Published: Auguat 26, 1965 yy ERNEST R. TIDWMAN "Yee Be Fors Times (27 Raber WHRE The Family Approach to Politics SOYFOU just don't get. some- thing like this every day,” Mrs. Patrick Bologna stid as ‘she hefted d-year-old Patrick Jr, onto her right hip. The wave of her other arm took in a one-block asphalt 4 strip of the Lower East Side, a couple thousand of her neigh bars, Lionel Hampton, Molti- santi's Bakery and 4 pink-jack- eted rock ‘n’ roll combo in full moan about how it “can’t get no satisfaction.” ‘They were all at the political block party that descended on Monroe Street Tuesday evening, ‘And they were receiving & five-hour demonstration of a political conviction that the New York family is just as important in the approach to Election Day as, say, a leak in the municipal water system, “We ate early at Ramos's Bar, roast beef, so we could be here for everything,” Mrs. Bologna said. She came from her apartment at 30 Monroe Street to join the sidewalk Justers with another son, Paul, 7, and her mother, Mrs. Joseph Christiana. ‘My husbang would have made it, but he had to work Jate at the post office,” she said. 1 stand ly level. is around portable ies gets down to fan ‘Don't Just Stand Around’ Their invitation to the gath- ering just a stick-ball’s bounce from ‘the Manhattan Bridge was issued in the name of United States Representative John V. Lindsay, a Republican who hopes to be Mayor. Tt came first in the form of leaflets and posters, then in echoing urgeney from the loud- speakers atop the powder blue Dodge station wagons: “Don't just stand around with noth- ing to do! Come to the block party on Monroe Street. . . .” “We have been holding two block parties a week since the end of July," Said Martin Sny- der, who heads the entertain- ment division of Mr. Lindsay's campaign and served as master of the wnceremonial tumult ‘at the street scene, “A candidate goes out on a corner to talk.” Mr. Snyder added, “He's maybe talking to people fram Connecticut or California. Or he goes to a cocktail party and he shakes thands with 30 or 40 people. “But a block party!” That's where he gets the family; that’s where the people live!”Mrs. Richard Pastores topher and Robert, wait ‘The campaign caravan of portable amusement park rides, hotdog and popeom stands and a mobile bandstand began un- folding like night-blooming des~ ert flowers about 5:30 P.M, And little boys like 9-year- old Michael Cossidenti of the nearby Knickerbocker Village housing Project fidgeted with excitement and seemed to be trying to get into all the lines af once, “The lines for the rides are too long,” he said, a baleful eye running over the 200 ‘slers already ine row against the yellow-brick wall of St Jo seph's School Auditorium, He consoled himself with first place for candied apples. _ "My mom and dad are com- ing later,” he said, “They gave me a dime, but they'll give me 4 lot more later.” Michael, who learned that he had to come up with 15 cents for a candied apple (20 cents with nuts}, 20 cents fer cotton candy, 1 cents for popeorn or 15 cents for an Italian iee, re- flected the political involvement of the familly at his own age level. Michael wag solidly in favor of the candidate who was throwing the party, and sons, Chris~ for the candidate, ‘AIL My Friends? All my friends are voting for him,” Michael said, hands stuck in black wash-and-wear slacks, shoulders hunched in a cotton Tshirt of black and white horizontal stripes, “It's interesting.” He dashed off toward a red- nosed clown who was distrib- uting blue and red balloons imprinted with the name of ‘Michael's favorite candidate. There Was an occasional ery - from Mr. Hampton of either political or musical fervor as he took over the bandstand with nig seven-man Jazz Inner Circle and Jet the younger group, the Allbls, take a breather. Mr. Hampton is a Republican who plays the vil phone. He was the focus of atten- tion for the crowd, a blue jeans, cotton dress, slacks-and- ‘shirt conglomeration of women ‘who had been waiting for their husbands to come home from work, husbands who had ar- rived and the ubiquitous teen- agers drawn by music, But Mrs. Richard Pastoressa stood apart from the crowd, Jeaning against the brick wall where” Monrce Street enters Catherine Street within sight of her apartment in the Alfred E, Smith housing project. ‘T've Seen Him on TV" “Tra a Democrat, but I just want to see what he looks like, Mrs. Pastoressa rematked. “I've seen him on TY a couple of times. I have to go upstairs and fix dinner pretty: soon.’" ‘Mrs, Pastoressa and her sons, Christopher, 18, and Robert, 8 may rat have been able to wai ‘They were on hand at 6 P.M: the candidate did mot appear until 8. Although the 66th Assembly District in which the party was staged is a firmly Democratic, working -man's neighborhood, there were a lat of open minds waiting for the message. “Pl vote for anybody who gives us better bingo,” sald Mrs, Martin Urban as one ex- ample, “We're big bingo play. ers around here." ‘There were nods and smiles of agreement from ner com- panions, Mrs, Eileen Pratt and ‘her daughter, Mrs. Carlos San- ‘lage, “We want to ste if he has anything to say about it,” Mrs. ‘Urban said. She added that her hushand was working, didn't eare about bingo (“he likes the races") and: was probably a Democrat, anyhow, Slanding apart from the crowd, of sitting on milk boxes and folding chairs, were indix vidual and family clusters who felt. more political than carni- val and wanted anformation, not balloons or eotton candy. ‘Tin Uncommitted’ “T'm uncommitted," said El- mer Leder, 2 purchasing agent who Was walking home from work to his apartment in Knickerbocker Village when he came upon the party.Michael Cossidenti for candied apple at his vote onroe Street block party. repares ta cast B to eat @ Leder said. “There's too much fanfare,” he added, pointing a brown paper bag of three nectarines at the bandstand, “There's noth ing really important in this campaign and they're making up issues and hoopla. I'm an independent Democrat and so's fe, but the emphasis is on independent, T want. to hear B what he has to say.” Mr. Leder, who had planned the’ nectarines while watching a baseball game on television (his wife's in the country), stayed to wateh the candidate push through the crowd from Catherine Street toward Market Street, up around the bandstand past Sid Birmbaum's Kosher Meat and Poultry at 13 Monroe, then back to the’stepa to the stage. ‘The candidate took 15 min- utes to explain that he would change everything, ‘The ap- plauise was scattered and_ mild. “This {s a very tough Demor cratic district,” Mr. Leder sai Then there were questions and answers on minorities, teen- agers, the House Un-American Activities Committee and the water shortage, It was only 2 30-minute in- terruption in the festivities, As Mr, Lindsay left, so did Mz, Leder — and most of the adults who hed been standing quietly on the fringe, “Pm glad T came by, "Mr. ‘The teen-agers, the political| workers with the nominating petitions and Mr. Hampton's band stayed on until 10. Monroe Street went back to being part of the Lower East Side, and Mrs. Bologna said the next! big event in the neighbor- hood would be the Feast of San Gennaro over on Mulberry Street. in September. i They're going to that party, ‘too, 1