Evening star., 1934-01-22
New York Leadership.

cratic political situation has become
still more confused by the sudden death
of John McCooey. leader for the last
quarter century in Brooklyn. The
death Of Mr.. McCooey came at a time
when his leadership was under attack
Now it becomes necessary to select his
successor, and the forces which have
demanded the elimination of Mr..
McCooey doubtless will require that
the new leader shall be no ally Of
John F. Curry, boss of Tammany Hall
They will perhaps go further and in
Sist that the new leader shall be friend
ly to the Roosevelt Democratic faction
in New York, represented by Post
master General James A. Farley, the
Democratic State chairman; by Flynn,
the Democratic leader Of the Bronx
and by Mckee. who was the candidate
of the recovery party" sponsored by
Mr.. Farley at the last mayoralty
election.
The change in the Brooklyn leader
more strongly against Curry as leader
of the Democratic organization of New
York County, the Borough of Man.
haitian. This organization is known
as Tammany throughout the Nation.
Outside of New York is Is not generally
realized that Tammany is not the
Democratic organization of the whole
city Of New York, but that it has been
able, through alliances with McCooey
and leaders in other boroughs, to domi
nate the whole Democratic structure
Mr.. Curry during the few years of
his Tammany leadership has fallen on
evil days. He came to the leadership
from a district leadership in Manhat-
tan. The organization disregarded the
advice of Alfred E. Smith, who had
recently been defeated in the presi-
Dental race, to pick man of different
caliber and to bring to life new
Tammany" It went back to the old.
Mr.. Curry matched strength time and
again with President Roosevelt, when
he was Governor and when he was a
candidate for the presidential homina-
ton in 1892. Invariably Mr.. Curry
came OF second best. His most disas-
trous defeat was the failure of the
Tammany candidate, former Mayor
John ]. OBrien, to win reelection last
November
Mr. McCooey remained the ally of
Mr.. Curry in this mayoralty race. Five
of the Brooklyn Democratic leaders re-
volted and went over to Mckee and his
recovery party, and there was fear of a
general revolt. Since the election of
the fusion candidate. Mayor La Guar
dia, the signs Of revolt in Brooklyn
against the man who controlled the
Democratic organization for SO many
years failed to abate. 1t seemed to be
merely a question of time before the
demand for q change forced an open
fight, or at least break In the alliance
of Mr. McCooey with Mr.. Curry
Brooklyn casts today the heaviest vote
among all the five boroughs of the
greater city.
Mr.. Curry is bitterly opposed by
Flynn. the Bronx leader. He can look
for no aid in that direction. If Brook
lyn be lost to him. his ability to retain
control in Manhattan, where the seeds
Of revolt have been sown for months,
will be shaken to the core. The inner
circle of Tammany Hall has seen the
danger Of this loss of control. ...
New York City's Democracy must
have, II it IL to be effective, some head
The head has been in the past the boss
Of Tammany Hall. It may be again.
But, certainly, Tammany will be COM
PEELED to find q new and more accept
able leader than Mr.. Curry. It looks
like . chance for the Roosevelt Demo-
cratic faction, which has built strongly
out through the State, TO obtain q real
hold in the city. New York is over
whelmingly Democratic, and only the
strife among the Democrats, plus the
demand by citizens for a relief from
corruption and graft and taxes, made q
La Guardia victory possible. The death
of McCooey, plus the retirement of
Curry, II 1t comes, may mark Q very
definite change in leadership and also
q change in the system"