E.
George
Aaron

E GEORGE AARON was one of Camden's leading citizens during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, serving on the school board, the City Commission, and as Director of Public Safety from October of 1949 until May of 1959. He took ill shortly after losing his bid for re-election to the City Commission in May of 1959 and passed away in May of 1960.

FROM "DAN McCONNELL'S SCRAPBOOK" COLUMNS
CAMDEN COURIER-POST

June 2, 1939- Song and dance man—Ed Gorman, affable secretary to City Commissioner George Aaron… In his younger days a musical comedy hoofer … Ed is a clever impersonator of the late Bert Williams . . . That guy should have stuck to the stage… He would have gone places.

OCTOBER 6, 1939- 

DELAWARE SHAD

CITY COMMISSIONER E. GEORGE AARON leaned back in his office chair the other day and gasped when this reporter informed him that we saw fishermen catch luscious shad in the Delaware River.

When informed that the folks bought the same finny denizens of the deep from hucksters who hawked their catch through the streets of North Camden and sold them at 25 cents each. Mr. Aaron gasped again. Tom Daley, city engineer corroborated our statements and George was convinced.

In his efforts to make Our Town a better place to live in, Commissioner Aaron has decided to do something about helping to eliminate pollution of the historic Delaware. An engineer who sat in the conference gave us the gladsome news that if pollution was stopped the once proud shad would again spawn in the river.

Fondly do we recall the cry of the fish peddlers, "'fresh Delaware shad." Many of us of course also remember 'the midnight cry' of the old "Baltimore crab man"  who once roamed through the city streets selling those delicious deviled crustaceans.

OCTOBER 13, 1939- POLLUTION: Don't be misled— the title does not refer to this article or the column. Our recent reference to City Commissioner E. George Aaron and his efforts to aid in eliminating pollution of the Delaware river brought a note from  Helen Moran Warren, counselor-at-law, and a grand friend of ours. Mrs. Moran enclosed a clipping of a column from the Brooklyn Eagle. The article was an interview with her daddy, Eugene F. Moran, of Brooklyn, N. Y., who is referred to in the article as "No. 1 harbor expert of the United States". Pop Moran is owner and operator of a large fleet of seagoing tugs in New York. In the interview Mr. Moran told the columnist, Mr. Heffernan, that shad are beginning to run again in the North River after an absence of several years. Maybe they are fugitives from the Delaware.

OCTOBER 20, 1939

Man About Town

City Commissioner E. George Aaron observed his 37th birthday anniversary today.

Unknown to George, this amateur historian again dug into the archives and we found that Aaron is the youngest man ever elected as a city commissioner in Our Town. We might also say that for a gentleman of such tender age E. George Aaron, citizen, lawyer, and city commissioner has made good use of his maturing years. We snooped into his record.

Consistency is one of his many assets. The guy was born in Mizpah, Atlantic county. When he joined the Masons, Aaron signed up with Mizpah lodge. Admitted to the bar in 1926 Attorney Aaron didn't have his shingle out a week when he got his first case—defending a Bridgeton man who was indicted for murder. The young attorney had the indictment not prossed.

On this natal day anniversary Commissioner Aaron will look back reflectively to the days when as boy he milked the cows and worked so on his father's farm. Unable to enlist in the Army during the World War when he was a stripling of 15 years he went to Springfield, Mass., where he helped to make rifles for the U.S. Army. Three of his brothers fought overseas.

In turn he worked as an ambulance driver, Insurance salesman and theatre manager. Aaron studied law at nights, at Temple Law School. 

Proud of the religious faith of his forefathers, Commissioner Aaron is president of Beth El Synagogue and he usually is found heading up campaigns to help men, women and children of all creeds and faiths. His newest jobs are as chairman of the local assistance board and the Camden County Chapter of the Association for Infantile Paralysis, Inc.

Happy birthday, Commissioner Aaron!

