"The Darling of the Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 Town's Neo-Fascists" The BombasticPolitical Career of CouncilmanEd J-Davenport b;yDon Parson

his electionon a liberalplatform in 1945 untilhis death in the midstof a right-wingdementia in 1953, Ed J. Davenport'stenure on the Los AngelesCity Council can be seen as a reflectionof the city's politicsduring the Cold War.At theend ofWorld War II, 'polit- ical trajectorywas, as was thatof Davenport, definitely oriented leftward. The city'sburgeoning conservatism, manifest in the attackon the welfarestate, redbaiting,and theshouting-down of political alternatives- all in whichDav- enportwas intimatelyinvolved- would culminatein the electionof a new mayorshortly before the councilman'sdeath. The new municipaladminis- trationattempted to reconcileliberals and conservativesto implementthe visionof a Modern Los Angeles.In so doing,the divisiveness,polarity, and bombastickythat had markedDavenport's career were notably absent from the politicsof Modernism.

From Liberal to Conservative

Ed J.Davenport was born on February9, 1899 in Pittsburgh,Pennsylva- nia. He studiedbusiness administration at the Universityof Pittsburghand, from1920 to 1926, was engagedin departmentstore advertising and mer- chandisingin Pittsburgh,Buffalo, and New York.In 1926 Davenportbecame thegeneral manager of Robert Fraser, Inc., a departmentstore in Utica,New 468 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY York,which he leftin 1928 to open his own businessas advertisingand mer- chandisingcounsel to newspapers.His most prominentclient was Colonel FrankKnox of HearstPublications. Relocating to Los Angelesin 1935, Dav- enportestablished his own publicrelations and advertisingbusiness at 555 South FlowerStreet, serving clients in the fieldsof retailing,newspaper pub- lishing,and finance.Married in 1935 to HarriettGoodmanson, he studied law at SouthwesternUniversity and was involved,during World War II, as theWar ProductionFund Coordinatorof the NationalSafety Council. Reg- Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 isteredas a Democrat,Davenporťs first encounter as a politicalcandidate was l in the Los Angelesmunicipal elections of 1945. 1 "Ed. J. Davenport," Biography File (hereinafterCBF), MunicipalReference Collection, History Department,Los AngelesPublic Library; "Press Fact Sheet- Ed. J.Davenport, Candidate for City Council," Ed and RuthLybeck Collection, Box 2, Folder9, SpecialCollections, University of California, Los Angeles. Accordingto theunknown source quoted in AppendixC, Davenportwas expelledfrom University of Pittsburghin his sophomoreyear; and his marriageto Harriettwas his second,the firsthaving ended in divorce."Davenport," n.d., Ed and RuthLybeck Collection, Box 2, Folder7, SpecialCollections, UCLA. I can findno mentionof Davenport receiving any academic degree.

Davenportin Action,April 1950. CourtesyUniversity of RegionalHistory Center. COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 469 Davenportsought the 12th (Westlake)District seat in the City Council whichhad been representedfor six termsby the retiringJohn Baumgartner. His 1945 campaignwas directedby Ed and RuthLybeck, veteran managers of Helen Gahagan Douglas*successful 1944 congressionalbid. The candidate's ten-pointplatform stressed the expansion and protectionof the Department ofWater and Power,a municipally-ownedtransportation system, slum clear- ance combinedwith low-cost housing,expansion of the sewage system,a free-tradezone at theharbor, conversion planning for the wartime Los Ange- Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 les economywith "fairand fullemployment," more parksand playgrounds, and a "Full respectfor the rightsof Labor." If elected,Ed promisedto hold open meetingsin the 12th Districtevery 30 days.Among those who endorsed Davenportwere the CIO, the RailroadBrotherhoods, the MunicipalLeague, CareyMcWilliams, Marshall Stimson, Judge Isaac Pacht,Mary Workman, and theCounty Democratic Committee.2 The People'sWorld, the west-coastnewspaper of the CommunistParty, toutedDavenport as a "unitycandidate" and gushedthat, of the nine candi- datesvying to representthe district,Davenport "has come to the frontwith a sound, progressiveprogram and the backingof both businessand labor. The wordbegan to go around that*y°u ought to see this guyDavenporť." The choiceof the liberalDaily News, Davenport was describedas "a hardhit- ting,socially enlightened businessman with . . . considerabletalents and pro- gressivethinking . . ." The Watchmaninformed the public the left-wing Democratic"machine" was behindDavenporťs election bid. "A collaboration ofleft-wing Democratic- C.I.O. forceshere are tryingto steamrollera candi- date into the office"of the 12th councilmanicdistrict, warned the Timesin its primaryendorsements. "Just why they picked Ed Davenportto bear their banneris somethingof a mystery."In the April 3 primary,Davenport and RichardNewton received the largest pluralities, sending them to a run-offin the generalelection.3 The scathingconservative denouncement of Davenport matched the inten- sityof his proponents'gusto-filled support. Davenport was a candidateof the 2 "EdJ. Davenport- 12th District Councilman" (brochure), Ed and RuthLybeck Collection, Box 2, Folder9, Spe- cial Collections,UCLA, "DavenportLeading Race forCouncil," Citizens Council (brochure), ibid., Box 2, Folder8. Clockwisefrom the north, the 12th District was was roughly bounded by Santa Monica Blvd., Sun- setBlvd., Glendale Blvd., Figueroa St., 11th St., Hoover St., Wilshire Blvd., and VermontAve. 3 "12th District Race: 'You Ought to See This GuyDavenport'," People's World, March 14, 1945,p. 3; The Watch- man,"Council Aspirant Backed by Democratic Machine," Los AngelesTimes, March 23, 1945,Pt. II: 3; Frank Observer,"Daily News concludes its city primary endorsements," Los AngelesDaily 'News, March 30, 1945, pp. 3, 5; FrankObserver, "Ed Davenportwins united backing in councilrace," ibid., April 24, 1945, p. 4; "NewCity Council to Ruleon VitalPostwar Plans," Los AngelesTimes, April 1, 1945, Pt II: 1,2. 470 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020

Davenportin a 1945 publicityphoto. CourtesyHerald Examiner Collecion/LosAngeles PublicLibrary.

ultra-liberalsand "nothingmore than a stoogeof the d.O. PoliticalAction Committee,"Republican leader William D. Campbell told a meetingof the conservativefaithful at the ElksClub. The Timesfinal endorsement appeared more anti-Davenportthan pro-Newton: "During the campaign he has attendedmany left-wing gatherings and verballyat leasthas setout to please the ultra-liberals.Whatever may be his feelingson politicalideologies there is no questionthat he is intenselyinterested in Davenport-and Davenport wantsto be CityCouncilman." On May 1 thesemi-official returns indicated that Davenportinched out his rivalwith less than 200 votes. A recount, requestedby Newton, determined that Davenport had onlya 93 -votemajor- ity.The finalelection "gave Los Angelesprobably the best city council it has " everhad," rejoiced the CIO's LaborHerald. Articulate,alert, [Davenport] may be floorleader of Bowronsupporters in thecouncil"4 Davenportapparently carried no grudgeagainst the Timesfor their oppo- sitionin the 1945 municipalelections. He quicklymade overturesto smooth anyfeathers that might have been ruffled.The horrendouspostwar housing shortage-an issueof concern to both theliberal/left as wellas the conserva-

4 The Watchman,"P.A.C. ActivityCharged in City Council Race, ,April 28, 1945, Pt. II: 5; "Election to Decide Vital Local Issues," ibid.,April 29, 1945, Pt. II: 1 , 2; "Election Gives LA. Best City Coun- cil in History,"Labor Herald,May 4, 1945, pp. 1, 7; "Council to certifytwo race winners,"Los Angeles Daily News,May 10, 1945, p. 13. COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 4Л tiveTimes- was used byDavenport to createpolitical capital on both sides of the politicaldivide. While wavinga copyof the Timesin Council Chambers, he declaredto his fellowcouncilmen: "When a greatnewspaper like this devotes almost all of one page to housing news despite the shortageof newsprint,I think the situation is critical."On December10, 1945, thecoun- cilmanvoted to appropriate$100,000 fortemporary veterans' shelter, result- ingin theconstruction of the 1,500-unit veterans' housing project of Rodger YoungVillage in Aprilof the nextyear.5 Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 At thebeginning of October 1946, JohnS. Wood and ErnieAdamson of the House Committeeon Un-AmericanAffairs, working with the concur- renthearings of Jack Tenney's Joint Legislative Committee on Un-American Activitiesin California,brought to the attentionof MayorFletcher Bowron reportsof a "knowncommunist" who had been assigneda quonset hut in RodgerYoung Village. Sidney Burke, Los Angeleseditor of the People'sWorld, was foundto be ineligibleto livein thathousing project as he was a "non-vet- eran,"though he had overthree years of wartime service in both theAtlantic and Pacifictheaters with the merchant marines and had receiveda combatbar fordirect action. Sidney Burke, his wifeLibby, and theirtwo small children were asked to leave RodgerYoung Village by the City Housing Authority (CHA) on the behestof MayorBowron. The CHA then offeredthe Burke familyan apartmentin the Channel Heightsproject, from which the Coun- cil, on October 16, called fortheir eviction. "I object strenuously,"stated CouncilmanLeonard Timberlake, "to housingthe Burkesin anyplace built bytaxpayers' money."6 ThoughDavenport was notthe initial instigator of redbaiting in theBurke incident,he nonethelessmade moves to consolidatethe anti-Communism thatwas generatedinto whatwould become his politicalcalling card. The councilmanintroduced, at the end of October,a resolutionthat $2,500 be appropriatedby the City Council's public heath and welfarecommittee to

5"Council Votes $100,000 for Housing Aid," Los AngelesTimes, December 1 1, 1945,Pt I: 1, 19; also see Coun- cil File#21653, Los AngelesCity Archives, Piper Technical Center, 555 RamirezStreet, Los Angeles(here- inafterCity Archives). 6 CaliforniaLegislature. Joint Fact-Finding Committee on Un-AmericanActivities, Third Report (Sacramento: CaliforniaState , 1947), pp. 74-75; "TenneyGiven Data on RedsAt RodgerYoung," Hollywood Cit- izen-News,October 4, 1946,p. 13; "Tenneycomes to L.A.,"People's World, October 5, 1946,p. 3; "Quonset Pairto be Ousted,"Los AngelesTimes, October 5, 1946, Pt.II: 1; Resolutionby LE. Timberlake,October 16, 1946,Council File #25298, City Archives; City Clerk to CHA, October16, 1946,ibid.; "Evict Leftist, CouncilTells Housing Authority," Los AngelesTimes, October 17, 1946,Pt. I: 2; "TimberlakeLeads Fight," Los AngelesExaminer, October 17, 1946 in the Examinermorgue at the Universityof SouthernCalifornia RegionalHistory Center (hereinafter RHC). 472 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY thoroughlyinvestigate both the Burkeincident as well as "the promotionof Communismin PublicHousing projects." The Burkecase, read Davenporťs resolution,"has heightenedthe convictionof manycitizens, whose money buildsFederal Housing, that projects are targetsof Communistic propaganda and fertilefields for cultivating support by the subversivegroups who would changethe American way of life to thatof the Communism of Russia . . ." He subsequentlyannounced his intentionof writinga resolutioncalling for a probeinto Rodger Young Village by the CaliforniaJoint Legislative Commit- Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 teeon Un-AmericanActivities. Davenporťs demeanor in the Burkeincident helped set the stagefor the municipalelections of the comingspring, laying thegroundwork for what the People's World called "a pre-electionred-baiting drive."7 In Council chamberson March 13, 1947, Davenportcharged that the Communistswere seeking to acquirecity offices for themselves in theupcom- ingmunicipal election. The followingday, the Council unanimouslyadopted a resolution,fathered by Davenport,authorizing the supportof federalpro- posalsto outlawthe Communist Party. The councilman'sresolution asked the Committeeof State, County and FederalAffairs to keepthe Council informed ofcongressional legislation so thatthe city "whose government is alreadya tar- getof invasionby the CommunistParty might act officiallyin supportof an Actof Congress to outlawthe Communist Party . . ." The Los AngelesCounty Committeeof the Communist Party accused Davenport of attempting to intro- ducea redscare into the city's electoral politics, driving a wedgebetween labor and progressives,and "thussecure the reelection of himself and his reactionary colleaguesand candidates."All Communistclubs were instructed to redouble theircampaign efforts on behalfof progressivecandidates.8 The 1947 municipalelection marked the last major attempt by the left to garnerwidespread political influence by fielding their own candidates.Speak- ingto a groupof Republicanwomen at the Elks' Club on March20, Daven- port told, as reportedby the Heraldand Express,"the inside storyof the Communistplot to win seats in the School Districtand the City Council."

