Thomas F. Ford
Encyclopedia
Thomas Francis Ford of California was a member of the U.S. Congress, an editor, a specialist in international trade and the only person ever sent to the Los Angeles City Council by a write-in vote.
, and studied law in that city. He was with the U.S. Post Office Department after 1896 and then moved westward in 1900 to work on newspapers in Idaho
and Washington, before arriving in Los Angeles in 1904. Cole traveled extensively in Europe between 1909 and 1913, where he wrote newspaper feature articles on foreign trade. On June 21, 1911, he was married in Los Angeles to Lillian Cope Cummings, with whom he wrote a book, The Foreign Trade of the United States, published in 1920. Between 1913 and 1918 he was the West Coast
correspondent for the Washington Post, and on January 1, 1919, he became the literary editor
of the Los Angeles Times
, where he also edited the rotogravure
section. He was a lecturer on international trade
at the University of Southern California
in 1920–21. In the 1930s he was living at 940 North Benton Way, Los Angeles.
Ford died on December 26, 1958, in his home at 1705 Spruce Street, South Pasadena
, and was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
.
By October 1930, Ford had left the Times and was working in the publicity
department of the city's Water and Power Department
. He resigned on December 11, 1930.
He ran for the 12th District
seat in 1931, and, "supported by friends and supporters of the late incumbent" councilman Thomas W. Williams
in that district, he was nominated by a write-in vote in the primary. He beat Douglas E. Foster in the final election by 8,315 votes to 5,882. At that time, the district covered Bunker Hill and northwest Downtown. The east boundary was at Figueroa Street
and the south boundary at Pico Boulevard
.
HIghlights of his two years as a councilman included:
1931 Voting against instructing the city attorney to appeal a judge's decision ordering the city to stop the practice of segregating its swimming pools by race
. The vote was 6 in favor of an appeal and 8 opposed, including Ford, a vote that resulted in the pools' being immediately desegregated in summer 1931.
1931 Submitting a motion calling on the Police Department to "concentrate its efforts on major crime instead of petty infractions of the law." He claimed that underworld
"gambling joints flourish under 'protection
' to the extent that it has become a citywide scandal."
1932 Investigating reports that City Prosecutor Johnson had issued an unusually high number of special investigators badges in advance of an election in which Johnson was running for a municipal judgeship in opposition to Judge Isaac Pacht. "We feel that the people of Los Angeles are entitled to know why the badges were issued, to whom presented, for what purpose, and who paid for them," he said. Pacht won the election.
1932 Sponsoring a proposal that would have the city establish a public works
program for the unemployed, with the workers being paid in certificates that would be used in lieu of cash. The certificates would have been financed by a voluntary 4-cent tax on each merchant handling them.
1932 Attacking Mayor John C. Porter over the mayor's attempts to remove three members of the Water and Power Commission, one of whom was Ford's former campaign manager.
1932 Proposing a pay cut of 8.3 percent for city workers instead of reducing the work week to five days as previously ordered by the council.
Biography
Ford was born on February 18, 1873, in Saint Louis, Missouri, the son of Thomas Ford and Ellen Ferris. He went to public and private schools in Saint Louis and in Toledo, OhioToledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, and studied law in that city. He was with the U.S. Post Office Department after 1896 and then moved westward in 1900 to work on newspapers in Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
and Washington, before arriving in Los Angeles in 1904. Cole traveled extensively in Europe between 1909 and 1913, where he wrote newspaper feature articles on foreign trade. On June 21, 1911, he was married in Los Angeles to Lillian Cope Cummings, with whom he wrote a book, The Foreign Trade of the United States, published in 1920. Between 1913 and 1918 he was the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
correspondent for the Washington Post, and on January 1, 1919, he became the literary editor
Literary editor
A literary editor is an editor in a newspaper, magazine or similar publication who deals with aspects concerning literature and books, especially reviews. A literary editor may also help with editing books themselves, by providing services such as proof reading, copy-editing, and literary...
of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, where he also edited the rotogravure
Rotogravure
Rotogravure is a type of intaglio printing process; that is, it involves engraving the image onto an image carrier...
section. He was a lecturer on international trade
International trade
International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories. In most countries, such trade represents a significant share of gross domestic product...
at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in 1920–21. In the 1930s he was living at 940 North Benton Way, Los Angeles.
