U.S. At War: Chicago Truce

Years & years ago Chicago’s Mayor Ed Kelly and its headline-making State’s Attorney Tom Courtney, both Democrats, were pals. But for almost a decade of hate, Courtney has vainly tried to unseat Boss Kelly. Only last October, Courtney was “embarrassing” the Mayor with a lurid (though routine) grand jury investigation of police graft and corruption.

The country-wide November elections changed all that: last week worried Democrats heard with relief that Ed and Tom had made up. As proof, before he left for Florida, conventional winter seat of all good bosses, Mayor Kelly solemnly endorsed one of Courtney’s men for Cook County sheriff.

The nation could expect to see other long-standing Democratic feuds similarly patched up; in the shadow of possible defeat the ranks are closing.