Evening star., 1941-08-03
THE two big men of the Democratic

THE two big men OF the Democratic
l. party in New Jersey, rough-spoken
Frank Hague and twinkling-eyed Charles
Edison, have quit holding hands and
gone to the mat in a bitter struggle for
party control in that politically impor-
tant State of 100000 voters.
For the bald 6-foot perennial Mayor of
smoky Jersey City and vice chairman of
the Democratic National Committee. it
is just one more fight in a long, tur-
bulent career.
The slum-born politician who says, Il
am the law" and calls himself the lead
ing citizen of New Jersey" has been tilt
ing at someone or something most Of his
65 years He often speaks of sinister
forces. forever working against him. An
old-time type political boss, he has been
head of the party in New Jersey for %
years.
For gray-haired. soft-spoken Edison,
son of Inventor Thomas A. Edison, for
mer Secretary of the Navy and newly
risen to power as Governor, it is a fight
in an arena in which he is a comparative
newcomer But he is determined there
shall be no compromise.
The first testing ground of the new
verbal fireworks will be the party
primary in September, overture to the
November general election at which an
entire new State Assembly and one
third of the Senate will be elected
Then in 1912 a United States Senator
will be elected, and the year after that
comes the gubernatorial election.
Friction Long Existent.
Trouble between the pair has been
brewing since shortly after Edison was
elected Governor last fall with the sup
port of Mayor Hague's potent Statewide
organization Immediate cause of the
rupture was the recent passage of four
bills by the Republican controlled Legis-
lature to settle 52000000 delinquent
railroad tax problem.
Mayor Hague called Gov. Edison S
sponsorship of the settlement program a
"disgraceful betrayal of the people of
New Jersey" To the Mayors charges
that he had attempted to barter State
Offices and curry favor in private busi-
ness, the 5O-year- old Governor replied it
was all propaganda campaign of the
type the Nazis have made loathsome. F"
Then as the Mayor continued to storm,
Mr.. Edison commented, '.the big wind
is still blowing and signed the bills into
law Behind the Mayors accusations,
the Governor said, was the party chief
tain's determination to get even for a
judicial appointment which displeased
him.
The Mayors latest stroke was a state
ment that he was handing the State
leadership of the Democratic party to
Gov. Edison" to prevent injection of
the leadership fight into matter which
affects the welfare of the whole State
Gov Edison replied: THE Mayor is
presuming to give me something which
is not within his power to give. That
leadership is only within the gift of the
Democratic voters and workers of the
State"
Antecedents Differ Widely.
Hague and EdlSon stem from back
grounds as wide apart as their present
positions. Their careers have been a
series of equally divergent incidents.
Frank Hague, the third of eight chill
dren of John and Margaret Hague. was
born on the wrong side of the tracks
down in the shillelagh- tossing, brawling
second ward of Jersey City in 1876
Charles Edison was born in 1890 in
West Oranges swank Llewellyn Park
section where the gates are closed to
sightseers.
Hague was a thin, weak youngster
who quickly learned to use his fists and
wits in the tenement hurly- burly. When
he was Is he was expelled from school
| He says now he was bad boy"
Edison went to the Hotchkiss School
Lakeville, Conn; Carteret Academy
| West Orange, and Massachusetts, Insti-
tute of Technology.
When Hague was Is he got his frs
| Job as yard worker for the Erie Rail.
road, but . year later decided the at.
e