The Closing Days of The Brief Kennedy and Milliken Eras
In its November 28 edition, the News of Delaware County eloquently eulogized President Kennedy: "Mere words cannot begin to convey adequately the deep sense of shock, outrage and mourning which struck this nation of learning last Friday that John F. Kennedy had been assassinated. Bowed heads and moist eyes reflected the utter disbelief that such a dastardly act could occur in broad daylight in this stronghold of the free world ... while a saddened nation looks to the future under President Johnson's leadership, we can draw inspiration from the works of the poet: By man was the world brought low, By man will the world be raised up."
Many borough and township governments passed resolutions eulogizing the slain leader. In Marple Township Mariano E. Martinez, the chairman of the Zoning Board proposed unsuccessfully that the Paxon Hollow Junior High School be renamed in honor of Kennedy. There was no public comment recorded from Congressman Milliken, who was recovering in a Bethesda, Maryland hospital from a heart attack at the time.
However, it was reported that no sooner had the dust settled from the 1963 General Election in Delaware County, another fierce struggle for power had broken out among members of the Republican ruling circles. This time, Milliken had aligned himself with Dickey against McClure in an attempt to take over the War Board. It appeared that McClure had attempted to appoint Upper Darby Township Commissioner George Hill, a former Dickey rival, to the War Board, rather than a representative chosen by Dickey. The Upper Darby Board of Commissioners, in their other capacity as GOP ward leaders, voted to nominate Dickey himself to the War Board. It also was rumored that both Milliken and Williams were dumped by the War Board, but this was denied by Williams.
By early 1964, the War Board split had attracted four other Republican candidates for Milliken's seat: Harold Ervin of Media; John G. Pew, replacing Swing on the War Board; attorney Stephen McEwen of Upper Darby; and former county commissioner Watkins. Matters came to a head on February 7, when the War Board endorsed Watkins over Milliken, citing the latter's poor health as the reason for rejection. Milliken received only one vote, presumably his own, in the War Board polling.
Later than month, the Collingdale GOP followed the lead of Glenolden, Darby, Prospect Park and Tinicum, in dumping Milliken as its representative on the War Board. There was some measure of suspense as Milliken pondered another race, this time as an independent, but on February 18, he issued a terse statement: "After consideration, I have decided not to be a candidate for reelection to the U.S. Congress."
Milliken served out the last year of his term, until January 3, 1965, but would surface again as a candidate in 1966, unsuccessfully bucking his party's leadership.
He died in Ridley Park on July 4, 1969, aged 71. His three terms coincided with the last two years of the Eisenhower Administration, the entire Kennedy Administration and Johnson's first term.
Read more about this topic: William H. Milliken, Jr.
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