Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1930-06-19
WASHINGTON Letter
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snos1 taroa~ ASSOCIATION YscuA

Washington. June 1S-The contro-
yersy between the executive and legis-
lative branches of the government has
settled down to a point where 1t may
be best described as "a contest OF
strong mind and wills" Both are
endeavoring to win public support for
their political projects and methods,
and to display their prowess. The
Senate is obviously resentful that
President Hoover has placed them in
p bad light with the public and in
the same category with hayward
school boys who are kept after
school" until they follow the teachers
wishes. Accustomed of late to the
thrill which comes from dOmineering
tactics the Senate finds itself thwarted
by two so-called lobbyists, Bishop
Cannon and w. B. Shearer. Unwill-
ing to admit that there is any limi-
tation of its investigating power, the
stamp of futility that has been placed
on its activities of late.
Secretary of State StimsOn made it
clear last week that the Administra-
ton objects to delay in the consider
alton of the naval treaty, because of
the possibility of having an Internal
ional proposition projected into the
Congressional campaigns this fail.
While it is generally recognized that
the United States Senate has no power
to compel the President to give conf
Dental information, the publication Of
which he regards as detrimental TO
the interests of the country, the tenn
per of the Senate is such that they
are trying to make this an issue i'll
poStponing the ratification of the Lon
don naval treaty. In connection with
the treaty issue it is interesting to note
that the Senate committee very
quietly dropped it's investigation into
big navy propaganda engineered by
w. B. Shearer. Oddly enough, Bishop
Cannon adopted similar tactics and
with the same success that Shearer
defied Senate investigating commit
tees. The story is current in Wash.
ington that the Senate lobby investi-
gators who glOried in heaping ridi-
cule on men in private life dropped
the ShearerC Cannon probes like the
proverbial hot potato because these
witnesses knew too much about the
Senate and were willing to shout it
from the house-tops.
Whit was once a political gift.
diamond of the first water, now finds
few takers. 1t is the Craftsmanship
of the Republican and Democratic
national committees. The title given
these jobs would indicate that it car
ried with it the nominal party lead
,ership, that it was the voice of the
party in council and, therefore, a
great honor for a partisan. Years
ago the chairman of the national
committee spoke authoritatively. but
times have changed and there is no
discipline. The direct primary and
a few other alterations in our pOliti-
cal system have resulted in an ap-
preciable shrinkage of party power.
Off-hand it would be difficult to re-
member the names of those who have
occupied this party post. Candid OBJ
servers say that this forgetfulness of
Identities may be attributed to the
fact that most of the occupants have
been mediocre. In recent years the
occupant of the white House is Ordin-
arily recognized as the party leader,
whether Republicans or Democrats
are in the saddle.
The Senate Campaign Committee is
jumping around to the various states |
where there are contests for the Sen
atorial seats. The services of the |
committee are much in demand, but it |
is physically impossible to give the
situation in each state more than a
birds eye view at this time When |
ever the pressure of the opposition
becomes alarming to certain fac
ton interested in the Senate nominal |
tons they send out an emergency call |
to the Nye committee. One of the |
popular methods of gaining the sym
pathy of the righteous is to cast as
pensions on other factions indicating |
the expenditure of unusually large |