Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-18
Roosevelt and Tammany.

Whatever the purpose, the plea to
Gov. Roosevelt Of New York to broaden
the powers Of the State controller to
enable him to dig more deeply into
iniquities Of administration in Repub
lican counties while those Of the Sea-
bury Committee which is investigating
Tammany methods Of metropolitan
management are enlarged, may have
the effect Of a breach between the Gov
ernor and the dominant Democratic
faction In New York. For it Is indicated
that Gov. Roosevelt will refuse the re-
guest to include In his mandate to the
Legislature, which he has summoned in
month to meet the requirements of the
Seabury Committee, a recommendation
that it grant the State controller equiv
alent powers of the granting of i'm
munity to witnesses. Thus the issue is
to be joined between the Governor and
Tammany, an issue in which the Gov
ernor will have the support of the ma
jority Of the people of the State.
Just what will that mean to the
Roosevelt presidential nomination cam
paign? Outside Of New York 1t will
probably assist him. within New York
1t will probably not damage him, as far
as the nomination Is concerned. For
Tammany does not control the State,
and when the time comes to name del
egates to the national convention the
Democrats Of New York are virtually
certain to declare Franklin Roosevelt to
be the States favorite son and instruct
their representatives to vote for him to
the finish.
If Tammany's purpose was to put the
Governor in a hole, the occasion was
badly chosen. AS matter of fact, this
request, the refusal Of which is dictated
by logic and common sense, gives the
Governor a chance to declare his indie
pendence of Tammany in terms and on
n basis that viii appeal to the country.
Il has often been said that Tammany
plays the game Of national politics
badly. This is an illustration Of the
fact.
The request put TO the Governor Is
for the extension TO the State controller
Of the power Of grant Of immunity
whish the Seabury Committee requires
to proceed effectively in its New York
City investigation The State appellate
court has ruled that the committee
lacks that power Without it the COM
mittee cannot get the truth out Of I'M
willing witnesses, who are prone to plead
that to answer questions would tend
to 'incriminate and degrade" them. If
the committee csn. in its discretion
grant immunity to such witnesses,
persistent refusals to answer may lead
to their imprisor ment for contempt
With this weapon 1t may compel re-
plies that will lead to the revelation
Of the higher-uIs who have been
getting the graft.
Meanwhile the State controller has
been going after some Republican COM
muntties, seeking graft and fraud and
costly incompetence. Some cases have
been uncovered. Others might be, 1t
is urged. II the controller had the i'm
munity power. He has not himself re-
quested such power. He now says that
he would be able perhaps to use it, but
feels that 1t does not matter much any
how. The whole point Of the matter
Is that the Democratic, which is to say
the Tammany. members Of the Legisla-
tive Investigating Committee are SEEK
ing to draw a herring across the trail
by diverting attention from the metro
politan graft to the lesser graft up
State. Judge Seabury. chief inquisitor
Of the Legislative Committee, himself q
Democrat, feels that 1t Is idle thus to
confuse the issue.
Gov Roosevelt is perhaps to be con-
graduated upon the turn of affairs,
which has brought into the open the
hostility of Tammany, whose friend
ship and support might prove heavy
handicap IN the national campaign
that Is soon 10 open.