Evening star., 1938-09-17
0'CONNOR FACING.
HIGH HAT CHARGE
Voter Survey DiscIoses
Resentlnent-Tammany
Chiefs See Victory.

Chiefs See Victory.
This Is the second in a series OF
three articles on ho,p the presi-
Dental purge" is workin0 in the
campaign of Representative John
J. O'Connor, chairman OF the House
Rules Committee. for denomination.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.
Star stan Correspondent.
NEW YORK, Sept. 17-Three
officials of Tammany Hall and eight
prominent Democratic organization
leaders-"in the know"-said today
that Tammany and the Democratic
organization are sincerely" with
Chairman O'Connor Of the House
Rules Committee, and advised that
"he will most certainly win"
Check against that personal inter-
views by the writer with many voters
representative of all classes Of resi-
dents in the 18th congressional dis
trict, and the edge would seem to
60 to James H. Fay. his rival for the
Democratic nomination, who has the
Endorsement of President Roosevelt.
Representative John j. O'Connor is
In three-way fight. He is a candi-
date in both the Democratic and Re-
publican primaries. incidentally, he
is severely criticized all over his dis
trict by all classes of people for having
entered the Republican primary. In
the Democratic primary, he has the
support of the party organization and
is opposed by Mr.. Fay, a lifelong resi-
dent of the district who nearly won
the nomination in 1894. Mr.. Fay's
friends claimed he was counted out, "
but did not demand q recount. He
managed Mr.. OConnor's campaign in
1895, and extolled him to the voters.
In the Republican primary he is op-
posed by Allen w. Dulles, who is
receiving outstanding support from
Representative Bruce Barton in the
adjoining district.
II Mr.. O'Connor wins denomination
1t will be % because of support from
Tammany and the Democratic organ
tzation. more united than ever in the
IA years he has been q candidate for
Congress from that district; ~
because the voters are proud to have
In the national legislative body, repre-
figure, and because of his personal
prestige with seven terms in Congress;
and 90 very little by resentment Of
the people against the presidential
purge"
Criticism oGes Over Heads.
As matter Of fact the voters Of the
18th New York district do not seem
10 be particularly excited over the fact
that the President denounced Mr.
'O'Connor at the White House as lone
Of the most effective obstructionists"
Of the New Deal. They are not ma
tionally politically minded. They are
largely citizens in the humber walks
Of life, more interested in making a
living and in their neighbors' welfare
than in the vicissitudes of politics.
They are generally quite loyal to the
President although they scarcely know
what the New Deal Is Ill about. They
are much more interested in the
Dewey-Hines-Pecora f1asco - which
has stolen the show" here away from
the presidential purge"
Against Mr.. O'Connor in his fight is
4 subconscious feeling OF class distinc-
zion among the huddled-in voters in
ehis large tenement district that he
D not really one Of them. They will
cell you that he docs not even live IN
the dictrict" He does maintain a
voting residence at al Thirty-fifth
street, 4 new apartment house, where
he has a two-room apartment. He
gives that address in the telephone
directory. But his family, with four
sturdy sons, could not crowd into that
small apartment and the voters tell
you so. Seventeen persons in the same
block said they intend to vote for Mr..
Fay. If he is our neighbor, We don't
even know him." they complained. In
oil fairness it must be explained that
In the next block, along Ihirty-sixth
street. just as many more residents
said they would not vote for "yes
man." meaning Mr.. Fay: why, any
one Of US could go to Congress if We
got the chance and do anything We
might be told" People throughout the
district also complain that they never
see O'Connor except when he wants
Is to vote for him every two years"
Gas House Votes for Fay.
If James H. Fay wins it will be be-
cause he is next-door neighbor six
days a week to the poorer people
throughout the district-he will not get
the Park avenue, Sutton place-Tudor
City or Lexington Avenue Hotel and
apartment house votes, but he will
get many votes in the old Gas House
section. He has been getting jobs for
people for the past 20 years. He at
tends their bazaars, picnics, church
and social club gatherings. He Is per-
sonally popular and has a strong fol-
lowing He has strong and effective
campaign organization that has been
working together for five years under
the leadership Of Maj. William j.
Walsh, which is taking advantage Of
all the means at hand and close
study OF the district made over a pc
Rod Of five years. This organization
Is taking the candidate right to the
people on their own street corner.
For example-at street corner rally
Tor Mr.. O'Connor, the writer stood
next to q working man who asked:
''Wheres O'Connor?" and several
others laughed and replied-'Eot here
probably up on Park avenue" They
think he is high hating them. BY
contrast-at a street corner rally for
Mr.. Fay, a man in the crowd mudged
his neighbor and asked: Which Is
the candidate?" Immediately several
called out: Hey, Jim. here's fellow
wants to meet you." and the questioner
was showed forward to the sound truck
TO shake hands with Mr. Fay.
Thursday night Adolph A. Berle,
Assistant Secretary of State, who lives
AAN A. Il