Evening star., 1934-11-16

New and extraordinary responsible
ties and powers conferred by the
President upon Donald R. Richberg as
head of the combined Executive Coun-
bring the chief New Deal admins
traitor more than ever into the spot
light of public scrutiny.
1T is the most promising step yet
taken in the Presidents hard fight to
bring the New Deal into balance"
thinks the Boston Transcript, with the
conclusion: His selection for this
crucially important post seems fairly
commendable, for he has shown great
powers Of growth in judgment and ac-
ton since he first went to Washington.
But the important fact is that the
President has at last conceived plan
from which there may emerge for the
New Deal true master-pla q system
Of equilibration, a reconciliation of
conflicting forces. Prime Minister
Richberg will be able to begin this
work free Of any department or bureau
to administer. He will have no other
task except to try to think the New
Deal through"
Apparently" according to the
Philadelphia Inquirer, ''he is to be the
without portfolio. He has not been
have powers quite as important as if he
were. His work is described as one Of
coordination, which is precisely what
other officials appointed by the Presi-
dent have attempted. Mr.. Richberg
apparently is to be responsible solely to
the President. and his decisions will be
subject only to executive review. While
more order may be brought out Of ad-
ministrative chaos in consequence,
there may be a question concerning
the wisdom of a set-up by which an
ex-officio Government official is ac-
corded sweeping authority"
The need of coordination, accord
ing to the Chattanooga Times, goes
to show that, while great minds may
often run in the same channel, they
also frequently run in opposite direc-
tions.' The New York Times states
that President Roosevelt made Mr..
Richberg virtually his first assistant
without PORTFOLIO" and the Dayton
(Ohio) Journal contributes the sug-
gestion: "Mr. Richberg's job, although
infinitely larger, is not unlike that OF
the chief of staff of a regiment or of
an army. He is planner, director, CO.
ordinator. AS the powers of the chief
of staff are exceeded only by those Of
the commanding general, so Mr.. Rich
berg's powers, in point Of fact, are
secondary only to those Of the Presi-
dent himself"
Calling Mr.. Richberg "the key man
of the New Deals Board of Directors"
the Grand Rapids Press comments:
THE familiar Washington trouble of
DISCRIMINATION, cross-purposes and
huge piles of unfinished business has
brought forth again, as it has on three
other occasions, sincere efforts to
bring some sort Of order out Of gov
ernmental chaos" The Troy IN. "
Record concludes: 1T has long been
recognized-even before the govern
mental problems presented to the
Nations Chief Executive by this de-
preston and the recovery effort be-
came SO numerous and pressing-that
the President Of the United States
carried a larger burden than should
be laid upon any one man. The ma
chinery now set up is designed to
facilitate the orderly presentation Of
business to the President Instead
of being presented directly by the cab
met heads and other administration
chiefs this business will come first to
Mr.. Richberg, who is expected to deal
with and dispose of much Of it,
passing the rest on to the President
with recommendations"
More and more" as viewed by the
Bergen IN. j. Evening Record, "the
cabinet is being pushed into the back
ground q the new agencies Of Gov