Evening star., 1933-05-15
PATRONAGE RAISES
MANY PARADOXES
Some Democratic Senators
Under Pressure to
Save G. 0. P. Jobs.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Patronage troubles this year are far
different than any administration has
ever had to face and they present many
a paradox.
Where have you been?" I asked
Federal oficial who has been absent
for several days from his desk.
Hiding" he replied with q laugh.
Hiding from whom?" asked
why. hiding from Democratic Sen
Ators who want to keep Republicans in
their jobs"
And thereby hangs . tale. Ordinar-
lily, when an administration changes
and the victors took over the spoils,
they have no particular solicitude for
the persons to be ousted. Usually. there
are plenty Of jobs awaiting in CONNER
cial life. But today 1t is different-:he
cold. cold world Is far from inviting
And many q Democratic Senator who
has lived In Washington has managed
to accumulate friends who are impor-
tuned by jobholders to 60 to the afoIe-
said Democratic members Of Congress
and ask them to use their influence with
the new administration.
Pressure Il Two-Fosd.
While these members have applicants
by the thousands, 1t Is not unnatural
for them to be obligated to various
minor of1cials who have done little
favors for them In the past or to friends
who in turn feel obligated to the Office
holders. So the pressure from Con-
gress is two-fold-to retain efIicient per-
sons now in Office whose personal situa-
ton makes 1t necessary for them to aold
on to their present income and those
who want to displace the people in
once.
No matter what the administrative
officers do about 1t. in the end the
pressure on members Of Congress to
speak word for this or that employe
persists and the days, therefore. of the
newly appointed executives are a mix
ture OF alibi-gfving and polite circum-
vention. Here's a remark one ofiicial
made Ithe other day:
But there's one species that I can
not stomach-the Democrats who got
their jobs originally with Republican
Endorsements and now profess to be
Democrats"
There are. Of course. many Democrats
IN office chosen to NIL places on BIZ
partisan commissions and boards. They
were selected as Democrats in the first
place. But there are other persons in
the Government who used Republican
influence to get their jobs. got friendly
letters written by Republicans and gave
the impression OF great loyalty to the
Hoover or Coolidge or Harding cause
as the case may be, who are especial
targets for attack.
May Menace Party.
Patronage isn't the pleasantest kind
OF thing anyway. but this year 1t has
even more dissgreeable aspects. The
so-called deserving Democrat picks out
the job he wants. tries to get the in
cumbent displaced SO as to create a
vacancy. and not too often Is disap-
pointed in the end to find some one else
gets it who hasn't been particularly
active in seeking the job.
AL in all, the patronage Is being dis
penSed slowly and there are rumblings
here and there that some of the ap-
pontments already made are too po-
litical for the party's own good and
that when times change somewhat there
will be plenty Of ammunition lying
around for the opposition's attack. The
Republicans are only now and then
voicing protest In Congress as mat
ter Of record.
The truth Is. Mr. Roosevelt Is doing
fairly well with some OF the appointees
to the higher Offices but among the
minor officials he Is not as careful
or at least some Of those who are rec
ommending minor executives are taking
advantage Of the Presidents preoccu-
patton in other affairs.
It's sad thing to see purely politi-
cal henchmen taking over important
positions where they are presumably to
work out new deal. For to the vet
eran observers who had expected a
higher degree Of care from q liberal
administration the picture is the same
old political deal Of yesteryears.
(Copyright, 1880