Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-06-11
Brain Truster Denies He
Advocates SOviet.Like
Control for u. S.
OFFICIAL CLEARS EVERY
JUMP, FRIENDS STATE
Chairman Smith and Committee
Members Battle Over New
Deal During Hearing.
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.


Rexford G. Tugwell, symboizing
the Roosevelt brain trust" was taken
over the jumps by Senators today.
who are opposing his confirmation
as Undersecretary of Agriculture.
In the opinion of many members
of the committee who are backing
Mr. Tugwell, he cleared every Jump.
He declared emphatically he be-
lieved in the Constitution of the
United States
He declared he is opposed to the
Russian system Of government-for
the United States. He said that If
the Russians liked it that is their
affair.
Brain Trust Under Fire.
The questioning Of Mr.. Tugwell by
the Senate Committee on Agriculture
was in reality questioning of the
aims and ends of the so-called brain
trust.
only for Mr.. Tugwell, but for Senators
with conflicting views on much of the
new deal program.
oO uNcly O1Q OF THESE
views become that for half an hour
Mr.. Tugwell was forgotten while
spirited exchanges took place.
The hearing was conducted under
difficulties An enormous crowd
damned the big caucus room in the
Senate once Building. Hundreds of
persons had come to see and hear
Mr.. Tugwell. Few of them were able
to see him and less were able to
hear him.
AS the hearing proceeded heated
interchanges between Chairman
Smith, Democrat, of South Carolina.
Senator Byrd of Virginia and Senator
Bailey of North Carolina. all of whom
look askance on Mr.. Tugwell and
members Of the committee who are
supporting Tugwel, took place.
Applause Frequent.
Now and then ripples of applause
ran over the audience. Boos and cat
calls enlivened the proceedings. Sem
ator Norris of Nebraska, progressive
Republican. sat at the right hand of
the Senators who questioned Tugwell
and sarcastically commented on their
questions. Senator Wheeler of Mon
tana, Democrat, constituted himself
kind of counsel for the defense.
Other members of the committee
Sneered and ridiculed the questions
which the opponents of Mr.. Tugwen
persisted in asking.
Mr.. Tugwel replied quietly to all
the questions they put to him, so
quietly that there were frequent re-
quests that he raise his voice. The
burden Of the discussion was speech
that he made before the American
Economic Association in 1881. Sen
ator Byrd, Senator Bailey and others
sought to make him admit that he
favored "a national planning" "a
planned economy" which would even
tually put the Government in con-
troll of every industry and of agricul-
ture. He denied emphatically that
his speech showed he favored any
such program. He insisted that the
speech had been made to a group of
economists, that it was couched in
technical language and that it was in
reality intended to show that such a
planned economy would not work in
the United States.
Denies Planning.
In Mr.. Tugwell's speech 1t was
pointed out that national planning
would mean the abandonment of
much of the Constitution and laws Of
the United States. Senators question:
ing Mr.. Tugwell sought again and
again to make him admit that he ia
vored such planning. And again and
again Mr.. Tugwell denied this.
Many Senators not members of the
Agriculture Committee attended the
hearing and scores of persons import
ant in social and official life of the
Capital, among whom we're Mrs. Mich
olas Longworth, Mrs. j. Borden Har-
riman and some of the wives of Sem
ators and other high officials.
At one plSce in his speech 10 the
economic association Mr.. Tugwell had
said that the dual conflict will be
abated when industry is government
and government Is industry" He adj
mitted that this was his opinion and
he said that! he had in mind some
kind of organization of business such
as the N. r. A., although he admitted
that the N. r. A. had not been born
at that time He insisted that such
a system was far removed from the
Russian system.
mo one can be more opposed to the
Russian system for America than am
l." said Mr.. Tugwell.
Used Word Technically.
He insisted that he did not like the
word planning although he had
used it in a technical sense.
At one point sin his hearing. Mr..
Tugwell asked if there was any reason
why ne could not be believed when
he made that assertion.
why Is it that my word cannot
be accepted?" he demanded.