Jacob Arvey
Encyclopedia
Jacob M. Arvey was an
influential Chicago political leader from the Depression era until the mid-1950s. He may be best-known for his efforts to end corruption in the Chicago Democratic organization, and for promoting the candidacies of liberal Democratic politicians such as Adlai Stevenson and Senator Paul Douglas
of Illinois. He was known as "Jake" and "Jack" at different times in his career.
. He grew up in Chicago's 24th political ward. He never attended college, but did study law, served as a clerk in a Chicago law firm, and eventually passed the Illinois bar exam and became an attorney. On June 11, 1916 he married Edith Freeman; they would remain married until his death in 1977. They had three children: Erwin, Helen and Howard Arvey.
In 1923 Arvey was elected to the Chicago city council from his native 24th ward. Known as "Jake" Arvey, he was the third-ranking member of the powerful political machine led by Chicago Mayor Ed Kelly. A superb political organizer, his organization consistently turned out the largest Democratic majorities (often nine-to-one) of any ward in Chicago, thus enhancing his influence and reputation among the city's Democrats. Reflecting on the qualifications he required for someone to serve in his organization, Arvey once commented that "Every man had to belong to a church, a lodge, some other group. He had to be active in the Elks, Masons, K of C, places where he could spread the word about the Democratic Party ... if an apartment was vacant and you moved in, the precinct captain was there to welcome you. He'd get the electricity turned on, perhaps get milk for your children; he'd help with your tax problems. Our organization is geared to the masses, our candidates depend on the precinct captain and our captains are trained to go into the home and make personal contact with the voter."
During World War II
Arvey temporarily left his political career to serve as a colonel
in the U.S. Army; he was the judge advocate of the 33rd Infantry Division in the Pacific theater of the war.
, his former boss and mentor, to resign as mayor when a voter revolt appeared; Arvey instead promoted and elected as mayor a prominent businessman, Martin Kennelly.
In 1948, Arvey had the Chicago Democratic organization nominate Adlai Stevenson II, grandson of U.S Vice President
Adlai E. Stevenson, for Governor of Illinois and Paul Douglas
, a professor of economics at the University of Chicago
, for U.S. Senator. Both men were well-educated liberals whom Arvey felt would improve the image of the party and attract many independents and moderate Republicans. To improve their chances of winning Arvey joined with several other prominent Democrats, such as Florida Senator Claude Pepper
and New Jersey party leader Frank Hague
, to try and prevent incumbent President Harry S. Truman
from winning the Democratic presidential nomination. Truman was trailing the GOP presidential candidate, Thomas E. Dewey, in the polls, and Arvey feared that Truman would lose by a wide margin in Illinois and drag Stevenson and Douglas to defeat with him. Arvey and his allies promoted the candidacy of General Dwight D. Eisenhower
, but the plan failed when Eisenhower refused to run (in 1952 he revealed that he was a Republican and won the GOP nomination). Arvey reluctantly agreed to support Truman for the nomination. However, in a major upset Truman won Illinois - and the election - by a narrow margin. Both Stevenson and Douglas won their respective elections by landslide margins - Stevenson defeated his GOP opponent, incumbent Governor Dwight Green, by 572,000 votes.
In 1955, Richard J. Daley
, an Arvey protege, was elected Mayor of Chicago and replaced Arvey as the "Boss" of the Chicago Democratic organization.
influential Chicago political leader from the Depression era until the mid-1950s. He may be best-known for his efforts to end corruption in the Chicago Democratic organization, and for promoting the candidacies of liberal Democratic politicians such as Adlai Stevenson and Senator Paul Douglas
Paul Douglas
Paul Howard Douglas was an liberal American politician and University of Chicago economist. A war hero, he was elected as a Democratic U.S. Senator from Illinois from in the 1948 landslide, serving until his defeat in 1966...
of Illinois. He was known as "Jake" and "Jack" at different times in his career.
Early life and political career
Arvey was the son of Israel and Bertha (née Eisenberg) Arvey, poor Jewish immigrants from RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. He grew up in Chicago's 24th political ward. He never attended college, but did study law, served as a clerk in a Chicago law firm, and eventually passed the Illinois bar exam and became an attorney. On June 11, 1916 he married Edith Freeman; they would remain married until his death in 1977. They had three children: Erwin, Helen and Howard Arvey.
