Evening star., 1938-03-13

that ward except 22O must have cast
vote! And that in an election in which
the average voting strength cast ran about
80 per cent!
The second ward showed even greater
zeal on the part Of the vote-getters The
vote for Governor was: Stark, l9,202;
Hirth, ~; Barrett, 2,l82-a total of 81 1896.
The census shows the entire population Of
the second ward to be l8,478, so 29l8
more names were voted than there were
men. women and children in the entire
ward!
Who sanctions and permits such frauds
in the elections in any boss-ridden
municipality? The judges. clerks and
omcials of the elections; the commits
sioners OF the election boards; the city
police officers, who permit coercion and
terrorism: the hoodlums who are used as
the tools for padded voting. That Kansas
City grand jury reached for all these, and
numerous political leaders, judges and
clerks OF the polling places-both Repub-
lican and Democratic-were indicted, ar
rested and brought into court.
So carefully we're outstanding violators Of
the election laws selected, and 50 pains
taking were the efforts made by the
prosecutor and his assistants in securing
evidence, that numerous convictions were
obtained. BY the close of the term Of court
last June the score stood:
One hundred and fifty-six persons in
dicted. Nine cases tried. Forty-six persons
convicted. One plea Of guilty. Twelve pleas
Of nolo contendere. And no acquittals.
Many Are Convicted.
At later terms of the court the steady
pace Of convictions has been maintained,
and the number has gone above hundred.
including those who pleaded guilty. Most
of these have been sentenced to Federal
prisons and reformatories. Test cases
carried by the defense to the United States
Circuit Court Of Appeals brought vigor-
GUS, ringing decision, written by Judge
Archibald X. Gardner, Affirming the con-
victions and strengthening the right Of the
Federal Government to move on corruption
in elections.
And how much longer? With q flash Of
his eye and set of his jaw, Mr.. Milligan
says:
Were in this fight until every lawbreak-
er we can convict is lodged behind the
bars!"
The trials and convictions have brought
out, and will continue to bring out, the
whole sordid method of corrupt political
control in any American city: Fraudulent
and padded" registration, repeater" vot-
ing. ballot-box stufhng, control OF political
spoils by intimidation and industrial hi
lacking and alliances with criminal activi-
ties of all kinds.
Can this be broken? Kansas City proves
it can!
To gain proper understanding Of how
boss can be overthrown by the power OF the
courts and law-enforcement agencies,
backed by an aroused public opinion, we
should review briefly the steps by which
the greatest Of all the bosses came Into
power.
Tom Pendergast followed his brother
Jim in political leadership Of the old
first ward some three decades ago. The
Pendergast saloon at Fifth and Main was
headquarters for ward activities He ex-
tended his liquor interests into wholesaling.
He branched into the hotel and many other
businesses. ...
90 Pendergast's handling Of his ward was
the simple, fundamental method Of Extend
ing aid in return for votes. He never ran
for office himself, asking only that those
he indorsed be elected to do his bidding.
He looked after the material interests Of his
subjects with a zeal that never tagged.
Did family need coal? Get 'em coal! See
that they are registered and that they get
out to the polls on election day.
Feed 'em and vote 'em!" may well have
been framed as the motto to hang in the
Pendergast office during those days Of his
rise to power-and since.
"Took Over Third Ward"
The extension Of the power OF the boss
to all the wards of Kansas City was well
illustrated In his taking over" the third
ward, where, newspaper accounts relate, the
battle was waged against another boss. A
ward meeting WAS called to name judges.
clerks and other election cfacials, party
jeedaes and Wueeses. 0GSxo the doofs