Evening star., 1934-12-23
Richberg's Success as Co-ordinator Is
Attributed to His Tactful Methods

balance the other. He believes strongly
in barter deals.
These two theories now have met in
head-on collision. Germany urgently
needs American cotton but doesn't
have the dollars to pay for it. Oscar
johnson, who heads the Government
cotton pool with 100000 bales to
sell and more millions In sight,
urgently needs to sell cotton. Mr..
Peek has an export-import bank
which could function as an inter-
mediary in q German-American cot
ton deal. He was all set to shoot on
a proposition that would have given
Germany the cotton, and the United
States q lot Of German currency for
spending In Germany for German
goods. when Mr.. Hull came into the
picture.
The Secretary Of State decided
that if this barter deal were approved,
the whole principle OF reciprocal
trade agreements would 60 by the
board. Mr.. Hull Is mild-mannered
but dangerous in a battle So Mr..
Hull and Mr.. Peek squared on. This
looked like another ideal case for
Donald Richberg to coordinate. He
could come in and make adjustments
that would relieve President Roose-
velt Of the need for Intervention. But
instead Of going to Mr.. Richberg. the
squabble went direct to the President.
Mr.. Hull, incidentally, seems to have
come of the victor.
Now the executive director of the
N. E. c. may have to do some CO.
ordinating to find where the Peek
organization can be fitted into the
New Deal machinery, If it Is not to
be used to negotiate trade deals with
individual countries.
Then, of course. there is the widely
reported lack Of coordination be-
tween Harold Ickes, Secretary Of the
Interior and Public Works admins
traitor, and James A. Moffett, admin
istrator of the Federal Housing
Administration.
Mr.. Ickes feels that the Govern
ment should use its borrowing power
to finance construction of homes for
persons who cannot afford to build
their own homes or to rent decent
homes. Mr.. Moffett thinks that if
the Government Is going to use its
power to borrow money at per cent
or under and its power to finance
large-scale construction at low cost,
private capital cannot be attracted
to the industry. His whole campaign
Is based on the willingness of in
vestors to return to the mortgage
field.
Mr.. Ickes Is q former law partner
OF Mr.. Richberg and should be
amenable to coordination by him. if
any official is to be amenable. Yet
this issue required the Intervention
Of Mr.. Roosevelt for settlement.
Actually 1t Is not settled and cannot
be until broad questions Of national
policy are determined either by Con-
gress or by the President.
Those are just sample opportuni-
ties for coordination. There are
many more involving contributions Of
glaring sort. Yet they are not
submitting readily to the efforts that
Mr.. Richberg Is supposed to be making
to give unity of method and policy
in the New Deal.
\ 4 \ y
Actually, many Government
economist will tell an inquirer. the
programs that are clashing most
openly simply cannot be reconciled
with one another.
Mr.. Richberg Is not using a heavy
hand on his job. Rather he Is going
about it in . quiet, suave way that
causes some officials to be on guard.
Agreements on policy are supposed
to be reached in the meetings of the
National Emergency Council, with the
director then endeavoring to see that
those policies are followed. The diff
f1culty appears to be that policies
agreed upon really may clash with
other policies that have been agreed
upon before.
In the end, it all comes back to
the fact that Mr.. Roosevelt has to
run the show, so far as policy en-
forcement and discipline are con-
cerned.
(copyright. 1934)