In 1923 Arvey was elected to the Chicago city council from his native 24th ward. Known as "Jake" Arvey, he was the third-ranking member of the powerful political machine led by Chicago Mayor Ed Kelly. A superb political organizer, his organization consistently turned out the largest Democratic majorities (often nine-to-one) of any ward in Chicago, thus enhancing his influence and reputation among the city's Democrats. Reflecting on the qualifications he required for someone to serve in his organization, Arvey once commented that "Every man had to belong to a church, a lodge, some other group. He had to be active in the Elks, Masons, K of C, places where he could spread the word about the Democratic Party ... if an apartment was vacant and you moved in, the precinct captain was there to welcome you. He'd get the electricity turned on, perhaps get milk for your children; he'd help with your tax problems. Our organization is geared to the masses, our candidates depend on the precinct captain and our captains are trained to go into the home and make personal contact with the voter."
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Arvey temporarily left his political career to serve as a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the U.S. Army; he was the judge advocate of the 33rd Infantry Division in the Pacific theater of the war.
Leader of the organization
When Arvey returned from the war in 1945 he was elected commissioner of the Chicago Park District, and served until 1967. From 1946 to 1950 was also the Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party, which effectively made him the "boss" of the powerful Chicago Democratic machine. Now known as "Colonel" or "Jack" Arvey, he found that the Chicago Democratic organization was in trouble due to numerous scandals and charges of corruption. To improve the organization's reputation and its electoral chances, Arvey began promoting the candidacies of reformers and liberals; he also made a serious effort to clean up the city's politics. He forced Chicago Mayor Edward Joseph KellyEdward Joseph Kelly
Edward Joseph Kelly served as chief engineer of the Chicago sanitary district in the 1920s, and later as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Democratic Party....
, his former boss and mentor, to resign as mayor when a voter revolt appeared; Arvey instead promoted and elected as mayor a prominent businessman, Martin Kennelly.
In 1948, Arvey had the Chicago Democratic organization nominate Adlai Stevenson II, grandson of U.S Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Adlai E. Stevenson, for Governor of Illinois and Paul Douglas
Paul Douglas
Paul Howard Douglas was an liberal American politician and University of Chicago economist. A war hero, he was elected as a Democratic U.S. Senator from Illinois from in the 1948 landslide, serving until his defeat in 1966...
, a professor of economics at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, for U.S. Senator. Both men were well-educated liberals whom Arvey felt would improve the image of the party and attract many independents and moderate Republicans. To improve their chances of winning Arvey joined with several other prominent Democrats, such as Florida Senator Claude Pepper
Claude Pepper
Claude Denson Pepper was an American politician of the Democratic Party, and a spokesman for left-liberalism and the elderly. In foreign policy he shifted from pro-Soviet in the 1940s to anti-Communist in the 1950s...
and New Jersey party leader Frank Hague
Frank Hague
Frank Hague was an American Democratic Party politician who served as the mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey from 1917 to 1947, Democratic National Committeeman from New Jersey from 1922 until 1949, and Vice-Chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1924 until 1949.Hague has a widely-known...
, to try and prevent incumbent President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
from winning the Democratic presidential nomination. Truman was trailing the GOP presidential candidate, Thomas E. Dewey, in the polls, and Arvey feared that Truman would lose by a wide margin in Illinois and drag Stevenson and Douglas to defeat with him. Arvey and his allies promoted the candidacy of General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
, but the plan failed when Eisenhower refused to run (in 1952 he revealed that he was a Republican and won the GOP nomination). Arvey reluctantly agreed to support Truman for the nomination. However, in a major upset Truman won Illinois - and the election - by a narrow margin. Both Stevenson and Douglas won their respective elections by landslide margins - Stevenson defeated his GOP opponent, incumbent Governor Dwight Green, by 572,000 votes.
Retirement from politics
During his four years as governor Stevenson formed an effective working partnership with Arvey. Stevenson agreed to appoint qualified Democratic Party loyalists and workers to lesser positions in the state government; in return Arvey agreed to support Stevenson's efforts to reform the state government, and in particular to end corruption in the Illinois state police by removing hiring practices from political considerations. Arvey played a key role in securing the 1952 Democratic presidential nomination for Stevenson. However, as a presidential candidate Stevenson increasingly ignored Arvey and other professional Democratic politicians in favor of reformers and liberals in the party.In 1955, Richard J. Daley
Richard J. Daley
Richard Joseph Daley served for 21 years as the mayor and undisputed Democratic boss of Chicago and is considered by historians to be the "last of the big city bosses." He played a major role in the history of the Democratic Party, especially with his support of John F...
, an Arvey protege, was elected Mayor of Chicago and replaced Arvey as the "Boss" of the Chicago Democratic organization.
Death
Jacob Arvey died of heart failure in Chicago's Weiss Memorial Hospital on August 25, 1977, aged 81 and was buried in Chicago. He was survived by his wife and their three children.Sources
- http://www.lib.niu.edu/1977/ii771134.html An obituary article written after Arvey's death in 1977.
- http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/arnoldus-arzeno.html An account of Arvey's political career from The Political Graveyard website.