The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-07-03
BY WEsTBROOK PEGLER


CHICAGO.-There has been some complaint,
even from Republicans of serious mlen and
purpose that the nominating convention here
was inexcusably morose and already the word
has gone out that this melancholy was indica-
tive of half-Whipped feeling. Aside from the
fact that unanimity precluded flst-flghts on
the floor between such harmless old bucks as
usually come to feeble blows over the heads
of buxom and bedizened female honest johns
and then embrace desperately until rescued
from their folly by the sergeants at arms, and
aside from the fact that almost everyone
present was thinking Of some boy or girl
among the millions of young Americans scat
tered from India to Cherbourg, the further
question arises, what would they?
If the grim sobrety of this meeting was con-
trary to sound and respectable tradition, then
the last Democratic meeting in the same hall
must have been a beautiful expression of the
finest feeling and conduct in American poll
tics. Fond recollection presents to view some
of the more inspiring moments of that con-
clave which was followed, incidentally by the
publication of news picture showing two of
Mr.. Roosevelt's most intimate and impeccable
knights, Hopkins and Ickes, in fragrant asso-
citation with two of his most embarrassing but
most effective viceroys in the underworld of
| gang politics, the Honorables Hague and Kelly
of Jersey City and Chicago, respectively For
tUnately for Mr.. Hopkins, he had never been
seriously charged with the intentional enter.
tainment of any political motives of higher or
der than the requirement of an easy living,
and, therefore, he was unembarrassed.
If Hague and Kelly had lived and prospered
by their wits SO, too, had brother Hopkins
and, as to his presence the only discredit was
suffered by the ostensibly pure in heart in
! Washington. AS to brother Ickes, however, the
case different for he had often shuddered
with repugnance for the invaluable machines
of Hague and Kelly and, only a short time be-
fore, had expressed a longing to return to
Chicago where he had maintained fictitious
residence and wrest the city from the evil
clutch Of than whom he was unable,
for the moment, to think of one less nice. Mr.
1ckeS has an elastic conscience, however, and
his ethics can be accommodated to astonlsh
ing emergencies so time and the election re.
turns healed any invisible wounds that ne
may have suffered not through such associa
1 ton but through the dramatic accident of be-
ing photographed in the act.
Under the administration of Mr. Kelly as
mayor OF Chicago, one of the evils which Mr.
} 1ckes had deplored most was commercial
gambling, political concession to the under
world and the source of occasional behead
ings along the leafy banks of outlying canals
snall-arnls fire in the saloons and streets and
corruption of the ballot. But in serene consis
tency with the compromising spirit of brother
1ckes, the party management called for the
purpose Of drafting Mr.. Roosevelt for thirc
term sent out for singer to chant hymn OF
hope and high political purpose and found him
in gambling joint long protected and heavily
frequented by the leading statesmen of the
\ mayors machine.
I The artist thus honored therefore excused
himself between performances the nigh
club floor, fastened to the stadium and
spreading his arms high and wlde sang
"God Bless America This selection was
gratefully appreciated as high recognition
of the moral community of the Roosevelt
party and the Chicago underworld, the
more so because the singer, himself, or
the joyous occasion of his recent wedding
had included among his guests the late
Frank Nitti, chief of staff to AL Capane dur
ing the ten years war and then regent il
the absence of that babbling exile
For further stimulation, the gay deliber
! ations were unforgettably harangued ove
the amplifiers from the cellar of the hall by
an official crier of Mayor Kelly's court il
tones that came to be known historically
{ as sthe voice of the sewer" with a de-
mand for the draft of Mr.. Roosevelt.
Democratic conventions undeniably are
more sprightly. At one of them the chair de-
parted from the incidental business of nom
mating a candidate to present, amid cheers
a number of moving picture actors, car
: toonists and newspaper columnists wht
D arose brightly to receive their homage ane
. the frivolous practice of nominating per
sons almost altogether unknown for the
personal delight of their families ant
friends was firmly established years ago.