NOVEMBER 10, 1939- Youngest Commissioner: Frank J. Hartmann, former city commissioner, claims that he and not commissioner E. George Aaron.... was the youngest man to be elected to that office in Camden... Go ahead and fight about it, you guys.

Camden Courier-Post
April 12, 1930
&
April 13, 1930

Pekin Cafe
Broadway
Washington Street
E. George Aaron
Frank F. Neutze
James Richardson

Camden Courier-Post - October 23, 1931

7 DEMOCRATS RALLIES IN COUNTY TONIGHT

Camden Courier-Post - October 29, 1931

Democratic Candidate Greeted on County Tour

A. Harry Moore, Democratic candidate for governor, is shown above with Camden county leaders at the Bellmawr home of Harry A. Maloney, state committeeman, where he was the guest at luncheon yesterday during his tour of Camden county. Left to right are Edward J. Hart, Jersey City corporation counsel; Miss Marie V. Kelley, vice chairman of the Democratic county committee; Maloney, Moore, Mrs. Emma E. Hyland, state committeewoman, and Charles Ross, manager of the A. Harry Moore Glee Club

MOORE IN CAMDEN SPEECH DEMANDS FAIRNESS AT POLLS
Towers Theatre Packed at Climax of All-Day Invasion Here
TOURS SMALLER TOWNS

Editorial: "Mr. Harry Moore's Great Expose' That Exposes Nothing" appears on page 16.

By RANSLOE BOONE

Demanding a fair election and protection to Democratic voters, A. Harry Moore was greeted here last night by the largest crowd to gather at a Democratic meeting in Camden's recent history.

The Democratic candidate for governor brought to a climax an all-day speaking tour of Camden county with a mass meeting which overflowed the Towers Theatre, Broadway and Pine street. At least 3500 persons crowded the theatre to its doors and more than 1000 others, unable to get in, heard the speakers' words through amplifiers over the sidewalks.

Assails Justice Lloyd

Moore criticized Supreme Court Justice Frank T. Lloyd, for his refusal last week to order state police 'into Camden to protect the interests of the Democrats.

"The court has not given me that assurance. Instead, the court deliv­ered from the bench a fine speech for my opponent."

The Democratic candidate, had promised in an earlier speech here September 8, to name names of those he charged had resorted to illegal practices at the polls. He made no mention of them last night except to say he had given the names in affidavits filed with Justice Lloyd.

Earlier in the evening the Democratic standard-bearer addressed more than 250 at a combined meeting of Merchantville, Delaware Township and Pennsauken Township voters at Merchantville Hall, 15 West Maple Avenue, Merchantville, and to 1200 at Gloucester city hall.

Lauds Courier-Post Fairness

In an address at noon to employees of the RCA Victor and Campbell Soup companies, Moore, without naming his Republican opponent, declared:

"Come on with your millions," he added without mentioning the name of his Republican opponent, "and with the editors you have bought and paid for, and. next Tuesday I'll crash through to the governor's chair!

“When I speak of the editors who have been bought, and paid for, I’m not in anyway referring to the local newspapers- the Morning Post and the Evening Courier. Both of these papers have been fair to me in handling the news of the campaign,"

. Moore's address at the Towers Theatre follows:

Cites Request for Trooper.

"Evidence is on file with the justice of the Supreme Court here showing clearly that extraordinary means must be taken by me to protect my interests on election day in certain parts of the City of Camden. When I spoke here the last time, I referred to conditions that existed in the Eighth and Fifth wards, conditions that made it impossible for opponents of Republican candidates to receive the protection that the laws provide for all candidates for office.

"I promise at that time that the names of certain individuals who re­sort to illegal practices at the polls would be made public. This has been done. The names have been given to the justice of the Supreme Court here.

"Though my counsel, I have appealed to the justice of the Supreme Court for assurance that he would use the power of his high judicial office to give my interests the protection of the law of New Jersey in those sections where I am compelled to believe my interests are in jeopardy. Filed with the court are 40 affidavits showing what has happened in the Fifth and Eighth wards in the past, and what I have every reason to believe will be repeated this year unless checked beforehand.

