CORRUPTION: First Floor Cleaned

Last week the civic muck of Kansas City, Mo., was stirred and roiled. How rich and black its muck could be, Kansas City had just learned from the indictment of Boss Tom Pendergast, charged with taking $315,000 in boodle and failing to pay U. S. income taxes thereon. What followed was more surprising: the boss's machine set out to prove to Kansas City that pure hearts can beat beneath mucky vests.

Bryce-Byram Smith, as Mayor, up to last week was a powerless dummy. Such authority as Boss Tom did not wield for himself...

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