Evening star., 1938-02-05
Beyond Reach.

Frank Hague Of Jersey City have locked
horns Mayor Hague seems to have won
the first round. In an effort to obtain
the Hudson County poll books and to
continue an investigation Of charges of
fraudulent voting in the election last
November legislative committee went
to the Office OF the Board of Elections.
There the committee found Mayor
Hague's police force Oh the job. The
police forcibly resisted the attempt Of
the committee to gain possession of the
poll books.
1t is an astonishing situation. Mayor
Hague, the Democratic boss OF the State.
is also the dominating political influence
in Hudson County, which turned in the
votes that gave Governor A. Harry
Moore the necessary lead to defeat Clee,
his Republican opponent, last fall
Charges Of political corruption and q
stolen election have flown fast and furi-
but nothing has been done. The State
Legislature, which is Republican, is now
trying its hand.
Mayor Hague has detied the c. l. O.,
which has sought to send organizers into
Jersey City. denying the organization per-
mits to hold meetings and preventing the
distribution Of literature. A State legisia
tive committee means apparently very
little TO the Mayor and his supporters.
An interesting situation might be pre-
cipitated if the Senate Committee OH
Privileges and Elections undertook to
investigate charges of political corrup-
ton in Hudson County. The committee
has before it a number OF charges, in
Guiding those made by LaborS Nom
Partisan League, against Senator John
Milton, appointed by Governor Moore to
fiji the vacancy in the Senate caused by
his resignation to become governor.
Among the charges Is the statement that
Governor Moore was elected by fraudu-
lent voting.
Whether the Mayor of Jersey City
would undertake to balk committee of
the United States Senate, if it also came
after election records, is, of course, not
known. He might take the position that
the Senate has nothing to do with the
election OF a Governor OF New Jersey.
On the other hand, since the Governor
Immediately appointed a Senator to fill
his vacated place in the Senate, the
Senate might take different view of the
matter. In any event, if the election of
Governor Moore was declared void be-
cause of fraud, his appointee to the
Senate would find himself in all unten-
able position.
So far the Senate Privileges and Elec-
tions Committee has taken only one step.
It has appointed a subcommittee headed
by Senator King OF Utah. to inquire into
the charges made against Senator Milton.
In its petition to the Senate Committee
asking an investigation of Senator Mil
ton. the representatives of Labor's Nom
Partisan League called attention to the
fact that outside of Hudson County Gov
ernor Moore's Republican opponent led by
$4,000 votes and that the Hague Milton
machine in Hudson County. including
Jersey City, turned in a ma ajority Of
$4,000 votes for the Governor. 1t added
that evidence presented before Hague
Milton judge" established the fact that
inmates Of insane asylums, non-resi-
dents of the county and persons o1r their
death beds were voted in this election.
The petitioners, pointing out that the
New Jersey Legislature had passed
resolution authorizing the investigation
of the corrupt election practices in Hud-
son County, argued that same facts
which impelled this investigation by the
Legislature warrant an inquiry by the
Senate into the fitness of Senator Milton
to hold Office, since his appointment is
result of this election. The Senate,
if 1t undertakes the proposed investiga-
ton, might help materially to clean up
bad political situation.