Ridicules Supreme Court

"The court has not given me that assurance. Instead, the court delivered from the bench a fine speech for my opponent. The court insisted on emphasizing that the City of Camden and the County of Camden were no more capable of election law violations than any other city or county in the state.

"Now, I have no criticism to make of the people of Camden city or Camden county. Certainly the great majority of the people here are law abiding. I never said they weren't. But the court was given evidence of the strong-arm and illegal methods used at the polls in the Fifth and Eighth wards in the City of Camden, evidence submitted by persons who witnessed the stuffing of ballot box and by other persons who were victims of intimidation and beating by gangsters.

"Am I not entitled to the protection that I seek? What are courts for, if not to see that justice is done and the law respected?

Hits at Baldwin and Cops

"Can I depend on the prosecutor of Camden county to see that the law is not violated on election day, when the prosecutor has appeared as counsel for my opponent in these matters, and is out campaigning for him?

"Can I look to the police for protection when the affidavits now on file with the justice of the Supreme Court show that the policemen on duty at the polling places where these law violations occurred closed their eyes to what was going on, some leaving the polling place at the approach of bullies in the Eighth ward, and others actually assisting in the assaults made upon voters and election officers?

"The justice said that Camden county has been cleaned up. Two years ago he told the grand jury here that conditions were rotten and charged the grand jury to do its full duty. Granting that Camden now is free of all the things Justice Lloyd said existed here two years ago, credit for the change must go to Justice Lloyd.

"If then, a word from the court accomplished that much, why won't a word from him now, about what habitually happens in the Fifth and Eighth wards, on election day- occurrences that everyone is familiar with- put a stop to that?

Appeals to Fairness

"I want the same protection here that my opponent will have in my county on election day. Guarding his interests at the polls in Hudson will be a Republican prosecutor and a Republican bureau of elections, Mr. Baird will have at every polling place in Hudson county, in addition to the regular challengers and watchers, two Republican deputies from the Bureau of Elections, paid not by the Republican party, but by the taxpayers of Hudson county.

"It is costing our people $100,000 a year to maintain this Republican election bureau with its investigators and deputies.

"The records disclose that 19 names are registered from the saloon owned by the Republican leader of the Fifth ward, and those names, together with the name of the saloon owner and the address of the saloon, have been submitted to the court. In addition, there are at least 1000 names on the Camden city registry lists that do not belong there. That evidence is also in Justice Lloyd's possession.

Threatens Vote Crooks Here

"These 19 names we know for a positive fact are illegally on the registry books, They are the remainder of the 4000 illegal registrants that were discovered during an investigation. Three thousand have been stricken from the registry lists by the Common Pleas Court here, and but for the expiration of the statutory time limit they all would have been stricken.

"However, despite the refusal of the court to assure me of the protec­tion to which I am entitled, I want the people to know that every safeguard will be thrown around their ballots, Even without the support of the law enforcement agencies of this city and county the polls will be properly protected next Tuesday. The next time I come to Camden it will be as the governor of New Jersey, and I promise now that it will be a sad day for the law violators and recreant officials, from the highest down. They will answer to me for whatever frauds occur next Tuesday.

"I pledge to you that the law will be respected, that the ballot box stuffers will be put where they belong, that the reign of terror of the gangsters will end, and end speedily; that the machinery of government will be returned to the people, that the ballot will be cast by the people of South Jersey in accordance with their own desires- unhampered and unafraid.

Pledges Jury Reform

"The question of jury reform no doubt is or particular interest to the people of Camden. I believe that one of the main reasons why hand­picked and political juries are pos­sible is the present method of selecting jury commissioners.

"Instead of improving on the original method of having the jury com­missioners for each county appointed by the chancellor, the present ad­ministration at Trenton threw the procedure completely into politics by placing the appointment of these officials in the hands of the gov­ernor.

