The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-09-01
WATSON PLAYS !
'SL|CKER' FEAT
TO SAVE HIDE
Thomas May Accept $10,-
600 Job, After Indian
apoIiS Gets u. S. Bank.
SENATOR OUT OF HOLE
Farm Board Job Left Open,
So RuShyiIIe Man May
Get Plum.
By WALKER STONE
Times stan Writer

WASHINGTON, Sept. Now
that Indianapolis is to get the fed
eral home loan bank for which it
fought so ferociously, will Ernest
Thomas change his mind about not
wanting that $4,000 job on the fed
eral farm board?
At first blush, the two matters
seem totally unrelated. Perhaps they
are. Perhaps there is nothing in the
story being circulated around Wash
ington.
But if there is any truth in this
rumor, Thomas did not close the
door completely when he turned
down the farm board Job, saying he
feared his wife's health would not
be so good in the Washington eli
mate
1t is true that Thomas did not
seek the farm board appointment.
But he did set his cap for another
$4,000 job-a place on the home
loan bank board Senator Jim Wat
son, at that time wrestling with the
home loan bill, promised his friend
Thomas that he would go down the
line for him, as a tribute to the
days when they were comrades to-
gether in the old home town of
RuShville.
Watson Promises Again
AS Is Senator Jims impulsive GUS
tom, he made the promise hastily.
He did not consult the building and
loan crowd in Indianapolis. The
building and loan crowd decided
that it did not want Thomas to
represent Indiana on the home loan
bank board II wanted the lob for
one of its own, Gavin L. Payne.
AS a result of having two candi-
dates for the job, Indiana got no
representation on the home loan
bank board But Watson did re-
ceive White House assurance that
Thomas would be taken care of
later"
And a few days later the White
House announced Thomas appoint
ment to the farm board. Thomas
waited a week, and then declined.
Here's Another Explanation
He did not explain how the
Washington climate would be any
harder on Mrs. Thomas as the wife
OF a farm board member than as
the wife of a bank board member.
The wise boys" around WASH
ington, those who claim to be .in
the know concerning Indiana poll
tics, had a different explanation for
the astounding declination of a
$4,000 job.
They recalled the great show of
buster with which Watson-after
President Hoover refused to appoint
either Thomas or Payne-pro-
claimed to the world that he never
had wanted Hoosier on the bank
board.
I'm after bigger game" said
Watson at that time I'm plug
ging to get one of these home loan
banks located in indianapolis.
The building and loan boys in In
annapolis were pacif1ed. They for
gave Senator jim for having at
tempted earlier to scuttle the home
loan bill. They forgave him for
not whooping it up for. the appoint-
ment of Gavin Payne.
Watson ION Spot"
But their pleasure and peace were
short-hved. Three days later came
the announcement of Thomas seIec-
ton for the farm board vacancy
The building and loan crowd became
suspicious.
Being political-minded, as all
HOLSTERS are, they began to whisper
about that Watson had traded off
the Indianapolis bank to get the
farm board seat for Thomas. Wat
sons past performances regarding
their wishes lent color TO the rumor.
and it assumed ugly proportions.
Thus Watson found himself in a
hole. He knew that the only way
to kill the rumor was to get the
bank for indianapolis. He thought
ne had the bank lin the bag" but
he wasn't sure.
He knew that, if there should be
some slip and indianapolis should
fail to get the bank, the ugly rumor
would be very damaging to his
chances for reelection.
And so, playing safe-according
to the story told by the wise boys
Watson called on his friend
Thomas to spike the rumor by de-
Ginning the farm board job, at least
decline it temporarily, until the To-
cation of the bank was settled.
The farm board job still is open.
When Thomas declined, President
Hoover made no substitute appoint
ment. Perhaps he is holding it
open at the request of his harassed
friend, Senator Jim.