The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-05-19
VERY FUNNY

Now that the candidates for public office have
filed and the stage has been set for the political lire
works the trained seals Of the Detroit News have
been given their cue The Lafayette street Ratchet
men who performed so effectively during the last
mayoralty contest know how to obey orders Their
lob this election as it was in the last election is TO
make sure that his royal highness, Edward }. JET
fries keeps his warm seat down at city hall.
Two years ago when Frank Fitzgerald stuck
out his neck to challenge Mr.. Jeries, the Detroit
News promptly cut it off. The News used two
hatchets. They began by labor-baiting and after
Fitzgerald won handsome vote in the primary,
they used the Negro-baiting Ratchet They chopped
at Fitzgerald so hard that out-of-town newspaper
men came to observe the slaughtering. The Chicago
Tribune reporters who are some of the most skill
full hatchet-men in the business had to take their
hats off to the News boys.
This year it seems that big genial Dick Frank
ensteen is headed for the roundup and those who
support him will be given the old one-two, barroom
style A forerunner Of the fireworks to come was
observed in the Sunday issue of the News An
article which presumably was written around the
ambitions of Lord Mayor Jeffries wound up giving
the works to the Michigan Citizens Committee
which tried to get Judge George Murphy to run
against Jeffries The News writer implied that the
committee would do well to stick to its knitting and
to keep its sights fixed on ultimate goals" De-
feating Jefries of course doesn't fall into the class
of ultimate goals"
In another article on the Mayoralty campaign
the News writer calls up the ghost of Sidney Hill
man, the guy who got his ears pinned back for di-
recting the CIO campaign for Roosevelt. The
labor-baitng in this article is routine stuff Here
is little brick tossed at Frankensteen: Until he
filed as candidate for Mayor last Wednesday, the
dominant interests in his life were desire to be
reelected vice-president of the UAW next Septem-
Der and to produce Gypsy Noon an operetta he
expects to present to the theatrical public next sea-
son."
The Detroit News was also irritated by the at
tempt to file Rep George D. O'Brien as a candidate
against Mr. Jeffries Although Rep. O'Brien is out
of the race the News warned him to watch his step.
In an editorial captioned "Not Very Funny" the
News taps the Congressman on the wrists and sug-
gests he Ought to be required in some way to ex-
plan the mayoraty candidacy filed in his behalf ="
1t can be assumed from the foregoing that if
serious opposition to Mr. Jeffres develops, the
citizenry will be treated to hot campaign and the
News will tgot out fercs ,.hrew'o-G.
reluctance of the other daily papers in the past
to challenge the dominant position Of the News of
course, means that Mr.. Jeffries' opponent may get
singed rather badly. The other dailies know that
behind the News stand the big business boys and
the big advertisers. AS they say down on Griswold
street, Business is business
When we reflect upon these things, we have to
laugh at guys like DR.. Lint Epson and the experts