7 Resolution by Ed J.Davenport, October 30, 1946, in Council File #25551, City Archives;"City May Seek 'Red' Probe in Housing Project,"Hollywood Citizen-News,December 11, 1946, p 3; "Councilmen 'see red'," Peo- ple's World,December 12, 1946, p. 3. 8 "Councilman Charges Reds Seek to Grab City Offices,"Los Angeles Herald and Express,March 13, 1947, p. A-2; "Council to aid in outlawingof Red Party,"Los Angeles Daily News,March 14, 1947, p. 2; March 14, 1947 resolutionby Ed J. Davenport, in Council File #27449, City Archives;"Our Answer to Councilman Davenport and SecretarySchwellenbach/To All Communist Clubs in Los Angeles County," PartyBuilder Bulletin,March 30, 1947, p. 1, uncataloged item at the Southern California Libraryfor Social Studies and Research. COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 473 Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020

"One good termdeserves another"- 1947 publicityphoto. CourtesyU.S.C. RegionalHistory Center.

In Council chambersthe councilmanurged that all votersgo to the polls on April1 to defeatthe Communist electoral menace. Leftist candidates included LaRue McCormickfor the Board of Education,and Elsie Monjar,Jonathan L. Caston and Douglas D. Behrendfor City Council- all ofwhom were thor- oughlyrepudiated at the primaries.Davenporťs redbaitinghelped drivea wedgebetween liberals and the left-not a lostlesson in the ensuingmunici- pal policydebates.9 Davenporťs 1947 campaignstrategy was primarilyone of redbaitinghis erstwhilesupporters. The slogan forhis reelectionwas "One Good Term Deserves Another.""More appropriate,"wryly noted the People'sWorld, * "mightbe thehighway department's S-shaped markerindicating Dangerous CurvesAheaď." Douglas Behrend,a veteranand CIO memberendorsed by the CIO and the ProgressiveCitizens of America to oppose the incumbent, quippedthat "One Bad TermDeserves Retirement." "My re-electionis being opposed byradical groups, Communists and theirfellow travelers," said Dav- enportin a statementto his constituents."I accepttheir challenge, I welcome the test!... I will neversurrender, no matterhow theyattack me." In con- trastto 1945 Davenport,with his platformof "Down withtaxes and Com- munism,"now receivedthe Times whole-hearted endorsement. The AFL and the RepublicanParty likewise stood firmlywith the incumbent.Reelected in

9 "PoliticalActivities," Los Angeles Herald and Express,March 1 7, 1947, p. A-l 1 ; "Urges All VotersGo To Polls," ibid., March 31, 1947, p. A-2; "Citizens Snow Under Left-Wing Candidates," Los Angeles Times,April 2, 1947, Pt. 11:1,2. 474 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY the primary,Davenport received more than twice the votes of his threechal- lengerscombined total.10 Bythe end ofhis secondterm on theCouncil, Davenporťs political style had earnedhim the wrathof the leftand the approvalof the right.He had performedhis councilmanic duties ably and enthusiastically,establishing him- selfas a fiscalconservative- a memberof the Council's "economybloc." He had fora census in 1946 fromwhich the cityreceived addi- fought special Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 tional federalmoney, to establisha free-tradezone at the harbor,and to reducethe citybudget. The councilmanprotested strongly when streetcar lines throughhis districtwere abandoned and his constituentswere disaf- fected;used the councilto pressureWashington for a greatershare of Col- orado Riverwater; and lobbiedfor state aid to completethe Hyperionsewage plantmodernization. Davenport sponsored a Board of PublicWorks plan in 1949 thatwould allocate $3,880,000 of improvements to his district.He man-

10 "The ElectionAds: Signsof the Times-And Money," People's World, March 6, 1947,p. 3; "Be sureand vote, ChurchFederation urges," ibid., March 24, 1947,p. 3; "PoliticalActivities," Los AngelesHerald and Express, March26, 1947,p. A-7; "DailyNews endorsements made in CityCouncil election on April1," Los Ange- les DailyNews, March 26, 1947,pp. 13, 32; "CouncilChoices Up to Voters,"Los AngelesTimes, March 30, 1947,Pt. 11:1,2.

Ed revealssome bare facts, August 18, 1948. CourtesyHerald ExaminerCollection/Los Angeles Public Library. COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 475 aged to remainnewsworthy and photogenic,calling for city loyalty oaths or opposingthe sale of nudistor "artistand models"publications.11 In the April 5, 1949 primary,he was opposed by Isaac Kushner,a pro- gressiveDemocrat Interviewedby Virginia Gardner of the People's World, Dav- enportasserted Tm justas liberalas I everwas," yet hinted it was nothis fault ifhis erstwhilesupporters believed him to be moreprogressive than he was. successful was to his achievements

Davenporťs campaignstrategy emphasize Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 in officewhile, secondarily, underscoring this recordwith his well-deserved reputationof beinga foeof the reds.In thisvein he receivedthe resounding endorsementof the Times:"One of [theCouncil's] mostaggressive and best informedmembers, he has givenhis districtfirst-class representation. More thanthat, he has takena leadingpart in mattersof general interest to thewhole cityand is responsiblefor the passageof considerable progressive legislation." "Completeopposition to incumbentEd Davenport"was recommendedto vot- ers by Los AngelesCIO Council,endorsing, by defaultit would seem,Kush- ner.Ed easilyoutdistanced his opponentby a marginof morethan 3 to I.12 In his 3rd and 4th terms,Davenport was confrontedon a numberof issuesby Edward R. Roybal,elected in 1949 as councilmanfrom the 9th (East- side) District.Davenport, recalled Roybal, was an excellentorator, well-read and well-informedon the issues,and a veryamiable person when not drink- ing.Unfortunately, this was notoften. Davenport was an alcoholic-consum- ingperhaps a quartof vodka perday. The Council's sergeant-at-arms would getcalls to fetchan inebriatedDavenport from the downtown bars. The alco- hol transformedhis gentlemanlydemeanor into one thatwas abrasiveand abusive.Left with no realallies on thecouncil, Davenport dominated his col- leagues thoughfear and intimidation.Davenport, recalled fellow-council- man KennethHahn, had a remarkableability for mobilizing publicity and was veryknowledgeable, but he was "justmean." His close ties to the press allowed him to broadcast insinuationsof Communism, leftism,and

11 The specialcensus for which Davenport was praisedwas: UnitedStates. Department of Commerce. Bureau of the Census., Special Census of Los Angeles,California, Population by Age, Race, And Sex, by Census Tract:Janu- ary28, 1946, Series P-SC, No. 186 (WashingtonD.C.: UnitedStates Government Printing Office, 29 Octo- ber,1946); "Anotherwitch hunt?," People's World, August 28, 1947,p, 3; "CouncilBegins Inquiry Into Some BareFacts," Los AngelesTimes, August 19, 1948,Pt. I: 2; FredArnold, "Doings in Politics,"Los AngelesHer- ald and Express,March 2, 1949,p. B-3. 12 "CIO councilrecommends 10 forL.A. cityelection," Labor Herald, March 8, 1949, p. 5; "Doingsin Politics: DavenportBackers Point to Record,"Los Angeles Herald and Express, March 23, 1949,p. B-32; VirginiaGard- ner,"Interview With a CouncilmanicCandidate: Davenport talks on coldwars, free speech, rent laws," Peo- ple'sWorld, March 29, 1949,p. 3; "FewVoter Choices in CouncilEntries," Los AngelesTimes, April 3, 1949, Pt.II: 1,3. 476 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY un-Americanismagainst those who did notfall in linewith his thinking. Dur- inghis finalfour years on theCouncil, much of Davenport's wrath would be directedat the mostliberal councilman- Edward RoybaL13

The Fair EmploymentPractices Commission

Emergingfrom a jointcommittee (public health and welfare/personnel) thatwas co-chairedby Edward Roybal and Davenport,the City Council sched- Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 uled a fullpublic hearing on an ordinanceto prohibitdiscrimination in the workplaceon the basis on color,race, religion, or nationalorigin or ancestry. To investigateand rectifycharges of such discrimination,a seven-person Fair EmploymentPractices Commission (FEPC) wouldbe established.Non-com- pliancewith the commission could resultin prosecutionby the cityattorney, withpenalties of a $500 fineor 6 monthsin jail. "It is impossibleto putour idealsof democracy into practice," wrote Ruth H. Adamsonto theCouncil in favorof the FEPC, "ifequality of opportunity is notgranted to all individuals . . ." S.J.Coffey expressed his oppositionto "a communistscheme originating in Russia. . . Mr.Roybal was electedsolely on his promiseto putthis ordinance overon yourbody- he representsall theseBACKWARD groups. . . Ifthe Span- ish citizenswere in controlof this city, it would still be a pueblo-theyare nat- urallyunprogressive." "The proposed ordinance,"editorialized the Mirror withoutirony, "merely makes decency and tolerancethe official rather than the unofficialcredo of a city. . ." The hearingwas scheduledfor September 27, 1949.14 Opponentsto the FEPC, wroteJack Young, "could not have had a better frontman than CouncilmanEd J.Davenport." Ed had been senton a $700 junketto Washington,D.C., in orderto studyFEPC ordinancesthat already operatedin easterncities. Despite extensive information he had gathered,par- ticularlyon the citiesof Philadelphiaand Chicago,the councilmanrefused, on September14, to make a writtenreport to the Council that could be "pickedto pieces" by FEPC supporters.Davenport, charging that the com-

