Archive Details Secret Attempt to Influence New York Elections -- King Macy

C.S. THOMPSON was a magazine writer and a former newspaper editor. He worked for the Theodore Roosevelt presidential campaign of 1912 with the Commission for Relief in Belgium and with the New York State Women’s Suffrage Party. From 1905-1910, he was managing editor of the New Haven Register and previously of the Springfield Union. In 1920, he and a partner opened an advertising firm. W. KINGSLAND MACY, known as King Macy, was a political strong arm for the Republican Party from 1930 through the 1950s. He was chairman of the Suffolk County, New York, Republican Committee from 1930 to 1934 and a delegate to both the national and the state Republican Conventions for many years. His hold over the Suffolk Republican Party was so strong that he was called "The Little King of Suffolk County." Macy was elected to the 80th and 81st United States Congresses but was defeated for re-election in 1950. Thompson, a partisan Democrat, had great concern over Macy’s power and felt that Macy was manipulating the political process to achieve promotion of his self-interests. This archive, c. 1930, details Thompson’s secret campaign to influence elections and his attempt to be paid by the Democratic Party of New York for doing so. Thompson offers a "Confidential" memorandum assessing the situation (possibly a carbon copy), a "Confidential Political Survey" and a typed version of his column in which he attempts to expose Macy with his handwritten edits. All are on 8 ½" x 11" sheets. In a memorandum marked "CONFIDENTIAL MACY MAKES A MONKEY OUT OF THE DEMOCRATIC MULEY – FOR 1932," he writes, in part, "For the presidential campaign of 1932 the chairman of the Republican National Committee, and the White House look upon New York State as a vulnerable point of attack. They base their opinion on their ability to tie up the New York State Democratic candidate with the cry of ‘We don’t want Tammany Rule in the White House.’ "’Tammany’ is therefore a welcome slogan for the Republicans…With Smith there is also their old cry of Catholicism. With Roosevelt, it will be his poor health, the danger of sending him to his death. "…There is no need for Hoover to enter the Ring. His purposes are best served through others. No doubt fearful of the Democratic gain in 1930 congressional election, Hoover sees the advantage of moving now to besmear the Democratic Party, instead of waiting until the summer of 1932. "W. Kingsland Macy is the stalking horse of the White House…He at once set forth to establish himself as a crusader for honesty and unrighteousness in politics. "The opportunity for Macy to strike home his blow for the White House came with the disclosure of court and police grafting in New York City – under Tammany Rule! "…Macy and Hoover and the Republican machine have now disclosed their cards. From now until November 1932, not only New York City but the entire country will be regaled with the mud of Tammany investigations… "Macy, a new comer figuratively, makes a monkey out of the Democratic mule. "What can now be done to save the situation for the Democratic Party? My answer is to let the public know the full story of Macy – who is, of course, only the errand boy of the White House. Macy is, I find, vulnerable, not only in New York State, but also in his home district of Suffolk County. "There is a need of someone to investigate Macy and his political career in Suffolk County. A man of reputed high ideals and character, he is nevertheless open to attack… "Macy is chairman of the Suffolk Republican Committee. His treasurer is Otto H. Kahn. [Kahn was a successful investment banker.] Recently their machine; the Planning Board, secretly introduced a proposal for $5,000,000 bond issue -- $3,000,000 of which is to be spent for a bridge to connect the mainland with Shelter Island, where Kahn is a big property owner. Essentially it is a private improvement for Kahn. The proposal is to make this bond issue without submitting it to the voters or taxpayers…Worse yet i.…