George P. Cronk
Encyclopedia
Not to be confused with George H. Moore
, Los Angeles City Council member, 1943–1951.
George Parkman Cronk (1904–96), who went by George P. Cronk, was an insurance man who was on the Los Angeles City Council from 1945 to 1952.
, and was brought to Los Angeles in 1910. He was graduated from the University of Southern California
. He and his wife had two daughters, Constance (later Mrs. John Lamer) and Sally (later Mrs. Stanley Lewis Walsh). They lived at 899 Victoria Avenue.
He began his Los Angeles insurance business
in 1924. During World War II he was an instructor at North American Aviation
. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club, Trojan Club, Sons of the American Revolution
, the Los Angeles Athletic Club
, Lakeside Country Club and the Masons. After his City Council service ended in 1953, he was county campaign director for the American Cancer Society
and later the finance director for Southern California for the California Taxpayers Association.
He died June 15, 1996.
, board of education from 1939 to 1942.
in the Wilshire District and the United Service Organizations
, also in the Wilshire District.
See also List of Los Angeles municipal election returns, 1945–51
Cronk was elected to the Los Angeles City Council District 5 seat in 1945, succeeding Ira J. McDonald
, who had quit the post to run unsuccessfully for mayor. Cronk was endorsed by the conservative American Federation of Labor
in that race, whereas the rival and more liberal Congress of Industrial Organizations
went for Robert J. Kennedy. Cronk was reelected in the primary votes of 1945 through 1951 but did not run in 1953. Instead, he took on the job of campaign manager
for Norris Poulson
, who was successful in ousting Mayor Fletcher Bowron
that year.
The 5th District was "part of the general Wilshire area" in 1949.
Cronk was known as a conservative who took these positions while on the City Council:
Airplanes, 1946. The council unanimously adopted a resolution he offered asking "all authorities" to curb "exuberant young flyers" who had been piloting their airplanes too low over residential areas.
Loyalty, 1949. Cronk initiated a loyalty-oath
requirement for city employees, "which brought down the wrath of all Communist front
organizations upon him."
Rents, 1950. He introduced a resolution adopted by the council that called on the federal government to end wartime rent control
in Los Angeles, but when the government refused to do so, he said that refusal was an indication of "how far this great nation has drifted down the road to Socialism" and that "all Americans should be gravely concerned."
Housing, 1951–53. It was Cronk, "an enemy of public housing
since its inception," who introduced a controversial motion that eventually ended a $110 million public-housing program in the city. In a council meeting the next year he angrily castigated Leo A. Vie, a city housing commissioner, who was reported to have said that opponents of the program were "scum." He said that Vie should be "asked to resign." Other council members supported the commissioner's right of free speech. The council sent Cronk to Sacramento to lobby the State Assembly in support of bills that would "limit autocratic powers of public housing authorities."
George H. Moore
George H. Moore , an attorney and a judge who was active in civic affairs of the Los Angeles Harbor region, was district attorney of San Benito County and a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1943 to 1951.-Biography:...
, Los Angeles City Council member, 1943–1951.
George Parkman Cronk (1904–96), who went by George P. Cronk, was an insurance man who was on the Los Angeles City Council from 1945 to 1952.
Biography
Cronk was born January 19, 1904, in Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, and was brought to Los Angeles in 1910. He was graduated from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. He and his wife had two daughters, Constance (later Mrs. John Lamer) and Sally (later Mrs. Stanley Lewis Walsh). They lived at 899 Victoria Avenue.
He began his Los Angeles insurance business
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
in 1924. During World War II he was an instructor at North American Aviation
North American Aviation
North American Aviation was a major US aerospace manufacturer, responsible for a number of historic aircraft, including the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, the X-15 rocket plane, and the XB-70, as well as Apollo Command and Service...
. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club, Trojan Club, Sons of the American Revolution
Sons of the American Revolution
The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution is a Louisville, Kentucky-based fraternal organization in the United States...
, the Los Angeles Athletic Club
Los Angeles Athletic Club
Los Angeles Athletic Club is an athletic club and private social club in Los Angeles, California, USA. It awards the John R. Wooden Award to the outstanding men's and women's college basketball player of each year....
, Lakeside Country Club and the Masons. After his City Council service ended in 1953, he was county campaign director for the American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
and later the finance director for Southern California for the California Taxpayers Association.
He died June 15, 1996.