13Interview with Edward R. Roybal,October 10, 1996,taped copy in possessionof the author; interview with KennethHahn, April 27, 1997,taped copy in possessionof the author; phone conversation with Gordon Hahn,May 1, 1997. Fora discussionof the Roybal Davenport clashes from the perspective of Roybaland the9th District,see KatherineUnderwood, "Process and Politics:Multiracial Electoral Coalition Building and Representationin Los Angeles'Ninth District, 1949-1962" (Ph.D. diss.,University of California, San Diego,1992). Clockwise from the northwest, the 9th District was roughlybounded by Figueroa St., Indiana St, thecity of Vernon, Central Ave. and 9thSt. 14"The Los AngelesEqual Opportunity Ordinance" draft, 10 pp.,Council File #39092, City Archives; Ruth H. Adamsonto CityCouncil, September 22, 1949,ibid.; S.J. Coffey to CityCouncil, September 23, 1949,ibid.; "LocalCustom Favors Job Equality Law," Los AngelesMirror, September 27, 1949,p. 26. COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 477 missionwould have a $176,000 annual operatingcost, proposed to attacha financialclause which would requirea /6majority to approvethe ordinance. Roybaldenounced Davenporťs motion as "unfair"while Councilman George Moore scoredDavenporťs political"trickery," after which Davenport with- drewhis motion.His frequentaccusations of Communism added fuelto the ordinance'sconservative foes while accentuating the divisiveness of FEPC sup- porters.Headed by ex-JudgeIsaac Pacht,the centrist-liberal"Council for Equalityin Employment"(CEE) accused the "Fair EmploymentPractices Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 Committee,"chaired by Paul Major and backedby the left-liberal "California LegislativeConference" as beinga vehiclefor "communists who missedthe boat fora popularmove."15 More than 400 people jammedthe councilchambers on September27, wherehearings on the proposedordinance lasted more than fivehours. CEE representatives-Pacht, AFL AttorneyRobert Gilbert, Frank Chuman of the JapaneseAmerican Citizens' League, Rabbi EdgarF. Magninof the Los Ange- les JewishCommunity Council, Rev.Joseph V. Kearneyof the CatholicWel- fareBureau, University of SouthernCalifornia Professor Harvey D. Seifert, and AlfredLunceford of the CIO- spokefor an hourfavoring the FEPC and made much,according to the LaborHerald "of theirown dislikeof commu- nism and hastilydisassociated their organization, motivation and measure fromcommunism." Pushed awayfrom the miketwice by CEE supporters, Paul Major was allowed to speak fortwo minutes,reading a telegramcover- ing FEPC experiencesin Philadelphia.Randolph Van Ostrand,press agent for the Merchantsand ManufacturersAssociation, marshaled the FEPC opponentsas theytook the floor."From then on," wroteJack Young, "the council chambersbecame a shootinggallery, with everyonefavoring the FEP[C] theclay pigeons."16 Frank P. Doherty,former-president of the Chamber of Commerce, describedthe FEPC as "un-Americanand Communist,"the adoption of whichwould be a step towardthe "stateism"of Europe. Followingseveral more speakersexpressing similar sentiments, the oppositionthen began to

15"Council sets hearing on FEP code,"People's World, September 15, 1949, p. 2; "HighCost Figuredfor City FEPC," Los AngelesTimes, September 23, 1949, Pt. II: 1; JackYoung, "Ultra-Slick Politicking-A La Ed J. Davenport,"People's World, September 26, 1949,p. 3; JamesBasse«, "Rival LA. GroupsFight Over 'FEPC," Los AngelesMirror, September 26, 1949,p. 12. 16Minutes of the City Council, September 27, 1949,Council File #39092,City Archives; "'Hiring Plan Hotly Debated,"Los AngelesExaminer, September 28, 1949,Pt I: 3; "LA. bodykills FEP proposal,"People's World, September28, 1949,p. 1; "PlanFor FEPC HereDefeated in CityCouncil," Los AngelesTimes, September 28, 1949,Pt I: 1; JackYoung, "And Gerald LK. Smithcalled the tune," People's World, September 29, 1949,p. 3; "Smoothiesand hate-peddlersjoin to killLA. fairemployment law," Labor Herald, October 4, 1949, p. 5. 478 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY fall back on its whitesupremacist underpinnings. "Why do you playwith thesepeople?" yelled Earl C. Craigof the Public Affairs Forum. "Kick 'em out of the backdoorof this country.They're all treasonous!""This is a white man's country,"screamed Alfred E. Herbertof the ChristianNationalists, "and [we]will keepit that way. . . . whiteChristians will nottolerate any n- r or Jewor anyother minority getting preferences in jobs, housingor anything else."Over theobjections of Davenport and Davies,the Council allowedthe Rev.Clayton D. Russellof the IndependentChurch of Christto answerthe Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 supremacists.He emphasizedthat discrimination, not Communism, was the issue at hand. Voted down 8-6, the ordinancewas opposed by Councilmen Davenport,J. Win Austin,George P. Cronk,Lloyd G. Davis, JohnC. Hol- land, LeonardTimberlake, Leland S. Washburton;and favoredby Council- men Roybal,Kenneth Hahn, Don A. Allen, G. Vernon Bennett,Harold Harby,and GeorgeH. Moore.17

17Minutes of the City Council, September 27, 1949,Council File #39092, City Archives; "LA. bodykills FEP proposal,"People's World, September 28, 1949,p. 1; "PlanFor FEPC Here Defeatedin CityCouncil," Los AngelesTimes, September 28, 1949,Pt. I: 1; JackYoung, "And Gerald LK. Smithcalled the tune," People's World,September 29, 1949,p. 3; "RacialBigotry Flared at City Hall to DefeatFEPC," California Eagle, Sep- tember29, 1949,pp. 1,2.

Davenportspeaking at the CommunistRegistration Ordinance hearing,August 29, 1950. LosAngeles Times Archives, courtesy Special Collections,University of Californiaat Los Angeles. COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 479 The CommunistRegistration Ordinances

With the outbreakof the KoreanWar fuelinga fearof domesticCom- munism,Davenport submitted, on July6, 1950, a resolutionto the Council askingthe City Attorneyto draftan ordinancerequiring members of the CommunistParty residing or enteringin Los Angeles to registerwith the Chiefof Police, "the same as criminals,"read the resolution,"who have been

convictedof a felony. . ." Withina week,the Los AngelesCommunist Party Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 issueda pressrelease vowing non-compliance with such a resolution."Today, a Davenportcalls forregistration of members of the Communist Party; tomor- rowthat definition will be broadened. . . Give the Davenportsof our coun- tryone inch,and tomorrowunder attack will be thosewho defendthe civil libertiesof minoritiesand the rightsof labor."Failing adoption by a vote of 8-6, the ordinancewas referredto the Policeand FireCommission. In the meantime,the County Board of Supervisorsadopted three emergency ordi- nances on August22 requiringthe registrationof Communistsin unincor- poratedLos AngelesCounty.18 Davenportthen asked for a generalhearing on his ordinanceas, without a comparablecity law, Los AngelesCounty Communistswould be able to escape persecutionmerely by transversingpolitical boundaries to the safe havenof Los AngelesCity. On August28 he read a statementto the Council thathe had "been the targetof a viciousattack by Communists and theirfel- lowtravelers . . . [which]included personal slander, character assassination and dailyabuse throughthe People'sDaily World." He claimedthat sound trucks werepicketing his apartmentand his phone lineswere jammed with threat- eningcalls in a "warof nerves" to weakenhis resolveto pushthrough the Com- munistRegistration Ordinance. "[TJhreatsof physicalviolence . . . have inspiredprofessional security officers to urgeme to acceptpersonal security protection,which up to now I have spurned. . ." Davenportdared Commu- nists,their apologists, and fellowtravelers to come to theAugust 29 Council hearingon the proposedordinance: "Let us see how bold theywill be out in theopen beforethe Council's publicmicrophones tomorrow morning . . ."19

18 Resolutionby Ed J.Davenport, July 6, 1950,Council File #43923,City Archives; Los AngelesCommunist Partypress release, July 12, 1950, in CommunistParty, USA Collection,1950 folder,Southern California Libraryfor Social Studies and Research;Philip M. Connelly,"Little Mundt bills sneaked across in LA," Peo- ple'sWorld, August 23, 1950,pp. 1,12. 19 "Communicationto theCouncil from Councilman Davenport," August 28, 1950,Council File #43923, City Archives;"Urges city force Reds to register,"Los AngelesDaily News, August 28, 1950,p. 17; "Councilman DaresReds to DebateRegistration," Los AngelesMirror, August 28, 1950,p. 2; "StormyScenes Likely Over Red Sign-upBill," Los AngelesTimes, August 29, 1950. 480 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY His darewas acceptedas a crowdof about 1,000 peoplefilled the Council chamberand overflowedin theCity Hall corridors,carrying placards that read "StopThought Control" and "No PoliceState." Averbai duel between Dorothy Healey,chair of the County Communist Party, and StateSenator Jack Tenney, formerchairman of the California Joint Legislative Committee on Un-Ameri- can Activities,brought applause to theformer and boos and catcallsto thelat- ter.Mrs. Healeytermed Davenport "a two-bitFuehrer" and urgedsupport of the Constitution.The resultwas, accordingto the People'sWorld, "one of the Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 mostuproarious sessions of recentyears." Davenport moved to suspendpar- liamentaryrules in orderto allow theordinance's immediate adoption before thetext had been preparedby the city attorney: "If we delay,we lose- and the Communistswill have won a greatvictory." But the Council,with a voteof 7-7, refusedto suspendparliamentary rules to approvethe unpreparedlegis- lation,instructing the cityattorney to draftthree ordinances based on those adoptedby the county. Davenport, editorialized the Herald and Express,"fumed at thedelay caused by Tuesday's [August 29] pussyfooting. . ."20 Withthe text now prepared,the City Council metagain on September6 to discussthe ordinance.Its approvalwas opposed by Councilman Edward Roybal,who feltthat he needed more timeto studyand considerthe ordi- nance. Davenportand Roybal,wrote the DailyNews, "dueled noisily amidst criesfor order by council president Harold Henry. . ." Accusedby Davenport ofhaving left-wing sympathies comparable to thatof New YorkCongressman Vito Marcantonio,Roybal ably defended himself, defying Davenport to fur- therquestion Roybaťs patriotism. "A Communist-hatingcrowd," reported the Mirror,"heard Davenport almost shriek contempt of his lone opponent, Roybal."Despite the pleas offellow councilmen and thewrath of Davenport, Roybal'ssole oppositiondelayed adoption of the ordinanceas council rules requirethat ordinances not receiving unanimous approval on theirfirst read- ingbe held overfor one week.21

20 Minutesof the City Council, August29, 1950, Council File #43923,City Archives;John Hunt and George Geter, "Pro-Red Howls Rock City Hall," Los Angeles Mirror,August 29, 1950, p. A- 12; "City ordersordinance," Los Angeles Daily News,August 29, 1950, pp. 2,12; "Turmoil Grips Red Hearing,"Los Angeles Examiner,August 30, 1950, clippingRHC; "Tie votestalls 'little Mundť," People'sWorld, August 30, 1950, pp. 3, 10; "Red Sign-up Measure Stirs Row in Council," Los Angeles Times,August 30, 1950, Pt I: 1, 7; "LA. Council Should Act Immediatelyon Anti-Red Ordinance,"Los Angeles Heraldand Express,August 31, 1950 clippingRHC. 21 Minutes of the City Council, September6, 1950, Council File #43923; "City council row delaysvote on Red law one week," Los Angeles Daily News,September 6, 1950, pp. 2, 44; John Hunt and Dan Swinton, "Battle Holds Up City Ordinance to RegisterCommies," Los Angeles Mirror,September 6, 1950, p. 4; "Roybal Blocks Action On Red Registration,"Los Angeles Examiner,September 7, 1950, clipping RHC; "Roybal Attackedby Davenport," CaliforniaEagle, September8, 1950, p. 1. COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 481

Davenportwith State Senator Jack Tenney, examininga copy of People's World, at the September6 CommunistRegistration Ordinance hearing.Courtesy Herald Examiner Collection/LosAngeles Public Library. Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020

In contrastto theprevious sessions, the second readingof the ordinanceon September13 was quiet and orderly. Roybal bitterlydenounced Commu- nism but pointed that the Council shouldnot attempt to "fightCommunism [by] sacrifice[ing] our Democracy." The city'sCommunist Registration Ordinance was partof "a greattide of ter- rorcreeping across the nation leaving in itswake a near-chaosof hysteria and paralysisof moral principle."Though perhaps insignificantand certainly unpopular-Roybal called his dissenthis "own [political]death warrant"- his opposition"must be takenwhile time and civilliberties remain." Communist registrationwas approved13-1, withRoybal still in opposition.Davenport was graciousin his victory,possibly moved by Roybal'simpassioned speech. He assuredRoybal that he wouldsupport Roybal's right to dissentand oppose anyattempted political reprisals that would penalizeRoybal for his opinion. Two days later,"Frank Observer" of the Daily Newslauded Roybal'sstand againstthe ordinanceand commendedDavenport for allowing dissent: "It is to Davenporťs creditthat he did this."Though the threeordinances were signed by Mayor Bowron that afternoon,they were never enforced.The countyordinance was foundunconstitutional by the SuperiorCourt in Feb- 22 ruary1951.

