The Pittsburgh Press (September 28, 1946)
Stokes: ‘Boss’ on spot
By Thomas L. Stokes
CHICAGO – One of the most interesting developments politically out this way is that the crown seems to be shipping slightly askew on the head of Mayor Ed Kelly, boss of Chicago and Cook County for so many years.
Republicans, as well as independent and progressive Democrats with the gleam of civic reform in their eyes, are encouraged more than in a long time that they may toss out the machine in the municipal elections next spring – if they can find a dynamic crusader to carry the flag. None has been found so far.
This potential revolt is significant not only locally, but nationally. For it has been the Democratic majorities that Ed Kelly rolls up with his hitherto efficient machine that have thrown the state, during the New Deal years, into the Democratic column nationally with a handsome contribution of 23 electoral votes.
Revolt still simmers
Ed Kelly has been influential in Democratic national affairs. His was a powerful voice among the big city bosses which persuaded President Roosevelt to drop Henry Wallace as vice presidential candidate in 1944 – and thus made it possible for Harry Truman to succeed to the White House.
Now the Boss is worried, along with National Chairman Bob Hannegan, about the ostracism of the deposed Secretary of Commerce as a Democratic campaign speaker, because the staunch New Dealer is needed out here to rally that element of the party. He had been billed for heavy duty in the state.
Mayor Kelly stubbed his toe, and opened himself up for frontal attack, on an issue that always arouses the citizenry, regardless of party affiliation. That is public education. Insistent agitation by newspapers and civic organizations finally turned the light on a deplorable situation in the schools – political control of the system, gestapo methods against teachers who did not bend the knee politically, suppression of freedom among teachers.
An outside inquiry by the National Education Association and a threat to withdraw accreditation by the North Central Association that controls creditation in this area finally forced the mayor to act. He fired the superintendent of schools and replaced a number of Board of Education members, though it was not the complete house cleaning that had been demanded.
Hard to find a giant killer
Revolt still simmers.
It has penetrated the thick armor of the Boss and stirred some of the civic-conscious among the apathetic electorate to take a look at its acquiescence to machine rule. There is some sensitivity here, though not too widespread, over the continual talk of boss rule in Chicago.
The machine here, which has existed under various bosses of both parties since Chicago became a big, blustering city years ago, is like those elsewhere, with its quota of corruption. It exists on patronage.
It is a powerful giant. That explains why it is so hard to find a giant-killer. Enemies of the machine would like to find a Fiorello LaGuardia.
Liberal and independent Democrats willingly would support a Republican of the clean-cut, independent sort, though they recognize the danger of supporting just any Republican who might create another big city machine on the wreckage of the old. The problem is not simple. Boss Kelly knows that.
There is some doubt that he will run again. He let out hints both ways. The elections in November are being awaited for a key.