Ford died on December 26, 1958, in his home at 1705 Spruce Street, South Pasadena
South Pasadena
South Pasadena is the name of two places in the United States:*South Pasadena, California*South Pasadena, Florida...
, and was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a privately owned cemetery in Glendale, California. It is the original location of Forest Lawn, a chain of cemeteries in Southern California. The land was formerly part of Providencia Ranch.-History:...
.
Los Angeles
See also List of Los Angeles municipal election returns, 1931By October 1930, Ford had left the Times and was working in the publicity
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
department of the city's Water and Power Department
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is the largest municipal utility in the United States, serving over four million residents. It was founded in 1902 to supply water and electricity to residents and businesses in Los Angeles and surrounding communities...
. He resigned on December 11, 1930.
He ran for the 12th District
Los Angeles City Council District 12
Los Angeles City Council District 12 is one of the 15 districts of the Los Angeles City Council. It encompasses the far northwestern section of the city in the San Fernando Valley. Mitchell Englander is the current officeholder....
seat in 1931, and, "supported by friends and supporters of the late incumbent" councilman Thomas W. Williams
Thomas W. Williams (Los Angeles)
Thomas W. Williams was a former coal miner, school principal and church minister who was a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council between 1929 and 1931...
in that district, he was nominated by a write-in vote in the primary. He beat Douglas E. Foster in the final election by 8,315 votes to 5,882. At that time, the district covered Bunker Hill and northwest Downtown. The east boundary was at Figueroa Street
Figueroa Street
Figueroa Street is a street in Los Angeles County, California named for General José Figueroa , governor of Alta California from 1833 to 1835, who oversaw the secularization of the missions of California...
and the south boundary at Pico Boulevard
Pico Boulevard
Pico Boulevard is a major Los Angeles street that runs from the Pacific Ocean at Appian Way in Santa Monica to Central Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California, USA...
.
HIghlights of his two years as a councilman included:
1931 Voting against instructing the city attorney to appeal a judge's decision ordering the city to stop the practice of segregating its swimming pools by race
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
. The vote was 6 in favor of an appeal and 8 opposed, including Ford, a vote that resulted in the pools' being immediately desegregated in summer 1931.
1931 Submitting a motion calling on the Police Department to "concentrate its efforts on major crime instead of petty infractions of the law." He claimed that underworld
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
"gambling joints flourish under 'protection
Protection racket
A protection racket is an extortion scheme whereby a criminal group or individual coerces a victim to pay money, supposedly for protection services against violence or property damage. Racketeers coerce reticent potential victims into buying "protection" by demonstrating what will happen if they...
' to the extent that it has become a citywide scandal."
1932 Investigating reports that City Prosecutor Johnson had issued an unusually high number of special investigators badges in advance of an election in which Johnson was running for a municipal judgeship in opposition to Judge Isaac Pacht. "We feel that the people of Los Angeles are entitled to know why the badges were issued, to whom presented, for what purpose, and who paid for them," he said. Pacht won the election.
1932 Sponsoring a proposal that would have the city establish a public works
Public works
Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
program for the unemployed, with the workers being paid in certificates that would be used in lieu of cash. The certificates would have been financed by a voluntary 4-cent tax on each merchant handling them.
1932 Attacking Mayor John C. Porter over the mayor's attempts to remove three members of the Water and Power Commission, one of whom was Ford's former campaign manager.
1932 Proposing a pay cut of 8.3 percent for city workers instead of reducing the work week to five days as previously ordered by the council.