22Minutes of the City Council, September 13, 1950,Council File #43923, City Archives; "Councilmen vote Red registration,"Los AngelesDaily News, September 13, 1950,pp. 1, 4; Roybal'scomments to theCity Coun- cil,September 13, 1950,"A weekago today. . . ," 5 pp.,in EdwardRoybal Collection, Box 8, SpecialCol- lections,UCLA, also in CouncilFile #43923, City Archives, "Red Sign-upOrdered by City Council," Los AngelesTimes, September 14, 1950, Pt.I: p. 1; FrankObserver, "Lauds Roybal's courage for voting against Red Proposal,"Los AngelesDaily News, September 15, 1950,p. 13; Ordinances97018, 97019, and 97020, in EdwardRoybal Collection, Box 8, SpecialCollections, UCLA, also in CouncilFile #43923, City Archives, "County'sRed RegisterLaw Held Illegal,"Los AngelesTimes, February 28, 1951. 482 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY Rent Control, Recall Attempt,and Reelection In January1950, the Los AngelesTenants Council was formedin order to maintainthe federalrent controls that had been in effectsince 1942. Its constituentorganizations were the AFL CentralLabor Council, the Greater Los AngelesCIO Council, the InternationalAssociation of Machinists,the NationalAssociation for the Advancementof Colored People,the Commu- Labor the Los nityServices Organization, the Jewish Committee, Angeles Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 CountyClub ofAdult Blind, and the RetailClerks Local 770. The Tenants Councilwas a labor-liberalcoalition in whichthe unions played a centraland dominaterole. "It's Labor Unions likeyours," wrote "A C.I.O. RentPayer" to AlbertLunceford of the CIO, "and men ofyour ilk ... thatwill bringon a TAX STRIKE of owners-then get out yourhammer & sickleflags and pic- turesof Joe!"23 At a February6, 1950 City Council meeting,Burton E. Edwardsof the ApartmentOwners Associationargued that rent controls were "un-Ameri- can," Davenport,according to the PeoplesWorld, "caught the 'un-American'

23"Brief History of the Los AngelesTenants Council," no date,in theLos AngelesCounty Federation of Labor Collection,Record Group 2, [Box241, Housing File #2, Urban Archives, California State University atNorth- ridge(hereinafter CSUN); "A C.I.O. RentPayer" to AlbertLunceford, filed April 28, 1950, Los Angeles CountyFederation of Labor Collection, ibid.

Davenportreceives a letterfrom his constituents asking for his supportto retainrent control, с Christmas1949. Los AngelesDaily News, courtesySpecial Collections,Ü.C.LA. COUNCILMAN ED J,DAVENPORT 483 phraselike a parchedman reachingfor a drink."He had, duringthe previous days,voiced his oppositionto decontrol,but now he was an advocate:"I wouldvote to decontrolright now." On February9 the City Council appro- priated$25,000 to undertakea housingvacancy survey which, when com- pletedin April,found a verytight 2.6% vacancyrate. Landlords, quibbling oversurvey methodology, argued that there was actuallya non-critical4.2% rate.On thisbasis, it was requestedthat a generalhearing on rentdecontrol be held bythe Council.24 Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 Such a hearingtook place on July28, 1950, attendedby more than 2,500 people.The advocatesof decontrolhad as theirtheme the un-Americanism of rentregulation while tenants emphasized that, with the KoreanWar and the possibilityof World War III, controlsmust be maintained.When Naval CaptainJ.Y. Dannenberg offered testimony in supportof the latter,an irate Davenportdemanded to see thecaptain's credentials! Near theconclusion of the four-hoursession, George Cronk moved,seconded by Davenport,that thecity attorney prepare "forthwith" a resolution seeking decontrol. Ed Roy- bars vigorousopposition to decontrolwas dismissedby Davenportas the resultof Roybal'smulti-ethnic and workingclass 9th Districtbeing a "diffi- cultarea." By a voteof 10 (Davenport,Allen, Austin, Cronk, Davies, Debs, Holland,Timberlake, Warburton, and Henry)to 4 (Roybai,Hahn, Bennett, and Moore) margin,the Council adopteda resolutiondeclaring that a hous- ing shortageno longerexisted in the rentalmarket. The Federal Housing Expediternow had the ultimateauthority to liftcontrols.25 Addressingthe City Council on August14, FederalHousing Expediter TigheWoods suggesteda modificationto an abrupttermination of rentcon- trolin Los Angeles."Tighe Woods attemptto circumventthe legislative action ofthe CityCouncil's 10 to 4 voteto decontrolrents," stated Davenport, ". . . is a revoltingrevelation of just how bold and brash a Bureaucratcan be." Woods said that,despite his reservations,he would signthe decontrolorder upon his returnto Washington,D.C. The focusof Los Angeles'rent decon- trolbattle then moved to the federalcourts of the nation'scapital. Maxwell 24 JackYoung, "Bowron put on rentlid spot,"People's World, February 6, 1950, p. 3; PeacockResearch Associ- ates,Housing Occupancy Survey, commissioned by the City Council, Los Angeles,10 April,1950, in the Los AngelesCounty Federation of LaborCollection, Record Group 2, (Box 24], HousingFile #2,Urban Archives,CSUN; "Commentson Resultsof Peacock Research Associates Housing Occupancy Survey," n.d., Los AngelesCounty Federation of Labor Collection, ibid.; "Landlords cry for rent decontrol," People's World, April12, 1950,p. 1. 25 Minutesof theCity Council, July 28, 1950,Council File #40909 (sup. 1), CityArchives; "Taxpayers: They RevoltBoth Ways," Los AngelesHerald and Express, July 28, 1950,pp. A-l-3; "LA. RentControl Lifted by 10-4 CityCouncil Vote," Los Angeles Examiner, July 29, 1950,p. 1; "CityCouncil Votes Decontrol of Rents," Los AngelesTimes, July 29, 1950,Pt. I: 1, 2; VirginiaGardner, "LA decontrolnow up to TigheWoods," Peo- ple'sWorld, July 31, 1950,pp. 3, 10. 484 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY Millerand the Los AngelesTenants' Council broughtsuit to enjoinWoods fromsigning the City Council's rentdecontrol resolution. The consequent temporaryrestraining order was dissolvedby Federal Judge Burnita Matthews on August 28 and then reinstatedon September1 as the U.S. Court of Appeals issued a temporaryinjunction against Woods. On October 12 yet anotherinjunction restraining Woods was issued in Washington,D.C. municipalcourt. Los Angeleslandlord, Frank W. Babcock,then brought suit againstWoods to forcehim to sign the decontrolresolution. The U.S. Cir- Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 cuitCourt of Appeals ruled in Babcock'sfavor on November16, following whichBabcock notified his tenantsto expectan at least90% increasein their rents.This rulingproved short-lived as, on November24, the U.S. Circuit Court ofAppeals dismissedBabcock v. Woods.26 Through all legal proceedings,Housing ExpediterTighe Woods had steadfastlyrefused to sanctionthe Council's resolution. He reiteratedhis posi- tion in a letterto City Council president,Harold Henry,revealed on Octo-

26"Rent Control in LA. to EndThursday," Los AngelesHerald and Express, August 14, 1950,pp. A-l, 5; "State- mentby Councilman Ed. J. Davenport," August 14, 1950,Council File # 40909 (sup.5), CityArchives; "LA. TenantsLose DecontrolBattle," Los AngelesDaily 'News, August 28, 1950, pp. 1, 42; Millerv. Woods,185 F.2d499, October6, 1950; "U.S. CourtOrder Halts LA.'s RentDecontrol," Los AngelesMirror, Septem- ber1 , 1950, pp. B-21; Babcockv. Woods, 93 Fed.Supp. 830 (November6, 1950); "OrderRent Lid Lifted Nov. 24," Los AngelesMirror, November 17, 1950, p. 4; Woodsv. Babcock,185 F.2d 508, November24, 1950; "RentControl Stays in LA.," Los AngelesMirror, November 24, 1950,p. A.

Davenportconfronts Max Millerin Council Chambers,November 15, 1950. CourtesyHerald Examiner Collection/LosAngeles Public Library. COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 485 Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020

Davenportresponds to TigheWoods letter,October 24, 1950. CourtesyHerald ExaminerCollection/Los AngelesPublic Library.

ber 24, accusingthe CityCouncil of notconducting a properpublic hearing on rentcontrol. In response,Davenport moved that the U.S. AttorneyGen- eral investigateWoods for"the usurpation of the powersof Congress."Rent controlwould remainin Los Angelesuntil December 20, 1950, when Presi- dentTruman signed an act of Congressthat, while continuing national rent controlsfor three more months, specifically sanctioned the resolutionof the Los AngelesCity Council. "It is mysincere hope," said Woods, expressing his distastefor the taskof signingthe decontrolorder, "that the landlordsof Los Angeleswill show more considerationfor their tenants than the City Council has shown forthe welfareof the people of Los Angeles." From a somewhatdifferent perspective, Davenport declared: "The signingof the rent decontrolmeasure is an emancipationact forthe small propertyowners just as importantas was the EmancipationAct of 1863."27 Seekingto electorallypunish the recalcitrantCity Fathers,the Tenanťs Council had called a meetingon August2 in orderto instigatea recallmove- mentagainst decontrol-leaders Davenport and Don Allen. More than 1,000

27 "RentControl Stays; LA. CouncilRapped," Los AngelesMirror, October 24, 1950,p. 2; "NearRiot Erupts in L.A. Council,"ibid.; handwritten motion by Ed. J.Davenport, October 24, 1950,Council File #40909 (sup. 1), CityArchives; Richard Baisden, "Labor Unions in Los AngelesPolitics" (Ph.D. diss.,University of Chicago,1958), p. 345; "RentControl Ended in LA. byExpediter," Los AngelesTimes, December 21, 1950, Pt I: 1; "'Closed' SignHangs On ControlOffice," ibid. 486 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY people metat the RetailClerks* Union Hall at 225 NorthVermont Avenue. About 300 peopleoverflowed into the banquet hall and finallyonto theside- walk,where they listened to theproceedings on loudspeakers."I welcomethis challengeto myright to votemy conscience as an American,"responded Dav- enportin Council chambers."I don'twant to stayin officeif I have to bow to thevoices of fellowtravelers . . ." "No communistsin thisorganization," retortedMax Miller,"no politicians."Refusing to be quoted as theyfeared "Davenporťsvituperation" on theCouncil floor,several councilmen opined Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 to the Mirror,off the record,that Davenporťs bluster during the concurrent CommunistRegistration hearings was an attemptto take the heat offthe recallmovement. "If recallis the priceI have to payfor not knuckling to the Commies,"responded Davenport to HarrySteinberg, legislative analyst of theCommunist Party in southernCalifornia, who made thesame accusations in Council chambers,"well then, thaťs all rightwith me." In NovemberDav- enportlashed back at the instigatorsof his recallby movingthat the Grand Jurybe askedto investigatepossible violations of the FederalSecurity Act by officersof theTenants' Council.28 On August1 7 Davenportdeclared that, as part of a "vilificationcam- paign,"officers of the Tenants'Council had claimedthat the pro-decontrol citycouncilmen had been paid fortheir votes at the priceof $10,000 each. He accusedthe officersof the Tenants' Council, particularly Maxwell Miller, ofbehaving suspiciously like Communists. Having heard rumors of such alle- gationsof bribery, Councilman Ernest E. Debs askedthe County Grand Jury and the districtattorney to investigatethe charges.On September16 Daily News columnistDrew Pearson reportedthat Mayor Bowron, at a private breakfastwith a housingofficial in Washington,D.C., told the officialthat he suspectedthat some councilmenof receivingbribes in connectionwith therent decontrol vote. The mayorrequested the official to askthe U.S. Attor- neyGeneral to ordera federalgrand jury investigation. "In all my20 yearsin publiclife," Bowron was quoted by Pearson,"I have neverseen a citycoun- cil likethis one." Davenportretorted that the mayor had "sneakilyslandered" the Council and assertedcollusion between Bowron and Tighe Woods to blockrent decontrol.29

