Kansas City Succession

Kansas City Succession

The Pendergast boys, brawny Irish Democrats, got their start in Kansas City politics 40 years ago. Easy-going Brother Michael was content to spend his life holding minor city jobs, running the rough-&-tumble Tenth Ward. Brother James, a saloonkeeper, took the First Ward for his domain. Brother Thomas was the ambitious one. Starting out under Jim, who died in 1911, he thrust up and out until he was undisputed boss not only of Kansas City but of all Missouri, and as such a prime power in the national Democracy.

Like all forward-looking dynasties, the House of Pendergast early chose an heir. He was Michael's son, "Young Jim." The War had interrupted his law schooling, but overseas service in the 103rd Field Artillery was not bad training for a rising Pendergast. For Pendergast "Goats," there was still plenty of fistfighting to be done with Shannon "Rabbits" when Young Jim started at the bottom as precinct worker and pollbook carrier in his father's Tenth Ward. An apt pupil, he was ready to take over the ward when his father died in 1929. That year Young Jim's training for the succession began in earnest. Beginning to tire of 500 conferences per day, Big Boss Tom kept his nephew at his elbow, left him holding the reins when he went off vacationing. Running against the son of another famed Democrat, Bennett Champ Clark, Young Jim was elected president of Missouri's Young Democrats.* The heir-apparent got his first big test last June when, at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Uncle Tom fell seriously ill of an intestinal ailment, was hospitalized. Young Jim, a platform committeeman at the Convention, went back to Missouri to run the campaign, earned a smashing triumph when the State returned record Democratic majorities for both national and State tickets. Last week in Kansas City, appearing at his offices for the first time since his illness, Tom Pendergast felt perfectly safe in turning over "active control" of his machine to Young Jim. Pale, shaky and down 65 Ib. from the 240 Ib.

with which he entered the hospital, the 65-year-old boss announced that he would still furnish counsel on all matters of moment.

Now 41 and beginning to show a paunch and double chin, Young Jim is quiet, uncommunicative, abrupt. He shoots ducks, golfs almost daily, bowls every Monday until midnight, likes to read political history. Devoted to his two daughters, aged 13 and 9, he is, like all Pendergasts, a devout Roman Catholic. He and his wife spend most of their evenings at home, invite friends in frequently for cards (bridge and pitch). Mrs. Pendergast devotes much time to hospital work.

*Last week Bennett Clark, now a U. S. Senator, was prematurely boomed for the 1940 Democratic Presidential nomination by Boss Tom Pendergast. By way of modest acknowledgment, the plump young Senator related an anecdote of his late great father and that statesman's predecessor as Speaker of the House. Thomas B. ("Tsar") Reed. When Speaker Reed was contesting with William McKinley for the GOPresidential nomination in 1896, Congressman Clark met him one day, asked: "Mr. Speaker, are you going to get the nomination?" Replied Reed: "Why, Champ, I think they might go farther and fare worse, and I think they will."

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