"I advocate that jury commissioners be appointed by the justice of the Supreme Court in the respective counties. In addition, I favor life tenure for justices of the Supreme Court. The latter reform would completely remove the Supreme Court from politics.            

That much accomplished, the justice of the Supreme Court becomes the only proper officer to select jury commissioners."

Nowrey Presides

The Camden mass meeting was opened by former Mayor Joseph E. Nowrey, who presided. District Court Judge Myron Ernst, of Jersey City, predicting Hudson County would give Moore 100,000 majority, paid tribute to Mayor Frank Hague, of Jersey City, Democratic state leader.

"We love and respect Mayor Hague," he declared. "He never has been a boss, as the Republicans charge, but he gives the people value, dollar for dollar."

He declared the election of Moore would be a "beacon signal making possible the election of a Democratic president of the United States."

Other speakers included Gene Mariano and E. George Aaron, Camden attorneys; Harvey Rothberg, Trenton, organizer of the A. Harry Moore Veterans' League; James Baker, former president of the State Board of Taxation; Edward Hart, Jersey City corporation counsel, and the three Democratic candidates for Assembly, Vincent de P. Costello, William C. French, Jr., and Frederick Stanton.

Entrance of Moore was the signal for a deafening ovation. Stamping, whistling and cheering broke out spontaneously as the Democratic candidate stepped on the platform. He was forced to wait several minutes before he could silence his supporters and open his address.             ,

Addresses RCA and Soup Workers

Moore opened his Camden county tour with an open-air address to more than 700 employees of RCA Victor and Campbell Soup Companies at Second and Market streets at noon.

"I want to see that every poor boy and girl in the state has a chance equal to the rich." he declared, describing how he himself had started as a poor boy and went to work when he was 13 years old.

"You are my kind of people and I am going to represent you. You are the laboring class and the American Federation of Labor has endorsed me. Labor organizations are with me everywhere.

"There is a demand for a change.

A Republican came to me the other day and said, 'I'm a Republican and I'm going to vote for you. You can't be worse than what we've had.' I smiled and said, 'It's true I can't be worse, but I hope to be better and I will be.”

Hits 'Hoover Prosperity’

Moore attacked what he termed the "Hoover promises of prosperity."

"Where is the job for every man that he promised, where the chicken at every table and the automobile for every workingman that we were to have under Hoover prosperity?" he asked.

"I ask, where are those evidences of prosperity that were promised? I represent you. I'm going to repre­sent you. I want, and you want, the government taken out of the hands of a boss."

Moore's remarks were greeted with cheers and applause, interrupted oc­casionally with cries "We want Moore" and "atta boy, Harry."

Skirmishes Black Horse Pike

The Democratic candidate was the guest of Harry A. Maloney, state committeeman, at luncheon at his home in Bellmawr, from where the party resumed its tour.

Moore visited the New York Shipbuilding Company at 2 p. m., and greeted many workers.

Five other open-air meetings followed at. Mt. Ephraim, at Runnemede at 3.20 p. m., at the Blackwood Bank at. 3.45 p. m., at Clementon Democratic headquarters at 4:15 p. in. and at the Atco station at 4:45 p. m. More than 2300 heard the candidate at these meetings.

He attacked Baird's state and national record at a mass meeting at 5:30 p. m. at the headquarters of the Independent A. Harry Moore Club, Haddon and Lees avenues, Collingswood. More than 300 crowded into the hall while many more heard the address outside through amplifiers.

Moore's cause was aided by two prominent Collingswood Republicans when the Moore's cause was aided by two prominent Collingswood Republicans when the Democratic candidate spoke in that borough. Both Mayor Joseph H. Van Meter and Thomas M. Jack, former mayor and former sheriff greeted Moore on his arrival in. Collingswood and attended the meeting there. Van Meter also was present later at the Camden meeting.