28 "TenantsStart Recall Movement," Los AngelesTimes, August 3, 1950,Pt. I: 8; "DecontrolFoes Hitas 'Rack- eteers',"ibid.; "L.A. RentRow Gets Confused," Los AngelesMirror, August 3, 1950,p. 3; "Recallof realty stoogespushed," People's World, August 21, 1950,p. 3; "RedsRiot in LA. OverRegistration," Los Angeles Mirror,August 31, 1950,pp. 2, 12; "Citycouncil row delays vote on Red lawone week,"Los AngelesDaily News,September 6, 1950,pp. 2, 44; JohnHunt, "Davenport Demands U.S. Probeof LA. Tenants'Council 'Taping',"Los AngelesMirror, November 15, 1950,p. 2. COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 487 As the 1951 municipalelections approached, displeasure with both Dav- enportas wellas theCity Council had been expressedfrom the left, liberals, and laborunions. "It is mysincere wish," wrote the serviceofficer of theVet- eransof ForeignWars to Roybal,offering his supportin the upcomingelec- tion,"that the ten councilmenthat VOTE fordecontrol suffer the torments ofthe damned before they pass outof this life." Yet the recall attempts against Davenportand Allen had fizzleddue bothto personaland politicalsquabbling amongthe constituents of the Tenants' Council as wellas itstop-heavy orga- Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 nizationalstructure. "The Los Angeleslabor movement," wrote Richard Bais- den, "exercisingto the fullestits democraticright to cudgel itselfinto impotency,completely bungled the political aspects of the rent control fight."30 "So farthe dislikehas been expressedin a lot of talk and littleaction," observedJack Young of the mood ofthe 12th Districtin the 1951 municipal primaries."If the anti-Davenportforces get together behind one candidate, however,they can givethe councilman a roughride." Davenport was opposed bythree candidates: Richard L Newton,Wayne McFarland, and JohnPayne. Newton,the strongestcontender, was an activeRepublican though an advo- cateof rentcontrol, the FEPC, and publichousing. He had the endorsement of theAFL VotersLeague as wellas the GreaterLos AngelesCIO Council- thoughthey contributed only token material support in thecampaign- while theAFL Teamsters,the municipalworkers, and the firemenbroke organized labor'sranks and recommendedDavenport. Being an opponentof rentcon- trolhad won Davenportthe backingof the Small PropertyOwners League which,as he publiclyacknowledged, substantially supported his reelection. His campaignemphasized both his positivecontributions to the cityas well as a willingnessto immersehimself in redbaiting.31 29 "Minutesof the City Council," August 1 7, 1950,Council File #40909 (sup. 1), City Archives; "Statement made byCouncilman Ed. J.Davenport on theCouncil Floor," August 17 1950, ibid.(sup. 5); "Debs Hits Rent DecontrolBribe Rumors," Los AngelesHerald and Express,August 17,1950, p. B-l; DrewPearson, "'Bribe' hintedin Washingtonhousing talk," Los AngelesDaily News, September 16, 1950, pp. 1, 8; "Davenport HurlsCharges at Bowronin RentRow," Los AngelesMirror, September 18, 1950,pp. A-9. 30 ArthurJ. Maher to Roybal,March 2, 1951,Edward Roybal Collection, Box 16, SpecialCollections, UCLA; Baisden,"Labor Unions in Los AngelesPolitics," p. 249. 31 JackYoung, "Free-for-all looms in LA municipalelections," People's World, January 8, 1951, p. 5; Frank Observer,"CIO backs4 CityCouncil incumbents," Los AngelesDaily News, March 12, 1951,p. 14; Henry Santiestevan,CIO PoliticalAction Committee, to RichardL Newton,March 14, 1951, in theLos Angeles CountyFederation of Labor Collection, Record Group 1 , Box 11, Folder22, UrbanArchives, CSUN; Santi- estevanto Davenport,March 15, 1951, ibid.;John Hunt, The Watchman,"Davenport Almost Perpetual Motion,"Los AngelesTimes, March 25, 1951, Pt.I: 38; "Davenport,Debs FaceHot Fights," Los AngelesMir- ror,March 26, 1951,p. 26;Jack Young, "Pro-fascists busy muddying LA electionissues," People's World, March 28, 1951,p. 10; Baisden,"Labor Unions in Los AngelesPolitics," pp. 354-356; "LaborGroup Pushes New- tonFor Council in 12thDistrict," Los AngelesCitizen, March 30. 1951,p. 10; "LaborUnits Indorse Dav- enport,"Los AngelesExaminer, undated clipping, March 1951, RHC. 488 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY Amidsta lightvoter turnout, Davenport was easilyre-elected at theApril 3 primary.His foeson theleft diffused their energy, attacking the incumbent butnot uniting in favorof one particularcandidate. Davenport epitomized the conservativeCouncil of 1951. Both he and his fellowcouncilmen had found thatthey could repudiateliberals and theleft by voting down the FEPC and votingfor Communist Registration. With rent decontrol, they found that they could do so withoutfear of effectivesanctions, thus setting the stagefor the ensuingpublic housingwar. The resultsof the 1951 municipalelections, Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 bemoaned the CIO, "meantno victoryfor organized labor." Assessing the configurationof the newly-electedCouncil, JackYoung of Peoples World wrotethat "with 'Red Rider'Davenport in thesaddle, you can expectan erup- tionof novel,if not new, witch hunting techniques."32

Public Housing and the Slandering of Roybal

Despite his exploitationof the 1946 SidneyBurke incident, Davenport had been a staunchproponent of public housing. He had, in 1945, expressed interestin an appointmentto theNational Housing Authority and, in August 1949, accompaniedMayor Bowron toWashington, D.C. in orderto confirm the citys 10,000 unitcontract obtained under the HousingAct of 1949. "I don't like publichousing," Davenport asserted, "but thereare a lot of basic thingsthat the governmenthas to do to improveconditions." At the timeof the City HousingAuthority's (CHA) projectsite acquisition approval by the CityCouncil in November1 950, theTimes reported that Councilmen Hahn and Davenport"appeared as two of those mostvociferously in favorof the public housing deal." CHA-employees Frank Wilkinson and Ed Lybeck would authorpro-public housing speeches for Davenport as well as other sympatheticcouncilmen. Questioned as to his attitudetoward public housing bythe CIO as partof theirpolitical assessment of the 1951 municipalcandi- dates,Davenport responded that he had "doneeverything to promote&l pro- tectour $100,000,000 PublicHousing program,... & have appearedas a speakerbefore many opposing groups to sell the PublicHousing program."33

32"1 2 of1 5 CityCouncilmen re-elected," Los AngelesDaily News, April 3, 1951 , p. 4; "LeftistVote Fails to Oust Davenport,"Los AngelesHerald and Express, April 4, 1951, p. A-3; "TwoContests Loom for Council Seats," Los AngelesMirror, April 4, 1951,pp. 3, 14; "L.A.election no victoryfor labor," Labor Herald, June 5, 1951, p. 6; JackYoung, "A look(ugh!) at thenew LA council,"People's World, July 9, 1951, p. 6. 33 Davenportto Ed and RuthLybeck, May 29, 1945,in Ed and RuthLybeck Collection, Box 2, Folder7, Special Collections,UCLA; "CouncilVotes 12-1 forPublic Housing," Los AngelesTimes, November 23, 1950,Pt. I: 2; "CouncilmenBlock Housing Study Site," Los AngelesTimes, November 25, 1950,Pt I: 2; Interviewwith FrankWilkinson, June 26, 1996, taped copy in possession of the author; "Questionnaire for Candidates for City Councilin theLos AngelesMunicipal Election: Councilman Ed J.Davenport," no date,in theLos Angeles CountyFederation of Labor Collection, Record Group 1 , Box 11 , Folder22, UrbanArchives, CSUN. COUNCILMAN ED J,DAVENPORT 489

Panelfrom a News Daily Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 politicalcartoon, "Public Housingin One Easy Lesson,"illustrating Ed's new-foundand -public housingstance. Reprintedin theLos AngelesCitizen, April 18, 1952. (His conver- sionwas actuallyin November,not Decem- ber.)

In November1951, Davenportunderwent a sudden and totalrepostur- ingmaking, wrote John Rossmore in Frontier,"the farfetched claim the [pub- lic housing]projects would actuallycost $301 million."The councilman abruptlyterminated his supportof the programto become its most rabid opponent.His "noisy,vacuous statesmanshiphas done much to make the city'slegislative body a laughingstock," complained Rossmore. "Public Hous- ingis a big stepin the directionof Socialismand thatis one of the thingswe are tryingto stay away from these days," wrote E.R. Thrapp, executive vice-presidentof the SouthernCalifornia Building and Loan Association,to Davenport,commending the councilman'snew-found anti-housing posi- tion."I hope to see you at GeorgeWorsteds party," he added. H. Bock wrote to Davenport:"Keep up thewonderful good work,to help fightand win this battleagainst this Russian Communistic Socialistic Housing Project, which is tryingto destroyour freedom,liberty, and our freeenterprise system."34 The AFL saw Davenportas "Two-Sides Eddie,"doing a soft-shoedance 34 JohnR. Rossmore,"Los AngelesBetrayed," Frontier, 3 (February 1952): 25; E.R.Thrapp to Davenport,Decem- ber 11, 1951, in CouncilFile #30966 (attachments), City Archives; H. Bockto Davenport,December 15, 1951,ibid. 490 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY "to thetune of Big Business." Organized labor was angered,though not overly surprised,at the councilman'sdubious about-face."Davenport has often been on each side ofa controversy,"declared the CHA's FrankWilkinson to the CentralLabor Council, "and frequentlyon both sides."The motivation forthe sudden reversal of his publichousing advocacy was regardedwith skep- ticism."It was the generalconsensus," wrote Richard Baisden, "that Daven- port's change of heart had not been based entirelyon principle."The Council's eight-memberanti-public housing bloc- the "Davenportgroup"- Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 votedon December26 to adopta resolutionin whichthe 1949 federalpub- lic housingcontract was "rejected,rescinded, canceled and annulled."35 The CHA fileda petitionfor a writof mandate with the California State SupremeCourt in orderto forcethe CityCouncil to complywith the provi- sionsof the 1949 agreement.On April28, 1952, theCourt did so, rulingthat the city"had no rightor powerto rescindthe approvalof the projector to cancel or abrogatethe agreements."With the "Davenportgroup" constitut- ingthe majority, the Council stillrefused to undertakethe tasks required for theconstruction of the projects. On August5 theCHA fileda briefwith the court,asking that the Council, by refusingto obey the writof mandate,be judged in contemptof courtand finedand imprisoned.Worse thingscould happen to a publicofficial, stated Davenport, "rather than cravenlysurren- der to the browbeatingof a bureaucracy[CHA] bent upon breakingdown individualfreedom and substitutingnational socialism for the American way of life."36 It was duringthe city'spublic housing war that the bombastic redbaiting of Davenportwould reachits zenith. In August1952, he assertedthat Com- munistshad infiltratedthe CHA and were"committed to a campaignof ter- rorismagainst all councilmenopposing the Socialisticproject." They had even, revealedDavenport, "threatened my poor ailingmother back in Mc- Keesport,Pa." Followingthe refusalof the CHA's FrankWilkinson- testify-

