Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-02

rhANh nAOUE
comfortable style. His obvi-
ously heavy spending at time
when he earned only a nominal
public salary brought on a State
Legislative investigation in the
late 1920S.
/ Mr.. Hague successfully defied
the inquiry and close associates
said he made his money on
market tips from friends.
In a 1851 libel suit he was
less successful in keeping his
private finances to himself and,
in response to a court order,
listed his total wealth at ST.
I049. 937.62.
The blustery master politician,
whose temper often was as quick
as his speech was ungrammati-
cal, was called by his inmates
an efficient executive and q
friend of the poor. Some re-
ferred to him as a benevolent
despot.
But others termed him ma
chine boss" an absolute mon
arch" and a dictator.
Until his retirement as Mayor
in l947. Mr.. Hague had a perfect
record of getting himself elected.
But two years after he abdi-
Gated and hand-picked his sue
IcesSor--a nephew. Frank Hague
Eggers--a fusion "Freedom-for-
An" ticket battered the once in
v;ncible Hague forces to defeat.
Although the aging Mr.. Hague
was not a candidate in the crit
ical election, he was the principal
target Of the opposition. headed
by John v. Kenny. a former
Hague lieutenant.
Later in l949, the Hague or
ganization took a final body blow
when Republican Gov. Alfred E
Driscoll was reelected by sound
ly trouncing the Hague-support-
ed Elmer H. Wene.
Finally Stepped Aside
Mr.. Hague then announced he
was stepping aside" as a State
Democratic leader and was ready
to quit as National Democratic
vice chairman. He had failed to
produce a successful guberna-
torial candidate for eight years
and hadn't backed a winning
United States Senate candidat e
since 1886.
The politically-shrewd Mr.
Hague stumbled occasionally in
his long, battle-scarred career.
He tried to drive the CLIO out
of heavily industrialized Jersey
City in 1887. The city passed an
ordinance prohibiting public
speech-making or distribution Of
pamphlets without a police per-
nit.
Several arrests followed. and
some persons were forcibly put
on New York bound ferryboats
Norman Thomas. frequent pres
lidential candidate OF the So
cialist Party, was escorted out
OF town when he sought to speak
without a permit
The CLIO. Joined by the Amer
lean Civil Liberties Union. start
ed a long court fight. Finally the
United States Supreme Court
ruled 5 to to enjoin enforce
ment of the ordinance. 1t held
the city violated the constitu-
tional guarantee of free speech
and free assembly
Supported Al Smith
Mr.. Hague guessed wrong
twice in backing Democratic
presidential candidates. but re-
couped both times. One of his
worst defeats came in 1923 when
he supported Alfred E. Smith s
presidential bid. New Jersey
went Republican that year by
3O8 900
Mr.. Hague backed Mr.. Smith S
stop Roosevelt" move In 1882
at Chicago. Mr.. Hague said
Franklin D. Roosevelt could not
carry State east of Mississippi.
But Mr.. Hague supported Mr..
Roosevelt after his nomination
Mr.. Hague's Hudson County
gave Mr.. Roosevelt a 117.000
majority. which carried New
Jersey into the Democratic
column by 10000 votes.
Then in 1948. Mr.. Hague
Endorsed Harry S. Truman for
the Democratic nomination to
succeed himself. However. be-
fore the nomination convention.
Mr.. Hague switched to Gen.
Dwight D. Eisenhower. MIR.
Hague said that if Mr.. Truman
were nominated. he'd lose New
Jersey by 100000 votes.
When Gen. Eisenhower refused
to accept the nomination. Mr.
Hague swung back to Nj. Tru-
man. Despite a smashing major
ity in Hudson County, Mr.
Truman lost the State by less
than 100000.
Was Heavy Bettor
Mr.. Hague was a man of many
facets. He was a heavy bettor
at race tracks and frequently
was seen at r'ngside at top flight
prize fights. He helped the I'M
derprivileged and lahored un-
ceasingly to reduce juvenile de-
linquency.
He often related proudly how
when he became mayor, the city
had an antiquated 75-bed hos
pital. The 2,000-bed Jersey City
Medical Center, one of the best
institutions Of its kind in the
world, was quilt with the aid Of
Federal funds.
Sickly in his youth, Mr.. Hague
made a fetish of health. He did
not smoke or drink. He even
avoided coffee and tea. He eXer-