, 1934-12-21
WASHINGTON
BY George Onrno


R~aincheck - Political advisers
have ben arguing with President
Roosevelt against the idea OF a
"fireside" radio talk with the coun-
try In advance OF the opening Of
| congress.
Reasons are varied but the con-
illusions are identic. They are urg-
ing that The annual message to
Congress be the Presidents next
big blast.
The radio talk tentatively had
been set for Sunday night. AS this
Is written, chances are that IL will
be passed up.
If the President waits. as expect
cd. Ii will be no indication he has
backed down from his purposes in
any respect. He Is determined that
Twas cheap power experiment in
the Tennessee Valley shall be ex-
tended TO every other section OF the
country If the private companies
fail to reduce their rates TO fit the
IVA yardstick. he wasn't foolnng
a bit when he made his Tupelo,
Miss. speech.
Federal Housing Administrator
Moffett would like TO have the
President 20 on the air and give
his nome building drive a little
Impetus but FDR hardly could de-
vote a whole speech TO that sub
ject.
The idea OF the fireside chats has
been 10 make them ~infrequent and
so important that everybody will
stay home TO listen in. Publicity
minded New Dealers don't want 20
detract from their appeal. Neither
do they want to take the edge off
OF the coming message TO Congress
which apparently Is going to be
hot stuff.
Howl - Tariff trade agreements
are under negotiation with Switzer-
land and the Netherlands, includ-
ing Netherland East and West
Indies. Concessions in imports Of
fuel oil and gasoline are looked for
in the case OF Netherland West
Indies. Practically all tariff agree
ments aim TO increase American
farm exports while granting o n
cesSions on imports Of manufac-
tured products. Secretary Wallace
seems 10 be as potent as Secretary
Hull in framing new agreements.
Protected manufacturers are be-
ginning to take notice. An aificial
OF the u. S. Chamber Of Com
merce says: Protected industries
are lying back after filing protests
against tariff cuts affecting them.
The howl will come when an agree
rent Is made with some important
manufacturing nation. like Belgium.
The deal with Belgium is about TO
go through
Observation-Disclosures and initiation
lists are planning 10 take the ad-
ministration around a few curves
when Congress meets-unleSS the
White House beats them TO the
punch and does some voluntary in
flating in the few days remaining.
A good scrap Is in prospect be-
cause New Deal financial geniuSes
have just about decided there Is no
immediate need for additional cur
rency tinkering. The international
situation is such We would not ben
eft, they report. and the people
are in a spending mood which
makes III easy to run up the public
debt 70 permit more pump-priming.
Mr.. RooSevelt'S big danger Is that
the in~flationiStS might get together
ON a common program. The dozen
different ideas low being banded
about by a dozen different factions
create fine insurance.
Union-Hidden hand5 are man
euvering TO consolidate the in
flationary forces. One OF them,
believe IL or not. is Henry Ford.
The flivver king is said on reputable
authority 10 be responsible for an
unsigned pamphlet on the silver
problem which Is being given
wide circulation.
Another more open 49, Is Father
Coughlin, the radio priest.
Senator Elmer Thomas. of Okla
homa. spokesman for the Commit
tee for the Nation and generally
accepted as leader Of the initiation
bloc, had a huddle with Father
Coughlin recently. Then both OF
them called on Ford.
In addition to discussion Of a
program for the coming Congress
1t is understood the three men also
talked over ways and means OF
getting definite leadership for the
silver bloc-with Thomas most fay-
orably mentioned for the job.
Three other Senator's aspire 10
the post. They are Pittman Of
Nevada. Wheeler OF Montana. and
McCarran OF Nevada. Each OF these
have personal axes 10 grind. Ford
and Coughlin may combine 10 put
Thomas in the saddle by pulling
important wires which they hap
pen 70 control.
Secure-December 81 is the dead
line, under last sessions act reviS-
ing the air mail laws, for aviation
operating companies and holding
corporations to unScramble them
selves. TWA. Eastern Air, Western
Air and United Airlines already
have done so.
Pan American. which connects
the United States with South and
Central America and the West
/ Indies is worried not a bit. APP
proximately q per cent Of its stock
is held BY Aviation Corporation,
North American Aviation, National
Aviation and United Aircraft, but
the stock will remain with those
holding companies.
AS you probably guessed. there Is
a loophole in the law. The term
"air mall is defined as meaning
postage at the rate OF . cents an
ounce or fraction thereof. Pan
Americans minimum rate Is 10
cents and runs up TO so cents.
The Post Office Department got
into plenty OF hot water cancelling
| domestic air mail contracts but IL
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