“BIG BILL”

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 85, 9 January 1928, Page 10

“BIG BILL”

SIDELIGHTS ON CHICAGO’S ANTI-BRITISH MAYOR

ENGLISH VOTES FEWEST—SO KNOCK ENGLAND

“KEEP KING GEORGE OUT OF

CHICAGO’’

Whilst visiting Chicago recently Mr. Albert Russell, a director of J. J. Niven and Company, Wellington, stayed at the Sherman Hotel. Had they known more they might’have gone elsewhere, as it turned out that both Messrs. W. H. Thompson and Dever had their committee rooms there, and the place became a Bedlam as election day approached. i The hotel was crowded with all manner of people interested in which way the cat was going to jump, and in the meantime making as much as possible out of the excitement. “Every morning at various times,,” said Mr. Russell, “rival bands played in the hotel, apparently in order to buck up the drooping spirits of the

workers for either one of the candidates. We saw quite a good deal of the propaganda in the newspapers by William Hale Thompson, the successful candidate, and, of course, his slogan, ‘Keep King George out of Chicago,’ was merely a •’■political move. “It appeared to. us that this gentleman looked round the cosmopolitan population of Chicago and had his trusty henchmen take statistics of the various countries of the world represented there, and finally settled on England as having the least number of representatives in the city. Foolish Slogans. “It is a curious fact that many elections throughout America are won on foolish slogans such as the above. It is that sort of thing that catches the mind and eye of many /Americans in such a manner as to make it stay there, and recognising that the coloured vote of Chicago would probably swing the election, Mr. Thompson worked in ’’heir quarter continuously. He was for a wide-open city, and Mr. Dever was for the enforcement of prohibition and closing of all gambling saloons. One procession of ladies for Mr. Dever was 5000 strong. They carried banners, and it was a most imposing sight. Gunmen and Gangsters. “Eventually the day of the election came along with much blaring’ of trumpets and precautions on account of the gunmen and gangsters throughout that rity of 3,000,000 population.” continued Mr. Russell. l“A‘s a matter of fact, machine-guns were mounted outside some of the polling booths in the worst quarters. Shooting was expected on that day, but curiously enough none occurred. It was believed that this was due to the fact that early in the morning the police arrested two gangsters and their lieutenants, and on the way to the police station one of the prisoners was alleged to'have drawn a gun and the officer accompanying them shot Him dead. Apparently this dampened the ardor of any other wonld-be revolver users there. f ’ A ’Million-dollar Cabaret. “In the evening we were entertained by some friends at the Rainbow Cabaret, a magnificent place where dinner is generally started at 8 p.m, and finished at midnight. This place is reputed to have cost 1,000,000 dollars, and the band officiating is one of the best in Chicago, to say nothing of the rather remarkable dancing and vaudeville turns that were seen throughout the evening. Hip-pocket flasks containing _ cocktails and spirits of various descriptions were much in evidence. The necessary dry ginger ale, soda water," and ice was supplied by the cabaret. “Big Bill” Arrives. “At midnight William Hale Thompson arrived in all his glory, having been elected as Mayor of Chicago .by a majority of over 90,000. Immediately he came into the big cabaret the band got down off its stand and paraded the dance floor playing “Hail, Hail, the Gang’s all here,” and all in the cabaret, ■ whether they had voted for Thompson or not, proceeded to demonstrate they had done so by vigorously joining in the song and parading after the band, shaking hands with “Big Bill,” as he is known, and the whole place for half-an-hour was in a positive uproar. Since then ‘Big Bill’ has carried on his propaganda about King George, but he is not taken at all seriously by either the population of America or England. Who knows? perhaps Mr. Thompson has his eye upon the Presidential chair, but the possibility of his getting there is remote. Chicago continues to be the worst city for crime in the United States,” concluded Mr. Russell.