Evening star., 1947-09-20


Endorsement. Shortly after that elec-
ton he had become a member of
the American Labor Party. His sue
cessful third term bid in l94l was on
the Republican and ALP tickets.
With war clouds hovering over
Europe, Mr.. LaGuardia was one of
the first Americans to urge help
for Britain and France. He cam
paigned for lend-lease and other
measures He was a member of the
Committee to Defend America by
Aiding the Allies.
Broadcast to Italians.
After the United States got into
the war, he broadcast anti Fascist
short wave talks beamed at Italy.
In their own tongue, the blunt
spoken La Guardia urged the people
of Italy to passive revolt, telling
them they had been betrayed by
Mussolini who In turn was about
to be betrayed by Hitler.
The Fascists referred 'sarcasti.
cally to his poor" Italian pronun-
ciation. Though he was of pre-
dominant Italian extraction-he had
some Jewish blood, too-Mr. La
Guardia did not learn to speak the
language until he was 20.
With the japanese attack on Pearl
Harbor, Mr.. La Guardia inaugurated
his weekly talk to the people" over
the municipal radio station WYNC
and continued this Sunday pro-
gram throughout the rest of his ad-
ministration, with the watchwords
of patience and fortitude."
What he would say in his talks
was anybody's guess. The subjects
might range from a new recipe for
spaghetti Or beef goulash to coy
tip that shoe rationing was coming,
such as he gave one Sunday on the
eve of the start of that rationing.
Voluntarily Quit MayoraIty.
In his broadcast he attacked tin
horn gamblers and pleaded in high
pitched tones that dice players and
horse bettors break themselves Of
this terrible, terrible habit" Dur
ing a newspaper delivery strike, he
read the comics over the air. He
liked music and sometimes assembled
the pcdiun himself.
In the spring of 1945 he announced
he was not q candidate for fourth
term. There are many reasons why
1 think should not run." he said.
'First, there is always the danger of
one becoming stale in office' and
do not want to become stale at any
time. / do not want to become SO
calloused that I could not get indig-
nant, yes, and impatient and lose
my temper when I hear Of graft
and corruption and when I hear OF
crime and racketeering.
Il do not believe that in our form
of Government Chief Executives
should be reelected time after time
Rotation in Office is good and
wholesome. 1t is necessary In a
democracy !. :"
Assumed Heavy Program.
Explaining-to avoid being called
inconsistent - why he supported
President Roosevelt for third and
fourth terms. he said that while he
did not like the third term idea mo
one in our entire country had the
knowledge Of European affairs and
the grasp OF the situation as did
President Roosevelt in 1910. Four
years later. with the war on, there
was no choice
The Little Flower" was almost as
we'll known in Washington as he
was in New York. During his IA
years in the House, which began in
1917, and throughout the second war
the public Of a blase Capital paid
him the homage due celebrity.
The public saw him mostly on the
move, scarcely breaking his stride to
wave q greeting or fash grin
to frequent friends. acquaintance
or merely admirers along the way
He won friends and enemies during
the days of prohibition when, in
characteristic dramatization, he
demonstrated on the Capitol steps
his own method of making home
brew. But his most enduring memo.
rial in Washington, his friends say
was the Norris-La Guardia Act
which has become an important
labor bill of rights" y
The act Is looked upon by labor
as a fundamental bill of rights" OF
equal Importance to the Wagner
Act. The recent injunction pro.
ceedings against John l.. Lewis ar1e
his striking miners was upheld by
the Supreme Court only because
the injunction was sought by tbs
Government as the employer, act.
ing in the public interest.
Sought to Defend Tenants.
Although Mr.. La Guardia's visits
to Washington were infrequen
in recent months, one Of his las,
appearances here was in defense oi
what he considered to be the rights
Of low-income tenants.
/ In June he came here to f1ghi
before Congressional committee
for the continuation of rent controls
/ Hurrying up the steps OF th'
Capitol, he yelled to a newspaper
friend in his high-pitched voic'
something to the effect that he prob
ably would be the only witness a
the hearing to be paying his owl
expenses.
i Storm Center Of Fight.
The explosive little Mayor became
q storm center here soon aftel
Pearl Harbor when the late Presi
dent Roosevelt's critics attacked
MI. La Guardia's administration
as director Of the Once Of Nationa
Defense. Mr.. La Guardia, appointed
In May, 1941, by President Roose