Evening star., 1934-05-12

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There was a master mind behind
Stephens. but no one knows who. al
though some people have suspicious.
II the Senate OF the United
States should hold secret pote
today awarding medal to the
man Tho got Thorp, majority
probably 1Uould pOte. rightly or
1prongly, for none other than James
A. Farley-yeS, the Postmaster
General.
Farley Might Demur.
Farley is so modest that he might
decline the honor but it is at least a
compliment to him that Senators
consider him capable of such a Splen-
did execution.
1t is especially complimentary be-
cause President Roosevelt himself,
Commerce Secretary Roper and As
sistant Commerce Secretary Dickin-
son originally tried to save Tnorp.
Mr.. Roosevelt nominated Thorp last
January. Thorp was the kind of
Republican that the Democrats have
been welcoming into their fold. the
NorriS-La Toilette type. He was a
quiet economist who knew little Of the
Washington world.
His nomination was referred in the
Senate to a subcommittee composed
of two Democrats, Stephens and
Bachman, and one Republican, Nye.
Hearings were held for two days.
Rather trivial objections were made
to Prof. Thorp. At any rate, Bachman
and Nye thought they were trivial.
Stephens Stalls Successfully.
He fought with the only available
weapon-delay. He declined to call
his committee together and no action
could be taken.
The President himself finally wrote
a letter to Stephens demanding action.
but it did no good Roper likewise de-
manded action. but he had no more
influence than the White House.
After weeks Stephens finally sub
mitted the question in private to the
larger Commerce Committee of the
Senate, from which he derived his
power.
No record erists to proue it, but
in that secret Commerce Commit
tee meeting. Stephens and Roper
used some Uarm Dords. Stephens
inSinuated that Roper had first
1Uorked against Thorp. Roper's
explanation tudS that he had later
Investigated the matter and found
no Ualid objections to Thorp.
Even then, no vote was taken. Later
Stephens went around privately and
polled the Democrats on the larger
committee They were under the i'm
preston that he was campaigning
against Thorp. and some Of them. as
a personal favor to Stephens. said
they would vote against Thorp if the
matter ever got to a vote.
One refused. He was Senator Shep-
pard Of Texas. who took the amazing
position that he would not oppose any
man just for political reasons.
White House Acts.
Stephens got enough votes to defeat
Thorp in committee without Shep-
pard, so he rushed down to the White
House and urged that the nomination
be withdrawn. 1t was, Immediately,
without further struggle.
Nine out of ten Senators will tell
you today that if a vote could be OBJ
talned on the Thorp nomination he
would be confirmed overwhelmingly.
The Senate cloak rooms believed
Stephens was SO excited because
Thorp had turned him down on some
patronage appointments in the For
eign and Domestic Commerce Bu-
reau. That is incorrect. Stephens
received no appointments in the bu-
reau and did not ask for any, but he
did ask for and get job for friend
in the Census Bureau. which also is
under the Commerce Department.
Thorp's opponents publicly base
their objections on the ground that
business ,Dds strongly against
college professor being in Thorps
Job.
Investigation discloseS there were
only three outside objections to
Thorp. One came from a small busi-
ness establishment in upper New
York State, another from an inconse-
quential employe who had been fired
and the third from Greek in New
York who protested because Thorp's
department had not done more to
help the Athens Exposition.
Representative Sam Rayburn, CO.
author of the Stock Exchange regula-
ton bill, is working hard to make
James Lands (F. T. c. securities act
author) chairman of the proposed
Stock Exchange Regulation Commits
sion. Lands is considered certain to
get the lob.