Source: The Militant, Vol. 12 No. 37, 13 September 1923, p. 4.
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William O’Dwyer, ex-cop who climbed the slippery rungs of the Tammany ladder to become Mayor of the world’s largest city and win undying notoriety as the first stooge of the real estate interests willing to risk his political neck on raising New York’s nickel subway fare to a dime, is currently conducting a crusade against “Communism and all else unholy” that Representative Vito Marcantonio of the 18th Congressional District “stands for.”
O’Dwyer’s crusade against the unholy specter of Marcantonio consists of firing every person placed on the city payroll through the political “influence” of the 18th District boss right down to $1,080 a year laborers.
Now, Marcantonio, who wears the button of the American Labor Party and speaks with the voice of Stalin, was not known to be on the outs in the smoke-filled back rooms where Tammany Hall processes “influence” in New York. Didn’t the Stalinists help grease O’Dwyer’s way into office on the promise he would save the five-cent fare?
Marcantonio spilled the inside dope to the press as follows: One day, it seems, he gets a buzz on the phone from the Mayor and another political footpad, Hugo E. Rogers, head of Tammany Hall. How about kicking O. John Rogge off the ALP ballot, they proposition him; and put on a deserving Tammany ward-heeler instead; namely. Honest John A. Mullen, who is hungry to be Surrogate of New York County?
In return for favors rendered, they tell Marcantonio, who is listening all the time on the other end of the line, they will slip the knife on the QT to another Tammany ward-heeler; namely, Honest John P. Morrisey who is the unlucky “stiff” listed to run against Marcantonio himself. Morrisey is just a “dumbhead” anyway, the Mayor tells Marcantonio, and if the ALP boss will play along, why he and the Mayor and pal Hugo E. Rogers “can do plenty in this town.”
Naturally, Marcantonio, a very pious politician when making a statement to the press, turns the proposition down “flatly” at once “as courteously as I could.” First, he explains to the Mayor and Hugo E. Rogers, who are waiting on the phone for his answer, that he has already proved his undying “friendship.” Didn’t he go out of his way to lift Hugo E. Rogers up “off the political junk pile” and make him Borough President? Hasn’t the Mayor “time and time again asked for my aid and received it?”
But O’Dwyer is a true Tammany product with a thirst for blood like a tiger. He drops the “bribe” technique and tries to “intimidate me,” Marcantonio explains to the press, insisting that Honest John A. Mullen be lifted up off the political junk pile too.
This time, however, the ALP boss can’t see his way clear to “go along.” So he bangs up his receiver and the Mayor and Hugo E. Rogers bang up the receiver they have both been using.
Nothing might ever have come out about what a rotten corrupt type the Mayor of the largest city in the world is if it had been left up to Marcantonio, because this Stalinist chieftain extended the Mayor the courtesy of not blabbing a word about this proposition to a single soul except a few bosom pals “to protect myself” just in case some reliable witnesses might be needed.
O’Dwyer didn’t appreciate that courtesy. Instead, he stabbed the ALP boss in the back by lopping his henchmen off the city payroll. That’s when Marcantonio’s political integrity wouldn’t let him remain silent any longer and he decided to let the people in on what a rotten type bum is at the head of their fair city. He called in the press and gave them a statement in black and White that O’Dwyer is a “double-talking, double-dealing, double-crossing hypocrite.”
Don’t get Marcantonio wrong though. He doesn’t intend to start any crusades. He’s just serving notice not to mess with his influence on the city payroll. If you can talk business, he’s still available. For instance, on the very same day he called the Mayor of the biggest city in the world a “double-crossing hypocrite,” the 18th District boss let everybody know his machine is going “all out” in the 21st Congressional District for the election of Tammany’s choice for Congress; namely, Honest Paul O’Dwyer, the Mayor’s own brother.
Last updated on: 18 October 2022