The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-06-28

AtS AsCS'C'NAS PAO6a CHI llQo DCCll placed on the statute books. With no important exceptions the Presi- dent has been given the powers he asked for.
 Thus the first chapter in the history of the Administration has been concluded. A new chapter now begins.
 In less than ninety days the President has proposed and Con gress has accepted a program which in it's scope and the rapidity of it's enactment has never been equalled in time of peace. The c h ieve m mt made possib e by universal recognition that with the closing of the banks the coun- try has been brought to the brink of an abyss. To the general feel ing that heroic remedies were nec- essary the President was able to respond with series of propos als which, in principal at least. had been thought out in advance. With a great new majority in Congress as yet unshaken by fac ton and disappointment, with his personal prestige as new Presi- dent for the time being irresistible with the sentiment in favor oi prompt action, the program has been enacted into law 4 From now on the President is in a new phase and will work under very different conditions. His task thus far has been to conceive the general outlines of program Nov his task is to administer that program Thus far he has had tc persuade Congress and enlist pub lie sentiment. Now he has to sell ect executives and control theil decisions. Until this time a favor able vote was victory. Hereafter the only victory will be a favor able result. The transition has now to be made from promise to performance, from legislative lea dership to executive action, from planning in principle to admin istration in detail.
 It is plain enough that the fate of the program and the fate of the Administration will .be bound up with the quality of the men who actually administer these new laws. The President cannot hope to administer them per sonally and as an experienced man, he will, of course, recognize that his task is to choose men who are loyal and competent, trusting them, and reserving to himself the great decisions as to personnel and as to policy.
 With such vast powers entrusted to his lieutenants, there is alto gether too much at stake to per- init him to rely upon ordinary partiSanship in making his ap- pointments. Thus, for example when one considers the momentous action that has to be taken in dealing with money and credit, it is distinctly alarming to find the President making a merely poli- tical appointment to the Federal Reserve Board Not only is it necessary to rise above partisan ship in making appointments of men who must determine questions of policy and principle, but in the actual administration it is neces- sary to demand something more than routine political good nature. The kit bag episode illustrates the point. A contractor with a letter of introduction from law part ner of the President should not have special access to the White House or to any other department. Such letters of introduction should not be written. If written, they should be ignored, and the Pres ident's lieutenants should be held as accountable as sentry on duty to let no one pass who does not come in the lawful and proper way.
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