's first defeat came in
1918, when his term ran out. AS
candidate for sheriff he was de
Ifeated by 1900 votes, but the fol
lowing year he was back IN the
council again.
There he remained until 1922
when he was elected to the county
board by a majority Of $4,000
again in 1925 by a majority OF
900. and in 1880 by a majority
Of 100000.
His second defeat came in
1928, when, as the Democratic
candidate for United States Sen
ator, he was defeated by Senator
Otis F. Glenn in the Hoover land
slide.
nIITlIFn