THE PEOPLE'S CHERCE

Once again it seems likely that New York will have a reform candidate in the lists against Vice, Corruption, and Tammany. This time it will be exmayor Joseph McKee opposing the present mayor, John F. O'Brien. The former is the white hope of the city liberals, but to an impartial observer he differs only superficially from the usual New York politician.'

Much of the enthusiasm for McKee arose last year when he replaced Walker after the latter's resignation. Like a slightly bulbous fairly god-mother, he brandished the wand of reform over startled New Yorkers. His first economy measures took the city by surprise; though it was obvious to many that these moves were dictated by the city's banker-creditors, McKee was resoundingly lauded from press and pulpit. Taking advantage of his sudden popularity he issued scores of orders, closing burlesque shows here, and dictating now traffic rules there. With the coming of the fall elections McKee was even more thoroughly defiled by the civic leaders because he was promptly snubbed by Tammany, which nominated O'Brien instead. But now with the support of Flynn of the Bronx and some seceding Tammany Braves it looks as if he may get another chance at the spotlight.

McKee's political supporters base a large part of their confidence on the fact that in the last mayoralty race some 262,649 New Yorkers took the trouble to write in his name on the ballot. This may well be encouraging to McKee's friends, but it cannot fail to be singularly discouraging to those who still hope for a real reform of the city government. McKee was for twenty > backing in the Bronx and Queens Democratic machine. While no one can reasonably object to the substitution of McKee's chubby face for O'Brien's anthropoidal features, the change would have no other importance. The city is offered a different deck of cards, but like the other, it is stacked.