Truth & Consequences

Chicago's Mayor Edward Joseph Kelly is not up for re-election until February. But last week his campaign got under way with a handsomely printed 42-page booklet entitled Out of the Red Into the Black, The Truth About Chicago's Municipal Government. Embellished with photographs of Chicago's wonders (including five of Ed Kelly), tables purporting to show that Chicago's per-capita government cost was $53.57 compared to New York's $91.78, Boston's $88.26, it concluded that Chicago "stands in the front rank for economic administration of governmental affairs and for high calibre of public service." Most effective thing about The Truth was its sponsor, a high-sounding something called the Citizens' Committee on Public Information.

The pro-Kelly Tribune, permitted to scoop its competitors on the Committee's findings, identified it as consisting of "100 representative Chicagoans." The anti-Kelly News, remembering that the mayor invited local bigwigs to join such a committee last June, produced a better scoop. Only 30 had joined and of these 23 had never seen the report. "I didn't attend any meetings," said puzzled President Frank Cunningham of Butler Bros.

"I received a copy . . . and that was the first I heard about it," said Architect John A. Holabird. Only committee member who admitted working on The Truth was Chairman John T. Pirie, president of State Street's Carson Pirie Scott & Co. Starchy Mr. Pirie could not explain why his fellow members had not seen the report, snapped: "Simply an oversight--somebody bungled." Next day The Truth was withdrawn from circulation as mysteriously as it had been issued.

As hard to embarrass as a wart hog, Ed Kelly had The Truth formally received and approved by the City Council. Then he departed for New York City to enjoy the World Series (see p. 49).

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