Evening star., 1932-11-27

=
Gov. Roosevelt has yet seen this par
ticular plan, Democrats in his conf
| dence say he has in mind a radical de-
parture from the present organization
of the executive Office. The fact that
the Democratic party is confronted by
the greatest patronage rush Washing
ton has ever seen, in view of the politi-
cal turnover In the midst of hard times,
is recognized as necessitating some de-
vice to defect much of this pressure
from the new President when he takes
office.
Could Save Presidents Time.
With 314 Democrats in the House
and Sc in the Senate, it Is believed that
an assistant to the President, If a per-
son Of prestige, and In charge of all
White House public relations under the
President, would be able to relieve the
Executive Of much needless interview
ing and leave him more time for formu-
lating his policies and sending for the
advisors he wants to see.
| The plan, as devised, is described as
going considerably beyond that, how
ever. For one thing, it takes into
account Gov. Roosevelt's known de-
termination to maintain a Democratic
spirit about the White House and see
people as freely as possible. The further
objectives of the idea, while not clearly
defined by those willing to discuss it.
would include purpose to surround
the President and his cabinet with a
workaday advisory group, including the
regular White House secretaries and
some others.
The patronage pressure, 1t Is as
sumed, will begin to subside soon after
the new administration takes Office and
has had time to attend to the more
important Federal appointments. The
idea as whole is regarded with some
skepticism on Capitol Hill for fear that
it might offend members of Congress
TO be shown into the Office of the as
sistant to the President when going
to the White House to see the Presi-
dent himself.
Members Might Approve.
Nevertheless, it is pointed out, there
are many members of Congress who
would feel differently about this than
If they were to be sidetracked by one
with the rank of secretary. Frequently,
! it is explained, members of Congress
are perfectly satisfied to be able to
report to a constituent that they have
taken up his matter with the White
House"
In the present White House organ
ization there are four secretaries, with
one dealing primarily with members of
Congress. another with the press and
the public generally, third with the
Presidents speeches and fourth with
his more personal correspondence.
Gov Roosevelt, so far as known here.
has given no intimation OF his plans
for the new White House set-up, even
to the extent Of approving or disap-
proving the enlarged Secretariat plan
developed by President Hoover. Up to
comparatively recently there was only
one secretary to the President. Presi-
dent Coolidge had two. The under
standing among Mr. Roosevelts close
advisors In Washington is that II he
has more than one secretary they
would not be co-equal. One would be
vested with the final responsibility
under him.
Col. Howe Mentioned.
This would fit in with the plan now
recommended to him. While there is
wide speculation as to the Governors
possible choices for White House secre-
tarial positions, only Col. Howe seems
| htCo VA a 1AaOCs anu 1IAo PAoIC, ~ ~
assumed, would correspond, roughly, to
that now occupied by Lawrence Ritchie
Hence it is considered certain there will
! be at least one more secretary, to make
the daily contacts with the press. Prof
Raymond Moley, who accompanied Mr.
Roosevelt in his conference With Presi-
dent Hoover and Ogden L. Mills, Secre-
tery of the Treasury, Is another posi-
bility for place in the White House
staff.
Those who advance the idea Of ar
assistant to the President cite the fact
that Mr.. Roosevelt as Governor has
arranged to have Lieut.. Gov. Herbert
H. Lehman at his elbow, and came tc
call him "the other Governor"
Speaker John N. Garner, who is tc
be the Vice President In the new
regime, would not fit similarly into ths
situation in Washington. since he will
be required as the presiding officer Of
the Senate during much Of the time
when the President will have the great.
| nst need for a chief aide