Evening star., 1951-06-10


of indianapolis.
The other city bosses who ha
politics have died, been repudiated
by their former followers or have
lost their previous energetic inter-
est in politics. Their disappear
ance from the national political
scene will make 1t easier for Pres
ident Truman to take the nomina-
tion for reelection or to name the
man he wants to head the ticket
next year.
The local Democratic leaders,
who had great influence in, but not
actual control of, national Demo-
cratic gatherings for more than
two decades, included such power
full and picturesque figures as
Tammany Boss John F. Curry,
Bronx Boss Edward j. Flynn and
former National Chairman James
A. Farley, all of New York: former
Mayor Edward j. Kelly and
Thomas E. Nash of Chicago, for
mer Mayor Frank Hague of Jersey
City, former Mayor James M.
Curley of Boston, former Mayor
Edward H. Crump of Memphis,
Thomas j. Pendergast of Kansas
City and Robert e. Hannegan of
st. Louis.
O'Dwyer Influence Gone
Curry, Kelly, Nash, Pendergast
and Hannegan are dead. OF the
remainder, the only one to retain
any considerable voice in the
highest party councils is Flynn
of the Bronx, and he is edging
off the political stage, or more
precisely, gradually getting out
of the behind-the-scenes maneu-
vers. There has been no real
successor to Boss Curry. Former
Mayor O'Dwyer. now American
Ambassador to Mexico. held the
place for a while, but whatever
influence he had was wiped out
by the Kefauver Crime 1nveSti-
eating hearings in New York.
Hague ("I am the law") has
been repudiated in New Jersey,
and Boss Crump was licked by
Senator Kefauver. James Fender
CAST. although enjoying the per-
sonal and political friendship of
Mr.. Truman, who is still dues
paying member of the Pendergast
organization, has only a fraction
of the local and national power
exercised by his uncle, Tom. Cur
ley, released from prison by a
Truman pardon, has announced
that he'll try a comeback as a
mayoralty candidate, but he is rs
years old and not likely to be
given much attention at the next
Chicago convention. Farley is a
disgruntled critic of the Truman
administration. He has not fully
recovered from the wounds he
suffered in his battle with Mr..
Roosevelt in 1910 over the third
term issue. He carried no weight
in the 1914 and 1948 conventions.
Modern Bosses Survive
Lawrence, Arvey and McHale,
who attended the Denver sessions,
are modern types of bosses. Law
renee is trying to beautify Pitts
burgh, and Arvey is more urbane
operator than Kelly or Nash. He
is content to let the present Mayor,
Martin H. Kennedy, take the bows
for a businesSlike administration
of Chicago. McHale, protege of
Paul McNutt, has been a lesser
light at recent conventions.
The disappearance of the big
bosses raises the interesting ques-
ton of why Mr.. Truman still holds
to the bossism fetish of loyalty
to minor Office holders who en-
barrass him, the administration
and those who support him on
major issues.
One theory among practical
politicians is that, if conduct is not
actually illegal, the Organization
boys" will be impressed by the
boss answering support of these
who have stuck by him in troubled
times.
This cynical tenet, if it has any
merit, holds good only for the local
bosses who have no responsibility
for national and international Sc
curity and welfare. Events have
proved that what may be effective
practical politics in Kansas City
may be disastrous in Washington.
Study Of Ethics Proposed
Two outspoken Democratic Sen
ators. Fulbright of Arkansas and
Douglas of Illinois, have called for
q commission to study. the ethical
situation in the Federal Govern
ment and to make recommended
tions for improvement. The un-
ethical conduct charged against
the White House intimates in
yolved comparative trifies so far
as money values were concerned.
Because they were so small, they
could be understood by the aver
age voter and be exploited by the
Republicans and other anti
Trumanites. Deep freezers, $3O-a-
day hotel rooms for free. natural
royal pastel mink coat and specu-
lation in the commodity markets
are subjects more easily pictured
than legislation to turn over mar
ginal seas to the States and the
oil companies, reciprocal trade
agreements or collective security.
Senators Fulbright and Douglas
were alarmed at the spread of I'M
ethical conduct and its effect on
major problems Of the day. These
minor but understandable political
scandals within the White House
have even influenced the average
voters reaction to the charges by
Gen. Macarthur and the Repub-
licans about lack of wisdom and
leadership at the highest levels.
Mr.. Truman and his top ad-
visers-as distinct from his inti-
mate daily aSSociateS-can. be