Evening star., 1955-02-08
The Political Min
Democrats in Chicago
Split in MuyoruI Race
G. o. P. Hopes Fight Will HeIn
Defect Porty Long in Power
Bv Gould LINCOLN

BY Gould Lincoln
Chicago Democrats are going to cele-
brate George Washington's birthday
with brisk fight over the party's nom
ination for Mayor. The Republicans will
nominate the same day-but there is no
contest on their side of the fence. What
the G. o. P. hopes is that the knock
down, drag-out fight in Democratic
ranks viii pave the way for the election
of Republican Mayor of Chicago on
April S.
No such Republican victory has hap
pened since the days of Big Bill
Thompson, a quarter of century ago.
Should the Republican candidate,
Robert E. Merriam, win, however, the
g. o. P. would get a big psychological
boost for the elections of 1856. Also,
they. the Republicans, would have the
advantage of holding the Offices in the
city-the value of patronage.
Four Democrats are in the mayoral
nomination race, which will be run two
weeks from today. The organization
candidate is Richard ]. Daley, Cook
County clerk and chairman of the Cook
County Democratic Committee. Mr..
Daley is veteran politician. In the
past he has been member of the Leg
islature and finance director in the
AdlaiH Stevenson regime. There have
been loud cries that his election as
Mayor means a recrudescence Of
"bossism." gambling and corruption.
According to many, however, Mr..
Daley's record has been good notwith-
standing the fact he is and has been an
organization man for years.
Picked by Arvey.
He was picked by the organization, in
which Jacob Arvey-the Democratic
national committeeman for Illinois
has an important part. Martin H. Ken
nelly, a successful Chicago businessman,
who is completing second term as
Mayor, is running again. He declined
to bow out when the organization cut
him off its list, and is putting up a
sharp fight-much to the surprise. it
may be said, of the organization
leaders.
Several reasons are given for the or
ganization'S desertion of Mr.. Kennedy.
First. that he has been too independent,
and has not given the organization all
the jobs and other favors it desired.
Second, that he has been too inactive
and indecisive, particularly in the
handling of the race issue, in clearing
out the slums, and in the housing situ-
alton generally. Mr.. Kennedy was
picked by the Democratic organization
leaders. including Mr.. Arvey. when the
late Mayor Ed Kelly decided not to seek
reelection. Mr. Kennedy was described
as a reform candidate for the mayor
atty, and as such, elected. As some OF
the Daley supporters point out. however,
Mr.. Kennedy was the Democratic or
ganizations candidate when he was
first nominated for Mayor, and when he
ran second time Why, they want to
know, has Mayor Kennedy now become
so antiorganization? In his fight for
denomination, Mr.. Kennedy has the
support of the Chicago newspapers and
he has with him many of the city's
businessmen and some Of the civic or
ganizations. Indeed. one of the COM
plants of Mr.. Arvey and others OF the
organization is that men who had
agreed to 60 along in the move to sup
plant Mr. Kennedy have gone back to
the Mayors side. :<4s's- 1'~
Organization Advantage.
In a primary election. the organiza-
ton usually has big advantage. 1t can
get its voters out to the polls. The
politicians say that Mr.. Daley will win
but here and there a prediction is
made that Mr. Kennedy will surprise by
his strength and may yet land a winner.
The other two Democrats in the con-
test for the nomination are Benjamin
S. Adamowski, former city corporation
counsel, and Clarence j. Balek. busi-
nessman who Is making his first bid for
public office. Mr.. Daley has the in
dorsement of Adlai Stevenson and OF
Senator Paul Douglas. Mr.. Stevenson.
the titular head of the Democratic
Party and q likely nominee for PreSi-
dent next year, spoke out for Mr.. Daley
because, he said. the attacks made on
Mr.. Daley had been unfair. But Mr..
Stevenson added that the other Demo-
cratic candidates would be fine candi-
dates too Which took some of the
bloom of his Endorsement OF Mr.. Daley
Senator Douglas attended dinner for
Mr. Daley last week.
The Republicans, apparently. have
picked a Democrat to defeat Demo-
crat. Mr.. Merriam was elected as
Democrat to the board of aldermen
but as a reform candidate. He let it be
known more recently he was available
for a Republican nomination for Mayor.
The Republicans in Chicago, never too
strong, grabbed hold of the idea So
Mr.. Merriam, the son of the late politi-
cal science professor, Charles Merriam
of Chicago University, is their candi-
date. If Mr.. Daley is nominated by the
Democrats, the newspapers are ex-
pected to shift their support to Mr..
Merriam, and so will many of those
who are now favoring the renomina-
ton of Mayor Kennedy.
A defeat for Mr.. Daley will not
necessarily injure Mr.. Stevensons
chances for the 1856 presidential NOM
ination-which are looked upon as
pretty bright-but it will lessen Mr..
II xArNt9