35"4Two-Sides Eddie' Does Soft-ShoeGlide- You Pay,"Los AngelesCitizen, December, 21, 1951,p. 1; Baisden, "LaborUnions in Los AngelesPolitics," p. 363; CityClerk to MayorBowron, December 26, 1951,in Coun- cil File#39066, sup. 1, CityArchives; City Clerk to CHA, December26, 1951,ibid. 36 "SlumClearance Dispute goes to SupremeCourt Today, Los AngelesCitizen, January 11 , 1952,pp. 1, 5; Hous- ingAuthority of the City of Los Angelesv. Cityof Los Angeles(38 C.2d 853; 243 P.2d 51 5), April 1952; ArtWhite, "ContemptOrder Faces Council in HousingFight," Los AngelesMirror, August 8, 1952,pp. 2, 14. In April 1953, the Supreme Court of California ordered the Council to comply with the writ of mandate though no fines wereimposed on thecouncilmen for their previous noncompliance. Justice Carter concurred with the major- ity'sreasoning and ruling,yet he believedthat punishment should be imposedon theCouncil for refusal to obeythe writ. "The recordof this case presentsa sordidpicture of political intrigue and chicanery. . . ," he wrote,"[toi obstruct, delay and defeatthe housing project contemplated by said contract" Housing Authority of theCity of Los Angeles v. City of Los Angeles (40 Cal.2d 682; 256 P.2d4), April1 953, p. 11 . COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 491 Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020

Ed rantsand ravesin vacatedCouncil Chambers, September 4, 1952. Los AngelesTimes, courtesySpecial Collections,U.C. LA. ingin Los AngelesCounty Superior Court on August29 duringcondemna- tionproceedings for the proposedpublic housing project in Chavez Ravine- to divulgehis membershipin politicalorganizations, Davenport introduced a resolution,voted for 10-0, to have the House Un-AmericanActivities Com- mittee(HUAC) investigatethe CHA. Laterin September,Davenport warned of a Communistinvasion of City Hall.37 On September3, 1952, CouncilmanDavenport attempted to introduce a resolutioncalling on thecity attorney to advisethe Council as to meansand waysto combatthe publichousing program modification of the pastAugust. The resolutionnamed MayorBowron and CHA executivedirector Howard Holtzendorffas "co-conspirators."When the wordingof the resolutionwas questioned,with the suggestionthat it be toned-down,Davenport became extremelyagitated. Councilman Kenneth Hahn asked the sergeant-at- arms to keepan eyeon Davenport,remarking "I thinkhe is goingberserk." Coun-

37Don Parson,"Los Angeles' Headline-Happy Public Housing War," Southern California Quarterly, 65 (Fall1983): 251-285; "CommiesInfiltrate LA. HousingAuthority," Los AngelesHerald and Express,Augusto, 1952, p. A-2; "HousingWar Death Threat Told," Los AngelesMirror, August 6, 1952, p. 12; "LA. HousingAide Sus- pendedas CouncilDemands Red Quiz," Los AngelesExaminer, August 30, 1952,pp. 1, 5; "RedProbe Asked as HousingMan ShunsLA. Quiz,"Los Angeles Mirror, August 30, 1952,pp, 3, 10; September2, 1952Coun- cil Resolution,in CouncilFile #5491 7, CityArchives. 492 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY cilmanEdward Roybal took the floor and statedthat Davenport's resolution was notbased on fact."I resentthat!" Davenport retorted, jumping to his feet Council PresidentHenry then instructed Davenport to takehis seat "If the gentlemanwill giveme permission,"Roybal volunteered to Henry,"Г11 set him down foryou." "He's been threateningme with physicalviolence," chargedDavenport with an allusionto stereotypicalMexican comportment, "evento the pointof a knife."In a 1997 interview,Kenneth Hahn said that Davenport'sslander was "themost vicious attack against a fellowcouncilman" Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 thathe had seen.38 The nextday the Council receiveda letterfrom the Mexican Chamber of Commerceprotesting "the vile, false,and defamatorystatement" that had been directedto Roybal,a MexicanAmerican, "in thesetawdry remarks of a politicaldemagogue . . ." Davenportleaped erect,screaming about the letter. "It looks likeI am goingto standalone on the housingissue," he shoutedas the restof the councilmen walked out ofthe chambers. Davenport then inco- herentlyraved for thirty- five minutes on thegeneral subject of public housing and subversives.Continually booing him, Davenport accused the audienceof spectatorsof beinga "bunchof lefties.""The man is evidentlyblowing his top,"said Councilman Don Allen,"and I'm goingto call forthe psycho ward." PoliceChief William Parker and two CityHealth Departmentdoctors subse- quentlyconfronted Davenport in Council chambers.The DailyNews editori- alized that Davenport'santics were a disgraceto the City Council, to the votersof the 12th District,and to the community:"He should be removed fromoffice immediately so thatthe seriousand importantbusiness of run- ning the thirdlargest city in Americamay proceed in an orderlyfashion unhamperedby sophomoric clowning." The conservativeHerald and Express urgedits readers to dismissDavenport's antics in theCouncil as a "frame-up" bya "stackeddeck of leftists."39

38Art White and Bob Johnson,"City Dad ThrowsWild Tantrum," Los AngelesMirror, September 3, 1952,pp. 3, 23; CarltonE. Williams,"Mayor Bowron Called As HousingWitness," Los AngelesTimes, September 4, 1952,Pt I: 1, 4; MagnerWhite, "Knifing Threat Charge In HotCouncil Row," Los AngelesExaminer, Sep- tember4, 1952, pp. 1,10; "RoybalRefuta un Cargodel Concejal Davenport," La Opinion,September 4, 1952, p. 8; EdwardR. Roybalinterview, October 10, 1996; KennethHahn interview,April 27, 1997. 3y ArmadoG. Torrez,Mexican Chamber of Commerce,to CityCouncil, September 3, 1952, in CouncilFile #54956,City Archives; Art White and BobJohnson, "Davenport Goes Wildat Council Session," Los Ange- les Mirror,September 4, 1952,pp. 2, 28; "CityCouncil 'Flees' As DavenportRages," Los AngelesDaily News, September4, 1952, pp. 1, 4; "DavenportHurls 'Gestapo' Charges," Los AngelesHerald and Express,Sep- tember5, 1952,p. A-2; "Defiendea Royballa Cámarade Comercio,"La Opinion,September 5, 1952,p. 8; "DavenportDice Que Defiendea los Mexicanos,"ibid., September 6, 1952,p. 7; "Davenportdisgraces Coun- cil,community," Los AngelesDaily News, September 5, 1952,p. 46; "The DavenportIncident," Los Ange- les Heraldand Express,September 6, 1952,p. B-2. COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 493 On September8, in a lengthyletter to theeditors of all Los Angelesnews- papers,Davenport turned to the pressin orderto explainhis actionsof Sep- tember4. Despite the polarityof his and Councilman Roybal's political philosophieson issuessuch as publichousing, rent control, FEPC and regis- trationof Communists, Davenport asserted that this "did not destroy a mutual admirationfor each otherand a measureof friendship." Their antagonistic rela- tionshipwas due to the factthat Roybal's district encompassed "large blocks Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 ofvarious racial and religiousminorities that offer fertile fields for the sowing of seeds ofdissension by Communists . . ." Davenportwas puzzledby the let- terfrom the Mexican Chamber of Commerce demanding his censurebecause "I am fighting... [to save] the homes of Mexican Americansin Chavez Ravine."He could not forgiveCouncilman Allen forcalling the doctorsand undulyworrying Davenporťs wife. Concern over his healthwas unwarranted as he was "followinga strictregime of diet, exercise and restunder the super- visionof my personal physician, Dr. D.V. Moore,who checksme everyweek. It is similarto the routineJudge Medina followedto keepat top physicaland mentalform in thelong grueling trial of the 11 top Communists."Finally, the councilmanasserted that the entire episode had been framedby the CHA and publichousing proponents to makehim "the target of the oldest smear attack in theCommunist functionaries' arsenal of poisonousdarts."40 Davenporťsaccusations of knife-wieldingon the partof fellow-council- man Ed Roybalaired the racialdivisiveness of the city.His slurconstituted "the mostvile kind of race baitingby a publicofficial of our City,"asserted JulieT. Green: "... I demand his immediateresignation." The Asociación Nacional México-Americanawrote to the Council that"a councilmanthat conductshimself in sucha mannerhas no businessrepresenting the people of Los Angeles.His lyingand maliciousstatements ... are a directinsult to the entireMexican colony residing in thiscity." The InternationalLadies Garment WorkersUnion feltthat Davenporťs "ravings and ragings" against Roybal indi- cated"the bigotry and hatredthat has warpedhis mind.. . . Perhapsif enough ofus protestthese assaults against public decency, it could become known that the people of Los Angelesdo not care forMr. Davenporťsunconscionable cavortingand thathe has the supportonly of that lunatic fringe for whom he

40 Ed J.Davenport, "An open letterto theeditors of all Los Angelesnewspapers" (9 pp.),September 8, 1952,in the Los AngelesExaminer Morgue, USC RegionalHistory Center. Harold Medina, to whomDavenport referred,was theU.S. DistrictCourt Trial Judge in whosecourtroom was heldthe 1949 prosecutionof 11 membersof the CPUSA's NationalCommittee for violation of the Smith Act. For an accountof this trial, theinterested reader may wish to see PeterL Steinberg,The Great "Red Menace": Prosecution of AmericanCommunists, 1947-1952 (Westport,Conn.: GreenwoodPress, 1984), Chapter 8. 494 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY appearsto be the solitaryspokesman." Mrs. M.E. Marcuswrote that, as a cit- izen of Los Angeles,she was ashamedof Davenporťsantics in the Council: "This is a case ofa man desperatelyneeding mental treatment. He is notmen- tallyfit to siton theCouncil." "I thinkit a shamethat we have a dirtystinker on theCouncil," wrote Lee RoyA. Hofftnan."This guyDAVENPORT should apologizeto Roybaland theMexican people" and theCouncil shouldask for his "immediateresignation for the betterment of the people of Los Angeles." Davenport,the DailyNews wryly observed, "is the man mostlikely not to be Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 votedMr. Popularityof 1952.41 Davenporťselectoral popularity was certainlyon thewane. In themunic- ipal electionsof the following Spring, he was vigorouslyopposed byRansom Callicott.A co-ownerof CliftonsCafeteria and a memberof the municipal Civil ServiceCommission, Callicott was consideredto be a politicalconser- vativeand thus of littleappeal to liberals,the left,or organizedlabor other than the facthe was not Davenport."A VOTE FOR CALLICOTT IS A VOTE AGAINST DAVENPORT!" theIndependent Progressive Party broad- sided the electorate."A VOTE AGAINST DAVENPORT IS A VOTE AGAINST HIGH-HANDED CONTEMPT FOR THE PEOPLE"S NEEDS!" The DailyNews urged the electionof Callicott-"a candidatewho offersthe cityso muchin theway of an improvementover the incumbent"- and reprintedtheir September 5, 1952 editorial(see above)which condemned Davenporťscouncilmanic behavior. The 12th Districtelection was, accord- ing to the Mirror,a battlebetween Davenporťs "rabid supporters and bitter enemies"in whichCallicott "has made it plain he is afterDavenporťs hide and will spareno horsesto defeathim." For his part,Davenport relied on the anti-Communism-now reachingfrenzied proportions- that had servedhim so wellin theprevious three elections. Praise for his anti-Communism,along with endorsements,came fromcivic leaders,the Small PropertyOwners League, the Southern CaliforniaRepublican Women, Pro-America,the Teamsters,and theVeterans Political League.42

