MAYOR OF CHICAGO

Taranaki Daily News, 5 December 1927, Page 15

MAYOR OF CHICAGO

“BIG BILL” THOMPSON. ATTIDUDE. The trial of Mr. William McAndrew, superintendent of Chicago schools, on charges, framed by the Mayor (Mr. William Hale Thompson), is the logical result of the campaign by which Mi Thompson, who wears cowboy hats and rides police horses, was swept into office by a large majority on the slogan “A prosperous Chicago.” In 1919 the promise which won him victory was that Chicago would not be involved in the next world war. His later Mayoral history was described during the campaign this year by Air. William J. Flynn, in the Nation, as follows.— “In 19’23 the city, becoming aware of a slight odour of corruption emanating from the City Hall decided to take Thompson out for a rest, and elected the Democrat, William E. Denver. Mr. Denver functioned quietly, and apparently with some degree of efficiency. But beneath the placid surface dwelt trouble. The ‘organisation’ was restless; the boys were not finding enough juicy bits in the political plot. Democrats and Republicans both were becoming irritable. Denver seemed certain, however, to succeed himself, when suddenly back to the arena galloped Big Bill. There were doubts, of course; the public had been thoroughly annoyed at Thompsonism in 1923. Still, there] he was, big and hearty, radiating pros-1 perity and goodwill. Maybe the publie. j had forgotten. They had. Thompson rolled up some 400,000 votes in the primaries, and the fight was on.”

“Big Bill” Thompson is the type of American s politician that has been familiarised by novels and moving pictures —a great lumbering m n with several chins, a hearty, baek-slapping manner, a way with little children, and a cowboy hat. “He "talks in a curious, rough, throaty voice that curls in a crest and breaks in waves of picturesque invective.” says one commentator It was suspected that Mr. Thompson’s campaign was directed by someone just a little cleverer than himself, but whether that is so or not, he “got away” with his anti-British, especially his anti-King George, “policy.” At one stage he accused the superintendent of Chicago schools of being a paid agent of King George. (Mr. Thompson appreciates that personalities are more effectual that generalities). “Read the histories of yourself,” he said. “The ideals you were taught to revere, the. great Americans you were taught to cherish as examples of self-sacrificing, devotion to human liberty, are subtly sneered at and placed in a false light, so that your children may blush with shame when studying the history of their country. Text books that, have been revised and re-written, falsified..

and distorted to glorify England and vilify America—and then you will understand why ‘America first’ should stir to action every red-blooded man and woman in Chicage until the city is rid of pro-British rats who were poisoning the wells of historical truth.” Mr. Thompson overlooked the fact—doubt - , less by accident—that these text books 1 were prepared at his direction during . one of his former terms, I When a speaker on behalf of an opI Mr ’ Ito ' ber!sol! > suggested that Mr. Thompson had been concerned in a 1 party which involved questionable eon--1 “ uct ! Thompson cleared himself of ' the indictment by doubting whether Mr Robertson eould eat eggs without getting them in his whiskers. He added that the predilection of another opponent Mr. Denver, for “plus fours” suggested that he hoped to graduate to knee breeches at the Court of St. James. “Vote for William Hale Thompson, adjured an advertisment, “and America first, a red-blooded American «adle of liberty. Rid Chicago of these British lackeys, and let them go to England, rally round the fold of the Lnion Jack, and sing ‘God Save the King.’ Let Chicago again take its place as champion of true Americanism.” -Another discovery of Mr. Thompson was: “There never was an Englishman that was the‘equal of an American. If there was he could make a million dollars in an hcur and a half by defeating that brave sailor boy, Gene Tunner. But there isn’t. And John L. Sullivan did not . wait for the Britishers |to come over here. He went over there and beat all the best men they had.” | Thompson’s comment op the refusal of! Mr. MeAhdrew, superintendent of Chicago’s schools, to allow school children to solicit funds to preserve the ship Old Ironsides, is an example of the dignity of his diction. “The reason of course, was that Old Ironsides licked hell out of every British ship she met, and the King of England would not like to have us preser that ship. So he ■ gives orders to Ills stool-pigeon, Mr. McAndrew, and our children are not permitted to solicit pennies to preserve a priceless heritage.” No intelligent person takes ‘Big-hearted Bill’ seriously, but, as Mr. Flynn said: “How the crowd loves it all! They pack the armouries and halls when Thompson talks, and cheer him to the echo. Blare of bands. Song-pluggers singing ‘America First’ and proclaiming Thompson the greatest living American. Ex-service men on

the platform. Remember the boys in France, and vote for Thompson! Auto horns and rattles, phalanxes of whitecarnationed ushers rushing to clear the aisles for the speakers. The Stars and Stripes. And lastly, the treat of the evening, Big Bill himself. They stand on chairs, grab his hands, and fight to get near him. And the big boy is swept into office on a tidal wave of half a million votes. For this is the land of Banram, William Jennings Bryan, and ) Aimee'Semple McPherson.” < . I