Manhattan Beach
Cronk was a member of the Manhattan Beach, CaliforniaManhattan Beach, California
Manhattan Beach is the wealthiest beachfront city located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, USA. The city is on the Pacific coast, south of El Segundo, and north of Hermosa Beach. Manhattan Beach is the home of both beach and indoor volleyball, and surfing. During the winter, the...
, board of education from 1939 to 1942.
Los Angeles
During World War II Cronk was vice chairman of the War ChestCommunity Chest
Community Chest may refer to any of the following:*The Community Chest of Hong Kong*The Community Chest of Singapore*Community Chest , a forerunner of the United Way of America...
in the Wilshire District and the United Service Organizations
United Service Organizations
The United Service Organizations Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that provides morale and recreational services to members of the U.S. military, with programs in 160 centers worldwide. Since 1941, it has worked in partnership with the Department of Defense , and has provided support and...
, also in the Wilshire District.
Elections
See also List of Los Angeles municipal election returns, 1945–51
Cronk was elected to the Los Angeles City Council District 5 seat in 1945, succeeding Ira J. McDonald
Ira J. McDonald
Ira J. McDonald was a Downey, California, attorney and City Council member in Los Angeles, California, between 1941 and 1945.-Biography:...
, who had quit the post to run unsuccessfully for mayor. Cronk was endorsed by the conservative American Federation of Labor
American Federation of Labor
The American Federation of Labor was one of the first federations of labor unions in the United States. It was founded in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions disaffected from the Knights of Labor, a national labor association. Samuel Gompers was elected president of the Federation at its...
in that race, whereas the rival and more liberal Congress of Industrial Organizations
Congress of Industrial Organizations
The Congress of Industrial Organizations, or CIO, proposed by John L. Lewis in 1932, was a federation of unions that organized workers in industrial unions in the United States and Canada from 1935 to 1955. The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 required union leaders to swear that they were not...
went for Robert J. Kennedy. Cronk was reelected in the primary votes of 1945 through 1951 but did not run in 1953. Instead, he took on the job of campaign manager
Campaign manager
A campaign manager is a paid or volunteer individual, whose role is to coordinate the campaign's operations such as fundraising, advertising, polling, getting out the vote , and other activities supporting the effort, directly.Apart from the candidate, they are often a campaign's most visible leader...
for Norris Poulson
Norris Poulson
C. Norris Poulson served as the 36th Mayor of Los Angeles, California from 1953 to 1961, after having been a California State Assemblyman and then a member of the United States Congress for eight years...
, who was successful in ousting Mayor Fletcher Bowron
Fletcher Bowron
Fletcher Bowron was the 35th Mayor of Los Angeles, California from September 26, 1938 until June 30, 1953. Until Thomas Bradley passed his length of service during the 1980s, Bowron held the distinction of having the longest tenure in that position in city history.Bowron was born in Poway,...
that year.
The 5th District was "part of the general Wilshire area" in 1949.
Positions
Cronk was known as a conservative who took these positions while on the City Council:
Airplanes, 1946. The council unanimously adopted a resolution he offered asking "all authorities" to curb "exuberant young flyers" who had been piloting their airplanes too low over residential areas.
Loyalty, 1949. Cronk initiated a loyalty-oath
Loyalty oath
A loyalty oath is an oath of loyalty to an organization, institution, or state of which an individual is a member.In this context, a loyalty oath is distinct from pledge or oath of allegiance...
requirement for city employees, "which brought down the wrath of all Communist front
Communist front
A Communist front organization is an organization identified to be a front organization under the effective control of a Communist party, the Communist International or other Communist organizations. Lenin originated the idea in his manifesto of 1902, "What Is to Be Done?"...
organizations upon him."
Rents, 1950. He introduced a resolution adopted by the council that called on the federal government to end wartime rent control
Rent control
Rent control refers to laws or ordinances that set price controls on the renting of residential housing. It functions as a price ceiling.Rent control exists in approximately 40 countries around the world...
in Los Angeles, but when the government refused to do so, he said that refusal was an indication of "how far this great nation has drifted down the road to Socialism" and that "all Americans should be gravely concerned."
Housing, 1951–53. It was Cronk, "an enemy of public housing
Public housing
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the...
since its inception," who introduced a controversial motion that eventually ended a $110 million public-housing program in the city. In a council meeting the next year he angrily castigated Leo A. Vie, a city housing commissioner, who was reported to have said that opponents of the program were "scum." He said that Vie should be "asked to resign." Other council members supported the commissioner's right of free speech. The council sent Cronk to Sacramento to lobby the State Assembly in support of bills that would "limit autocratic powers of public housing authorities."