"David Baird was responsible for passage of the Public Service paving bill which relieved the company, of which he was a director, of the expense of paving between and beside its tracks. He saved the company $3,000,000 a year, placing the burden on the taxpayers.

Commends Woodruff

"When this measure came up during my term as governor, I vetoed it.

"At that time Senator Albert S. Woodruff, whom I consider a most honest and upright man, refused to favor the measure as demanded by Baird .

'I represent the people, not you,' Woodruff told Baird, and I admire 'Woodruff as a man who can be a man, not a mouse.

"Baird then answered Woodruff: 'You'll vote to override the veto or you won't go back to the Senate.' Woodruff refused, and he was defeated at the next primary.

"When he was a member of the United States Senate, David Baird answered only 193 out of 454 roll calls, being absent for 261 of them, and yet now he promises to be a full-time governor if he is elected. He failed to appear at the 1930 special session of Congress, yet he collected his stipend just the same."

Moore attacked Baird's failure to vote on the Mexican immigration bill which affected southern labor, declaring: "He could not make up his mind how to vote."             ,

During the last three years, when David Baird was boss of the state, it cost $96,000,000 to run the government, $24,000,000 more than when I was governor. Baird, as boss of the legislature, increased the burden of taxation. All he wants is more power to build up his political organization."             

Moore spoke along the same lines at Merchantville and Gloucester.

Camden Courier-Post - October 29, 1931

DEMOCRATS TO HOLD MEETINGS TONIGHT
Candidacy of Moore to Be Expounded at Meetings in City and Suburbs

The campaign foe A. Harry Moore, gubernatorial candidate, and local Democratic candidates, will be carried into six wards of the city and in seven communities or the county tonight.

All meetings and speakers are as follows:

Second Ward Democratic Club, 841 Market Sktreet; Eugene Aumetre, John Crean, Vincent Gallagher, Leon H. Rose and Charles Woods. 

Fourth Ward A. Harry Moore Club, 455 Berkley Street; Samuel T. French, Victor King, Thomas Madden, Leon H. Rose, Gene Mariano, Samuel P. Orlando and Rev. Robert H. Jackson.

Sixth Ward Democratic Club, Fourth and Walnut Street; Frank Connor, Albert Melnik and Thomas Madden.

Tenth Ward Democratic Club, Fifth and Vine Streets; Boyd Morrison, Joseph E. Nowrey, Charles Degnan and David L. Visor.

Seventh Ward A. Harry Moore Club, Seventh Street and Kaighn Avenue; Dr. Leroy Baxter, of Jersey City; Isaac Eason, Dr. Clement Branch, Rev. Robert H. Jackson, Mrs. Bertha Shippen Irving and Frank Suttill.

Eleventh Ward Democratic Club, 927 North Twenty-seventh street; Boyd Morrison, Firmin Michel, Victor King, Mrs. Bertha Shippen Irving.

Gloucester City Democratic Club, 308 Monmouth street; Boyd Morrison, Gene Mariano, Joseph Varbalow.

Magnolia A. Harry Moore Club, Evesham and Gloucester avenues; Firmin Michel, Edward L. Canning, John Delaney, Marie V. Kelley and Francis Homan.

Lindenwold Colored Voters' Club, Blackstone Hall, Lindenwold, Eugene Aumetre, William Williams and Oliver Bond.

Somerdale Club, Whelen home, Somerdale road and Oggs Avenue; Marie V. Kelly, David L. Visor and Mrs. Emma E. Hyland.

Somerdale Democratic Club, Leone Hall, Warwick Road and Helena Avenue; Samuel P. Orlando, Aaron Heine, Lawrence Gregorio and E. George Aaron.

East Haddonfield Democrat Club, Crescent and Berlin Road; Edward L. Canning, Albert Melnik and Judge Frank F. Neutze.

