Frank Hague: Dictator – American Style

Advertise Online – SEO - Search Engine Optimization - Search Engine Marketing - SEM – Domains For Sale – George Washington Bridge Bike Path and Pedestrian Walkway – Corona Extra Beer Subliminal Advertising – Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs – Pet Care – The Tunnel Bar – La Cosa Nostra – Jersey City Free Books

07/15/2018 01:35 PM

Hudson County Facts
In this environment people tended not to be judgmental

08/18/2012 11:10 PM

Computer Repair Blog
XP Local Area Connection stuck at Acquiring Network Address

Frank Hague: Dictator – American Style

Follow Ups | Post A Followup
Hudson County Politics Message Board

Jersey City Guide

Posted by JerseyCityHistory.com on June 26, 2004 at 16:17:33:

The political boss who is convinced that his own righteousness places him above the law

Dictator – American Style

Part 1

Condensed from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 20, 1938
By Marquis W. Childs, Author of "Sweden - The Middle Way"

Originally appeared in The Reader's Digest of August 1938
Edited by GET NJ, COPYRIGHT 2004

WHAT HAS happened in Jersey City may be dictatorship. There is considerable proof that Mayor Frank Hague rules his community of 350,000 with a tyrant's disregard for the law. But one thing is certain: the circum stances that created Hague, the boss, could hardly have occurred any where else in the world. If this is Fascism, it's the American brand.

Hague himself is as American as a hot-dog stand. This comes out in his talk about his city, and the picture he has of himself in relation to it.

"I made the city," he says. "Nobody cared a damn about it before I came along." He tells you about the free service in the Jersey City Medical Center, the psychiatric clinic for maladjusted children, the abolition of prostitution. He has taken care of his people, after his fashion.

"You take that time of the big coal strike," he says. "Why, the Chief of Police came to me and said people can't get coal, schools are shutting down. I said to him, I said, `You go and find out whether there's any coal in town.'

"Well, he came back and said Burns Brothers had some coal, but they were shipping it to New England. I said to him, `You go down to the ferries and stop that coal.' Then I told the head man at Burns, `You're going to sell us coal.' He didn't like it but finally agreed. Say, we sold 5000 tons to the people for five cents a scuttle."

Aggressiveness marks Hague's manner. Holding an ordinary conversation, he thumps his listener's chest for vigorous emphasis. No orator, he roars through a speech. Hague didn't go much beyond the sixth grade in school; his speech, except when polished for state occasions, is devoid of grammatical pretensions.

There is little sham about the man. In his own eyes he is armored in righteousness - no drinking, no smoking; a sound family man. A devout churchman, he gave a resplendent $50,000 altar to St. Aedan's Church in Jersey City.

And what of all this money which his critics intimate he has taken from somewhere? They say he lives like a millionaire, and owns a summer home for which he paid $125,000. He goes to Europe in de luxe suites on de luxe liners. For years this has been going on, while Hague has never made more than $8000 annually in public office. Hague frankly admits he has made money, although he refuses to go into details. A successful man, he says, is always in a position to make money, he is put in the way of making money.

. . .

To read the next Page, please click on the Link

Frank Hague: Dictator – American Style, Part 2

Follow Ups:

Re: Frank Hague: Dictator – American Style Frank Hague's Ghost 21:35:19 06/27/04 (0)

Post a Followup

Name :
E-Mail :
Subject :

Comments:
: The political boss who is convinced that his own righteousness places him above the law

: Dictator – American Style

: Part 1

: Condensed from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 20, 1938
: By Marquis W. Childs, Author of "Sweden - The Middle Way"

: Originally appeared in The Reader's Digest of August 1938
: Edited by GET NJ, COPYRIGHT 2004

: WHAT HAS happened in Jersey City may be dictatorship. There is considerable proof that Mayor Frank Hague rules his community of 350,000 with a tyrant's disregard for the law. But one thing is certain: the circum stances that created Hague, the boss, could hardly have occurred any where else in the world. If this is Fascism, it's the American brand.

: Hague himself is as American as a hot-dog stand. This comes out in his talk about his city, and the picture he has of himself in relation to it.

: "I made the city," he says. "Nobody cared a damn about it before I came along." He tells you about the free service in the Jersey City Medical Center, the psychiatric clinic for maladjusted children, the abolition of prostitution. He has taken care of his people, after his fashion.

: "You take that time of the big coal strike," he says. "Why, the Chief of Police came to me and said people can't get coal, schools are shutting down. I said to him, I said, `You go and find out whether there's any coal in town.'

: "Well, he came back and said Burns Brothers had some coal, but they were shipping it to New England. I said to him, `You go down to the ferries and stop that coal.' Then I told the head man at Burns, `You're going to sell us coal.' He didn't like it but finally agreed. Say, we sold 5000 tons to the people for five cents a scuttle."

: Aggressiveness marks Hague's manner. Holding an ordinary conversation, he thumps his listener's chest for vigorous emphasis. No orator, he roars through a speech. Hague didn't go much beyond the sixth grade in school; his speech, except when polished for state occasions, is devoid of grammatical pretensions.

: There is little sham about the man. In his own eyes he is armored in righteousness - no drinking, no smoking; a sound family man. A devout churchman, he gave a resplendent $50,000 altar to St. Aedan's Church in Jersey City.

: And what of all this money which his critics intimate he has taken from somewhere? They say he lives like a millionaire, and owns a summer home for which he paid $125,000. He goes to Europe in de luxe suites on de luxe liners. For years this has been going on, while Hague has never made more than $8000 annually in public office. Hague frankly admits he has made money, although he refuses to go into details. A successful man, he says, is always in a position to make money, he is put in the way of making money.

: . . .

: To read the next Page, please click on the Link

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:

Hoboken Guide

Jersey City and Hoboken Real Estate
Waterfront Apartments and Condominiums

Featured Link

Featured Listing Advertising Program
Business name, Web Site Link and a brief description or motto – runs for one month in the Page (or Pages) of your choice.

Sales Associates Wanted!
GET NJ seeks sales associates to market ads on a commission basis. For more information, e-mail your resume and contact information to sales@getnj.com – Be sure to mention the area of New Jersey and/or the market segment that you plan to serve.

GRAVE ROBBER Jersey City Computer Repair
297 Griffith Street, Jersey City, NJ - 201-798-2292 - In the Heights just off of Kennedy Blvd. - Very close to Journal Square and Union City, just five minutes away from Hoboken, Downtown Jersey City, Newport, the Waterfront, Secaucus, North Bergen and Weehawken - Tech support for The Jersey City Mayor's Office during the administration of Bret Schundler - PC repair - Tivos, too!, upgrade, hardware install, software install, data recovery, spyware removal, virus removal, replace hard drive, replace motherboard, copy files from notebooks, backup information from dead laptops

Wanted! Used Computers!
Used computers bought and sold. Located in Jersey City, NJ - convenient to the Hoboken 2nd Street Light Rail stations and the Journal Square PATH subway station. E-mail graverobber@verizon.net with an itemized list (description) of what you have for sale and the price. Pickup in the New York City Metro area -- minimum 10 units. Secure, guaranteed data removal is available.