A BLOW FOR “BILL” THOMPSON.

Evening Star, Issue 19840, 13 April 1928, Page 6

A BLOW FOR “BILL” THOMPSON.

The elections for Illinois primaries in Chicago have falsified expectations in one respect. The wholesale murder predicted by both sides has not eventuated. Perhaps because >f the huge forces of police assembled to control the conflict, the battle of the two armies of “jobholders, hoodlums, gunmen, bootleggers, and gamblers ” for the “ graft estimated to flow from liquor and gambling” was remarkably free from all but minor casualties. A negro lawyer was killed by a fusillade of machine gun fire poured into his motor car from a car of opponents, and it is not clear that there were any other murders. A city which has just recorded its sixty-seventh bombing outrage in six months can feel astonished at its moderation for once. Less than two months ago the following ‘‘ statistics ol a leading industry in Mayor Thompson’s city ” were published in a New York paper:—“Dead in three years’ battle between police and gangsters—police 32, gangsters 143.” The result of the elections has been a debacle for “ Big Bill” Thompson and his friends, whose strength has consisted in the aliens’ vote. It will be more difficult in future for Mr Thompson or anyone else to thrive by sotting the citizens of polyglot European descent, combined with the negroes, against those of British stock. But these elections were political, not municipal. The champion of the supposedly despised minorities will still be Mayor of Chicago. He had stated that he would resign from the mayoral office if he was defeated in this contest, but no one will expect that pledge to be fulfilled. As to the alleged subordination of tho aliens in American life, a writer in tho New York ‘ Outlook ’ has displayed how regularly they have controlled the politics of America by working on that separatism which the preposterous mayor professes to oppose. Mr Thompson pretends that he stands for Americanism, irrespective of origins, for file new nation representing “ the highest type of civilisation and the highest level of attainment in the world’s history,” in opposition to that section which, he alleges, lives on its British prejudices, and aspires, to rule, at the same time that it despises, the rest. He has flourished, in effect, by exploiting the vote of all those who do not consider themselves Americans so much as Americans of some special type— Polish, Irish, German, Italian, nr Scandinavian- That clannishness, the ‘ Outlook ’ writer points out, they have always maintained, ami since their votes can always be counted in sections it lias gained for them special consideration from legislators which has never extended to the British stock, who regard themselves not as British hut as Americans. When the Avar broke out, and before the United States entered it, not. out of sympathy with Great Britain, hut for its own reasons, “ Congress consistently showed pro-German partiality. It passed n resolution asking clemency for Casement. None Avas passed for Edith Cavell. Congressmen and Senators savagely attacked England for interfering with our commerce, and said nothing against Germany, or were very gentle Avith her for killing our people. They abused Americans lor sailing the seas, but not Germany for attacking them. In general, Avhcre German-Americans Avere numerous antiGerman sentiment Avas long quiescent,” and that repression Avas partly due to “ downright political and business intimidation.” After the Avar alien groups spoke again, and Avon concessions, as alien groups. “The Greeks obtained a resolution from Congress in favor of the annexation of twelve /Egcan islands and part ol Asia. Minor, The Irish obtained two resolutions of sympathy for the Irish Republican movement. The Republicans, in 1920, encouraged both Italians and Yugoslavs to think that Harding would give each of them Fiume.” Mayor Thompson continues to thrive on that separatism. Hut those latest elections indicate that the time during which ho will be able to thrive on it may bo coming to an end.