41Julie T Greento CouncilmanHenry, n.d., in CouncilFile #54956, City Archives; Mauricio Terrazas, regional director,Asociación Nacional México-Americana to CityCouncil, September 8, 1952, ibid.;International LadiesGarment Workers Union to CouncilmanHenry, September 17, 1952,ibid.; Mrs. M.E. Marcusto City Council,n.d., ibid.; Lee RoyA. Hoffmanto CityCouncil, September 26, 1952, ibid.; "Davenport'Mr. Unpopularityof 1952' formouthings," Daily News, September 12, 1952,clipping RHC. 42"Davenport Must Go!", 1953 IPP circular, Records of the Independent Progressive Party and Californians for Lib- eralRepresentation, 1946-1975, Box 31 , Folder7, Special Collections, UCLA; "Davenportdisgraced LA.- elect Callicott!,"Los AngelesDaily News, (March 16, 1952),p. 10; "Davenport:'Welcomes Attack in IPP Circular," Los AngelesHerald and Express,March 18, 1953,p. A-16; ArtWhite, "Incumbent, Foe SlugIt Out In 12th District;3 Vie In 13th,"Los AngelesMirror, March 20, 1953,p. 24; FredArnold, "Joseph Scott Urges Daven- portRe-Election," Los AngelesHerald and Express, March 24, 1953,p. A-12; "DavenportAttacks Hit," ibid., April4, 1953,p. A-9; "HotContests Mark City Council Races," Los AngelesTimes, April 5, 1953,Pt. II: 2. COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 495 Of more than 27,000 votescast in the 12th Districton April 7, 1953, Davenportwas victoriousby a marginof less than400. Witha choicebetween two conservatives,nearly half of the electorate voted against Davenporťs red- baitinghistrionics. Still, Davenporťs reelection would mirrorthe fearof lib- eral and leftpolitics in the municipalarena. UNESCO proponentsfor the Board of Educationwere defeated, pro-public housing Mayor Bowron ran second to NorrisPoulson (and would be vanquishedin May's generalelec- tion),while the pro-publichousing councilmen now numberedonly four. Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 "Last Tuesdaysprimary elections in Los Angeles leftno doubt whatever," chortledthe Examiner,"of a strongpublic revulsion against the infiltrationof Socialistictendencies in the officiallife of our city."43

The Death of Davenport

On June23, 1953, Davenporthad dinnerwith his friendWally Schaefer, ownerof an ambulanceservice, and theydecided to attendthe initiationof Mayor-electPoulson into the Los AngelesBreakfast Club togetherearly the nextmorning. Spending the nightin the guestroom of his frienďsapart- ment,Davenport was founddead in bed by Schaeferat 7:30 the nextmorn- ing,following a phonecall fromMrs. HarriettDavenport inquiring about her husband.Ed was 54 yearsold and was to beginhis fifthterm on the Coun- cil on July1. Alcoholismwas doubtlesslythe primarycontributor to his demise thoughsome of his friendsmaintained that the long fightagainst Communismhad underminedthe councilman'shealth. The week priorto his deathhe had surprisedPaul V. Coates at lunchby ordering, instead of his usual straightliquor, a healthfulglass of milkin whichhe mixed a shot of vodka while complainingof being tiredand "just worn out." His autopsy revealedfluid in the brainand lungs(acute cerebral and pulmonaryedema) due to fattymetamorphosis of the liver.44 The CityCouncil adjourned on June24 afterlearning of Davenporťs death and orderedCity Hall flagsto be flownat half staff. Councilmen and civiclead- erspaid tributeby remembering him as a dynamicchampion of free enterprise and a colorfulpolitical figure. Mayor-elect Poulson praised Davenport as a vig- orous fighterin the battleagainst public housing: "I hateto lose such a man frommy team." Yet later in hismemoirs, Poulson stated, though Davenport was

43"Angelenos Turn Right," Los AngelesExaminer, April 9,1953, clipping RHC. 44"Ed Davenport,Councilman, Dies In Sleep,"Los AngelesMirror, June 24, 1953,pp. 2, 34; "CouncilmanEd J,Davenport Passes Away while Asleep," Los AngelesDaily Journal, June 25, 1953,CBF; "CouncilmanEd DavenportDies in Sleep,"Los AngelesTimes, June 25, 1953,Pt. I: 1, 4; PaulV. Coates,"Well, Medium and RARE,"Los AngelesMirror, June 25, 1953,p. 18; "Davenportdeath cause released," Los AngelesDaily News July10, 1953,CBF. 496 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA QUARTERLY Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020

The coronercollects Ed's body,June 24, 1953. CourtesyUS.C. RegionalHistory Center.

Davenport'sfuneral, Forest Lawn, Glendale. CourtesyUS.C. RegionalHistory Center. COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 497 a vociferouspartisan in hismayoral campaign, the councilman's dubious switch froma publichousing proponent to opponentcombined with reports that Poul- son was receivingregarding Davenporťs backers raised an "innerfear." Daven- port'sdeath, wrote Poulson, "removed that particular fear."45 "Davenportwill be mournedby some," observedthe Mirror'sPaul V. Coates. "And,even in death,he'll be scornedby others." Indeed. His untimely death,wrote the conservativeExaminer, "has Los of a valu-

deprived Angeles Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 able publicservant." The paperremembered him as one "who was singularly giftedwith courage,conviction, and an incisiveintelligence." The People's World,on theother hand, acknowledged the councilman's "gifts as an orator, buthe used themas a demagog[sic]'1 Davenport was recalledas the council- man"who deserted the liberal position on whichhe was firstelected to become the darlingof the town's neo-fascists."For newspapers,bemoaned Coates, Davenportwas good copy:"The death of CouncilmanEd Davenportleaves ourcity suddenly without any colorful politicians. It's a loss thatwill be keenly feltby columnists in searchof a column."46 Davenport'sfuneral services were held at the Churchof the Recessional at ForestLawn Memorial-Parkon June26. In attendancewere more than 300 mourners,including Edward Roybal,, Ransom Callicott, Mrs. MargaretDavenport, mother of the late councilman,and his brother, formerPennsylvania, Congressman Harry Davenport. He was eulogizedas a foeof publichousing, a defenderof freeenterprise, and a fallenwarrior who had been engagedin the war on Communism."The cityhas indeed lost a champion. . . ," observedCouncilman George Cronk in farewell.Davenport was "a fighterwho made everyonethankful who happenedto be on his side. . . . God, in His infinitewisdom, has takenhim from our midst,but his deeds will neverbe erased.""I am not hereto eulogizeMr. Davenport,"reflected Dr. JamesW. Fifield,Jr. "He has writtenhis own eulogy.... He gavehis life to his countryjust the same as had he fallenon a Korean battlefield.""He probablydeserves a Flag on his casket,"Fifield was quoted bythe Times,"as muchas anysoldier who has died on the battlefield."47

Post-Mortem Politics

Davenport'sdeath, just a weekprior to Poulson's1953 mayoralinaugura-

45"Death Brings Adjournment ofCity Council," Los AngelesTimes, June 25, 1953,Pt I: 4; NorrisPoulson, "Who WouldHave Ever Dreamed?," the memoirs of Norris Poulson, Special Collections, UCLA, 1966,p. 192. 46 PaulV. Coates,"Well, Medium and RARE," Los Angeles Mirror, June 25, 1953,p. 18; "DavenportMourned," Los AngelesExaminer, June 25, 1953,RHC; "Davenportfound dead in bed,"People's World, June 25, 1953,pp. 3, 6. 4/ DavenportFuneral Held, Los AngelesExaminer, June 27, 1953,RHC; EulogiesVoiced For Ed Davenport, Los AngelesTimes, June 27, 1953,Pt II: 1. 498 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY tion,had leftthe Council evenlydivided between 7 conservativeand 7 liberal members.With the scheduledelection of Council president,conservatives soughtthe immediate appointment of someone to fillDavenporťs vacant seat The obviouschoice was therunner-up in the 12th Districtrace, Ransom Cal- licott,who had pledgedhis supportto thereigning conservative Council pres- ident,Harold Henry.The conservativesappeared dominant with erstwhile liberalGordon Hahn switchinghis supportto Henry.With the Council slated to fillDavenporťs seat on June29, the six remainingliberals- Councilmen Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 Debs, Allen, Roybal,Gibson, Timberlakeand Warburton-went A.W.O.L, denyingthe Council a quorumand thusthe abilityto appointa conservative successorto Davenport.President Henry issued a "callof the Council," order- ing PoliceChief William Parker to roundup the truantcouncilmen, in what People5 Worldcalled "theweirdest manhunt in Los Angelescity history as the feudin',fussin', fightin' city council engaged in civilwar." Six policewarrant officerswere unsuccessful in locatingtheir quarry by June 30 but,reported the Mirror,"they have been royallyentertained by the wives of the missingmem- bers-withfood and a comfortableplace to sit."48 With the seatingof the newCouncil on July1, theliberal bloc returned. A stormyCouncil sessionon July2 setJuly 1 3 as the date to name Daven- porťs successor.Callicott appeared to be the frontrunner, but HarriettDav- enport had announced that she would be willing to serve out her late husbanďs termdue to thetype of campaign that Callicott had wagedthe past April.The followingday the Council brokeits conservative-liberal deadlock byelecting Councilman John S. Gibson,Jr. of the 15th District-a liberal-in a surprise"harmony" move suggestedby Gordon Hahn. On July7 Gibson announced liberal appointmentsto key positions.The electionof a new Council presidentand the illnessof Councilman Earle D. Bakerappeared to place the issue of Davenporťssuccessor on the back burner.The citizensof the 12th District,lacking Council representationfor nearly two months, insistedthat the Council takeaction. On September1 thevacancy was finally filledby the appointmentof Mrs. Davenport.Supported by women's clubs, veteransand civicorganizations, as well as such groupsas Pro-Americaand

48 ArtWhite, "Davenport's Death Poses City Puzzle," Los Angeles Mirror, (June 25, 1 953), pp. 4, 27;Carlton Williams, "DavenportDeath Stirs Politics in CityHall," Los AngelesTimes, June 25, 1953,Pt I: 4; ArtWhite, "Council Splitson Successorto Davenport;Debs Boycotts,"Los Angeles Mirror, June 26, 1953,pp. 7, 22; "CouncilSlates Actionto FillDavenport Post," Los Angeles Times, June 27, 1953,CBF; "CopsHunt 'Truant' Councilmen," Los AngelesMirror, June 29, 1953,pp. 7, 43; "Missing:6 LA citycouncilmen," People's World, June 30, 1953,p. 3; ArtWhite, "City Councilmen 's Hide and Seek Game Continues," Los Angeles Mirror, June 30, 1953,pp. 3, 23. COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 499 Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020

Mrs.Harriett Davenport is escortedto herCouncil seat by Councilmen Ernest Debs, EarleBaker, Gordon Hahn, Harold Harby, and HaroldHenry, September 1, 1953. Los AngelesTimes Archives, Courtesy Special Collections.