East Haddonfield Improvement Association, Batesville, Delaware Township; Ralph Wescott, Judge Frank F. Neutze and Mrs. Florence Melnik.

More than five speakers from North Jersey will appear at as many meetings as possible.

Camden Courier-Post - October 31, 1931

MOORE RALLIES TONIGHT IN 3 WARDS,  ASHLAND 

Rallies in the interest of A. Harry Moore, gubernatorial candidate, and local candidates on the Democratic ticket will be conducted tonight in Ashland and in three wards of the city.

The meetings and speakers are as follows;

Sixth Ward Democratic Club, Fourth and Walnut Streets; E. George Aaron, Samuel P. Orlando, Boyd E. Morrison, Charles Degnan and Sabba Verdiglione.

Third Ward A. Harry Moore Club, Third and Benson Streets: Samuel T. French, Orlando, Edward L. Canning, C. Lawrence Gregorio, Frank Homan and Anthon Ruffo, of Trenton.

Eleventh Ward A. Harry Moore Club, 927 North Twenty-seventh street: Aaron, Canning, Isaac Eason, Marie V. Kelly and Judge Frank F. Neutze.

Ashland Democratic Club, home of Ida May Heidrick, Burnt Mill road and Second Avenue: Thomas Madden, Leon H. Rose and Eugene Mariano,

A campaign to raise funds for the Federation of Jewish' Charities of Camden was launched yesterday under the chairmanship of E. George Aaron. The drive will continue a week.

Funds raised will be contributed to the support of the Hebrew Ladies' Sheltering Home, the Talmud Torah, and the Free Loan Fund.

The campaign, Aaron' announced, will be aided by the Jewish charitable organizations of Camden and the following have been named team captains:

Rabbi N. Riff, Samuel Shane, L. Tarter, S. Lippman, A. Barbell, J. Grossberg, H. Odlen, Leon Rose, Lewis Liberman, Mrs. S. Litow, Mrs. M. Shapiro, Mrs. H. Kaplan, Mrs. S. Shane, Mrs. R. Bukstel. Mrs. F. Bloom, Mrs. V. Gerber and Mrs. S. S. Lewis.

There will be a meeting in the Talmud Torah tonight, when Rabbi B. L. Levinthal, of Philadelphia, will speak in support of the campaign. 

More than $1500 in pledges and in cash have been received in the campaign of the Camden Federation of Jewish Charities, it was announced last night by E. George Aaron, chairman of the campaign committee. The drive will continue through this week. 

Campaign workers seeking funds for the Hebrew Ladies' Charities, Sheltering Home, Camden Talmud Torah and Free Loan Fund follow: Rabbi N. Riff, Mr. and Mrs. S. Shane, Mrs. R. Bukstel, Mrs. S. Litow, Mrs. M. Shapiro, Mrs. H. Kaplan, Mrs. L. Creskoff, Mrs. B. Ostroff, Mrs. S. Goldstein Mrs. A. Goodman, Mrs. S. Masel, Mrs. M. Koll, Mrs. F. Bloom, Mrs. M. Cornrich, Mrs. V. Gerber, Mrs. L. Weiss and Mrs. S. Soloff, Leon H. Rose, Lewis Liberman, A. Barbell, S. S. Lewis, J. Grossberg, B. Greenberg, S. Lippman, J. Ruttenberg, S. Stein. H. Odlen, J. Block, O. Praissman, S. Naden, D. Lefkowitz, and David Epstein.

The Federation of Jewish Charities concluded its campaign for funds Thursday night with a banquet attended by workers and directors of the organization, at the Talmud Torah, 621 Kaighn Avenue. 

E. George Aaron, chairman of the campaign, announced that more than $5000 was pledged. Talks were made by Herman Odlen, Samuel Shane, Samuel Lippman, A. Barbell, Mrs. S. Litow, Mrs. M. Shapiro and Mrs. C. Riff.

Rabbi N. Riff presented a walking stick to Aaron for his work as head of the drive.