Evening star., 1955-02-23
Daley Easily Defeats
Mayor Kennedy in
Chicago Primary
BY the Asseeiatsd Press


Clerk Richard J. Daley was nom-
mated Mayor Of Chicago yes
terday with the backing of the
regular Democratic Party organ
ization, which turned its back
on the two-term incumbent,
Martin H. Kennedy.
Mr.. Daley, 50, in politics
nearly all his adult life, defeated
the 67-year-old Mr.. Kennedy.
who was seeking his third four
year term. by more than 100000
votes.
Opposing Mr.. Daley in the
April 5 election will be Alderman
Robert e. Merriam, 36-year-old
Democrat turned Republican.
who had little opposition from
two candidates in the G. O. p.
primary,
Chicago's last Republican n
Mayor was william Hale Thomp-
son, from 1927 to 1881.
Offers No Congratulations.
Bitterness Of the campaign
between Mr.. Kennedy. a tall,
white-haired bachelor, and Mr..
Daley was reflected in the
Mayors terse statement last
night conceding defeat. He did
not congratulate Mr.. Daley. as
did another defeated candidate.
Benjamin E. Adamowski, but
said:
IT concede the election to Mr..
Daley. I want to thank all
those who gave their time and
effort to my campaign"
Late unofficial complete re-
turns from the city's 4,157 pre-
cincts gave Mr.. Daley 1854. .832
votes to 264,775 for MIR. Ken
nelly. Mr.. Adamowski, former
corporation counsel, polled 112,-
072, while Clarence Balek, q
political unknown, got 1923.
Merriam Swamps Opponents.
Mr.. Merriam swamped his two
opponents. He had LOG, ,626
votes to 1928 for Lar DAILY and
1884 for Fred Lyon.
The total unofiicial vote was
964, 800, which was SO per cent
of the registered vote. The
Democratic total vote was 746,-
OILS to 132,473 by Republicans,
in the predominately Democratic
city.
Organization Democrats allied
with MIR. Daley scored sweeping
victories in the aldermanic race
in the primary for the 50 City
Council seats. His running mates
for city clerk and city treasurer
also were nominated over candi-
dates on the Kennedy ticket.
But in the race for city treas
urer, Mr.. Kennelly's running
mate. Morris B. Sachs, clothing
merchant and philanthropist.
lost by only about $1,000 votes to
John c. MARGIN, an insurance
man. In the clerk contest. MIR.
Daley's candidate. Alderman
Benjamin M. Becker, As, defeat
ed Marion Isbell, restaurant own
er, by nearly 100000 votes.
Entered Politics in 1947.
Mr.. Kennedy, who acquired
much wealth in the storage and
moving business, first entered
politics in 1947 when the organi-
zation Democrats drafted him as
mayoral candidate. He also had
their support in 1851, but they
dropped him this year and Sc
lected Mr.. Daley. Democratic
leaders said they did not con-
slider Mr.. Kennedy an asset to
the party.
The Mayor. however. decided
to fight the organization and
seek nomination without its sup
port.
A Roman Catholic, like Mr..
Kennedy, Mr.. Daley said after
his victory, that "in all that I do
and say. I shall conduct myself
In the spirit Of the prayer Of st.
Francis: Lord, make me an In
strument Of thy peace.
Mr.. Daley. elected Cook Coun-
ty (Chicago) clerk last Novem-
Der, is the father of seven chill
dren. He got his start in politics
in 1927 as secretary to the late
Joseph B. McDonough. alderman
of the 18th ward, in the stock
yards district-the same back
of-the-yards area where Mr..
Kennedy was born.
He was a State Representative,
State Senator and was State di-
rector OF revenue in former Gov.
Adlai E. Stevenson's cabinet.
Mr.. Merriam von attention in