HarrietDavenport is presentedwith a Councilresolution in appreciationof her serviceby Council President John Gibson, Jr. and CouncilmanHarold Henry, July 1, 1955. CourtesyU.S.C. RegionalHistory Center. 500 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY theSmall PropertyOwners League, she pledged"to standwhere my husband stood and I will checkhis votingrecord as a guide."49 HarriettDavenport did not seek reelectionat the end of her appointed termin 1955 so thatshe could devotemore time to herailing sister. Her polit- ical career,in contrastto thatof her husband, was quiteplacid and devoidof rabid anti-Communism.Cohorts Edward Roybal and Kenneth Hahn rememberedher as a and a who

charmingperson verygood councilperson Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 sharedher husband's political knowledge and savvybut nothis abrasiveness. Harriettwas praisedby a Council resolutionfor her able and conscientious serviceto the 12th District.Following the 1955 municipalelections, she was succeededby Ransom Callicott. Harriett was appointedto the city'sPension Commissionin July1955, servingthere until she retiredin August1961 . She thenmoved back to herroots in WhatcomCounty, Washington, where she died on July23, 1976. She was buriednext to Ed at ForestLawn, Glendale.50 In December1953, upon terminatingher late-husband'sjoint tenancy, Mrs. Davenporthad announceda $57,570 inheritancecontained in three bank accountsand a safedeposit box. The widowexplained the magnitude ofthis sum as a resultof thrift and hoarding.In a tax suitheld at the Federal DistrictCourt in November1955, the governmentcharged the Davenports of failingto reporttheir complete income. To the InternalRevenue Service, Harriettrevealed that $41,402 of the estatewas to be accountedas "giftsof money"which she and herhusband never reported, believing that such "gifts" did not constitutetaxable income. Mrs. Davenport,according to the 1RS, "wellknew she had derivedincome in excessofthat reported." "This money was receivedby Ed fromJuly 1, 1949 until his death-$14,861 in 1949, $8,544 in 1950, $11,706 in 1951, $6,619 in 1952, and $6,295 in 1953- thoughno specificdonors were named. The 1RS billedthe Davenportestate for$12,374 in back taxes.51

49"Hint Debs to BackHenry in Council,"Los AngelesExaminer, July 3, 1953,pp. 1, 2; "LA. CouncilDeadlock Ends;Gibson Elected," Los AngelesMirror, July 3, 1953,pp. 3, 10; JohnHunt, "'Liberals' to RuleKey Com- mitteePosts of Council," ibid. (July 7,1953), p. 4; "VotersUrge Council Elect New Member,"Los Angeles Heraldand Express,August 26, 1953,p. A-8; "Mrs.Davenport gets council job," People'sWorld, September 2, 1953,p. 3; "DavenportWidow Gets Council Seat," Los AngelesTimes, September 2, 1953,CBF. 50 "6 Councilmento Run;Mrs. Davenport to Quit," Los Angeles Examiner, December 14, 1954,CBF; "Mrs.Dav- enportPraised in Council Resolution," Los Angeles Times, July 1, 1955,CBF; EdwardRoybal interview, Octo- ber1 0, 1986; KennethHahn interview, April 27, 1997; MCLS toThousand Oaks PublicLibrary, Re: Harriett Davenport,December 8, 1997,in possessionof Don Parson;Seattle Public Library to Don Parson,Re: Har- riettDavenport. December 27, 1997. ibid. 51 "$57,570 LeftWidow," Los AngelesHerald and Express,December 2, 1953, RHC; "Mrs. DavenportAsks $57,570Joint Tenancy Terminated," Los Angeles Examiner, December 3, 1953,RHC; "U.S. settlesTax Claim on Ed DavenportEstate," Los AngelesMirror-News, November 29, 1955,p. 10; "Taxsuits airs 'money gifts' " unreportedby Davenport, People'sWorld, November 30, 1955,p. 3. COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 501 Ed's fiscalimpropriety would echo again in 1959 with the violentevic- tion of the Aréchigafamily from their home in Chavez Ravineto makeway forDodger Stadium. On June10, 1959, E.M. Cecer senta photostatof a 1957 Drew Pearsoncolumn from the Mirror-Newsto CouncilmanRoybal, asking him to pass iton to theAréchigas "in hopes itwill keepthem out of prison." The "giftsof money"which Davenport pocketed were, according to Pearson, nothingshort of bribesfrom the real estatelobby. These bribesaltered Dav- enporťsformerly staunch support for the publichousing program. With the Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 subsequentdemise of the program,the publichousing project scheduled to be constructedin Chavez Ravine,Elysian Park Heights, was canceled.Thus the path was open to bulldozeChavez Ravinehomeowners, like the Aréchi- gas, forthe sakeof Walter O'Malley and the BrooklynDodgers.52 * % %

Followinghis 1945 election,Davenport forsook his liberaland leftistsup- portersby adoptinga conservativeposturing combined with a vicious and 52 E.M. Cecerto Roybal,with photostat of Drew Pearson, "Dodger Move Costly," June 10, 1959, EdwardRoy- bal Collection,Box 6, SpecialCollections, UCLA.

The memorialtablet of Edward and HarriettDavenport marking their grave in Forest Lawn Memorial Park,Glendale. Reproducedcourtesy of ForestLawn Memorial-Park Association,who also graciouslyprovided the photograph. 502 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY vocal redbaiting.From his reelectionin 1949 untilhis death in 1953, Dav- enport'santi-Communism became more pronouncedand intense.Perhaps notcoincidentally, his incomewas, according to the1RS, amply supplemented duringprecisely this period.Major issuesthat would shape the directionof the city'spolicy- the FEPC, Communistregistration, rent control, and pub- lic housing-were polarized between liberal and conservativeantipodes with littlecommon ground for either debate or consensus.Davenport's redbaiting was implicitlyracist as wellas political-not only was EdwardRoybal, as a Mex- Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 ican American,a personaltarget of Davenport'sbombastic oratory, but Roy- bal's multi-ethnicEastside district was seen as a naturalspawning ground for Communism. In 1953 Mayor-electPoulson was inheritinga City Council that was deeply divided,especially in thewake of the city's public housing war, between liber- als and conservatives.Instead of acceptingthese traditionalpolitical blocs, Poulsonprided his "leadershipof persuasion" and "personallyworked closely withthe liberals and used Carl[tonWilliams, political editor of the Times]to exerthis influenceon theconservatives." Wooing them away from their class- and race-basedconstituencies, Poulson directed the Council toward the imple- mentationof a ModernLos Angelesin whichthe interests of all citizensof the citywould be servedthrough the progressof an expandingurban economy. Such progresswould be both attractedand reflectedby a Moderncity, where a redevelopedBunker Hill, the realizationof the freeway system, and a major leaguebaseball team in Chavez Ravinewould mesh the interestsand efforts of business,industry, labor, and governmentto create,as Poulson would enthuse,"a downtowndistrict unrivaled in theworld." In thepolitics of Mod- ernism,the divisiveness,polarity, and bombastickyof the rabid anti-Com- munism that had markedDavenport's political career had expired and, conveniently,so had Davenport53 53 Poulson,"Who WouldHave EverDreamed?," p. 214; NorrisPoulson, "Renaissance of Downtown Los Ange- les,"speech (Los Angeles:Downtown Business Men's Association, June 29, 1956);Don Parson,"This Mod- ernMarvel': Bunker Hill, Chavez Ravine, and the Politics of Modernism in Los Angeles,"Southern California Quarterly,75 (Fall/Winter1993): 333-350. COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 503 APPENDIXA: COUNCILMANIC ENDORSEMENTS IN THE 12TH DISTRICT, 1945-1953

1945 1947 1949 1951 1953 Times Newton DavenportDavenport Davenport Davenport Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 DailyNews Davenport Davenport Davenport Davenport Callicott CIO DavenportBehrend Kushner Newton ?* AFL Newton DavenportDavenport Newton Callicott

The left-dominatedCalifornia CIO Councilhad been at odds with the national CIO sincethe former had sup- portedthe third-partycandidacy of HenryWallace in 1948. The CaliforniaCIO Councilwas labelleda "CommunistParty front" by CIO presidentPhillip Murray in January1950 and its affiliationwith the nationalCIO revoked.The CaliforniaCIO's LaborHerald made no endorsementin the1951 municipalelec- tionswhile the national CIO's GreaterLos AngelesCIO Councilendorsed Newton. The LaborHerald ceased publicationin March1953 and I couldfind no endorsement,from either faction, for the 1953 elections.

APPENDIXB: ELECTION RESULTSIN THE 12TH DISTRICT, 1945-1953* April3. 1945 PrimaryElection April5. 1949 PrimaryElection Brown 2,034 Davenport 17,811 Campbell 1,479 Kushner 4,811 Davenport 4,301 Kushner 874 April3. 1951 PrimaryElection McFarland 1,171 Davenport 10,386 MerriU L980 McFarland 1,939 Newton 3,642 Newton 5619 Pettis 216 payne 2419 1íerney y(Jo April7. 1953 PrimaryElection Mav L 1945 General Election Callicott 13,582 Davenport 7,835 Davenport 14,025 Newton 7,641

April1. 1947 PrimaryElection Behrend 4,436 Davenport 13,555 Gibbons 972 Maxwell 1,225

* Semi-officialreturns as reportedin themetropolitan presses. 504 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAQUARTERLY APPENDIXC: DIRTYED?

In Box 2, Folder7 ofthe Ed and RuthLybeck Collection in Special Col- lectionsat the Universityof California,Los Angeles,there is an amazing 9-page typedinvestigative report, titled "Davenport," which compiles numer- ous interviewsby the investigatorto presenta notvery flattering portrait of Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 Ed. Unfortunately,the reportis both unsignedand undated(from the con- tentit seemsto be writtenin mid-1951),rendering it a legal "hearsay"-thus the readeris accordinglyadvised. The investigatorseeks to documentboth the bribery and drunkennesson the partof Ed. As to the former,in returnfor his supportin the rentdecon- trol fight,Davenport was alleged to have his expensesfor trips, entertain- ment,etc., picked up by the Hotel Association."[T]his is temporarilyover," notedthe investigator,"because on his lastjunket he is supposedto have put in an accountfor expenses of $2,500 when he couldn'tactually have spent morethan $500." Leon Clifton,a veteranof the rent control struggle, offered to indictDavenport for $1 ,500 in expensesplus a bonuswhen the indictment was handeddown. Jake Zeitlin opined to theinvestigator, after a chancemeet- ing and conversationwith HarriettDavenport on a Vancouverstreet, "that Ed actuallyhas a place of his own in Canada and thatis wheresome of the presumablyill-gotten gains are being sunk." Bureau of Reclamation employee Ralph Wertheimerapproached Davenport on a routineflood controlmatter "and Davenportjust rearedback and asked,cold turkey,'Well, whaťs there in this thingfor me?'" The formermanager of Davenport"s residence-the ParkWilshire at 2424 WilshireBlvd.- claimed to have seen Ed receiving money.The investigatorconcluded that "Davenport is on the chiselfor any- thingthat comes along and mustpick up quite a bit of dough fromday to day." Davenporťsabuse of alcohol were easily documented. "Many people have seen himdrunk," writes the investigator, "some hopelessly so, and thethread ofdrunkenness runs all throughhis history.He also uses benzedrineto hype himselfup. What he tellsyou one day,very importantly and confidentially withhis eye-ballsas big as saucers,he has no recollectionof the next.I do not think this is entirelyan act; I think a lot of his vaporingsare just drug-born."Upon his relocationto L.A., Davenportworked in the advertis- ing firmof Phil Meany.Meany fired Ed fordrunkenness and unreliability, COUNCILMAN ED J.DAVENPORT 505 claimingthat Ed caused the death of a co-workerwho died in a car collision afterdrinking with Ed. Workingfor the Long Beach Press-Telegramaround 1933, Davenport"was firedwhen he collapsedin totaldrunkenness at a ban- quet at whichhe was supposed to makethe principalspeech." Living at the ParkWilshire, Ed's favoritewatering hole was the near-byVagabond House where"he oftengets plastered and has to have somebodylet him in whenhe getsto his apartment."Milton Davis, who operateda grocerystore in the basementof the ParkWilshire, "made loud noisesabout Davenporťsdrunk- Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/scq/article-pdf/81/4/467/358397/41171975.pdf by guest on 15 August 2020 enness and the women he was supposedlybringing up to his room via the elevatorfrom the basementduring Harriett's frequentabsences." An exposé of Davenport,containing some of the above allegations(and others!),was to appearin the Mirror,which was owned bythe powerfuland pro-DavenportChandler family. Les Wagner,a writerat theMirror, reported that"the storyhad not been run on [Norman]Chandler's [publisher of the Times]specific orders and thatChandler had ordered[Virgil] Pinkley [pub Usherof the Mirror]to supportDavenport. This Pinkleyhad refusedto do, buthad orderedthe storyheld."