The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-05-10

mouse DeIIWeLleI OF Lne ROOSSFSl
peal, voted against beer.
President Roosevelt sent a mes
sage to Speaker Rainey, saying
that he was rrevocably opposed
to the Patman war-veteran bonus
bill, that he would veto the bill
if it were passed. That was the
signal for the whip to corral the
the Democratic members and
force them to stand behind the
party leader. But when the roll
was called. Arthur Greenwood,
whip of the house, a pathetic fig
ure. voted for the bonus.
President Roosevelt vetoed the
independent offices appropriations
bill. a measure which restored TO
the pension rolls thousands OF
"presumptive cases" and restored
the salary cuts of government en-
ployes. If there ever is time
when the whip of the majority
party is needed it is when vote
is taken on a presidential veto.
But when the vote on the veto
came, Greenwood was back home
in Indiana. 1t can not be said that
he lodged that vote. For the first
thing that he did when he re-
turned to Washington was to re-
lease a statement to the press, up
holding the action of the house in
overriding the veto, an unprece-
dented thing for whip to do.
n
A FEW days after President
"A Roosevelt entered the White
House, he sent message to con-
gress, asking for passage of the
economy law.
Although the natural thing to
do was to assume that the whip
would vote with the administra-
ton and try to persuade all other
Democratic congressman to do
likewise, this correspondent took
the precaution to approach Green
wood few hours before the vote.
L am inclined" said Arthur
Greenwood, whip of the house,
ito go along with the administra-
ton" There was misery in mis-
voice. He did go along on that
economy law vote, but his sup
port was reluctant, and nearly
every vote bearing on questions of
economy that he has cast since
have demonstrated that ne re-
GREETED that he ever voted for the
economy law.
Arthur Greenwood, personally, is
not a bad sort. He is above the
average in intelligence, and he be-
lieveS in the progressive principles
of government. He voted for and
worked for the MIRA, the AAA, the
CCC, the FERA, the IVA and the
PWA, not only because he was
whip of the house, but also be-
cause he believed in the philos-
ophy underlying these economic
and social measures.
IF Arthur Greenwood were just
i another congressman, with no
special responsibilities, his record
as a whole would have to be con-
sidered a good record. But being
the whip, he is supposed to be an
administration leader. And the
vital days of the new deal have
called for leaders willing to stand
up and be counted for unpopular
as we'll as popular phases of the
Roosevelt program.
The Democrats have better than
two and one-half to one majority
in the house, and in President
Roosevelt they have popular
leader. A strong house leadership
has not been necessary. But when
another election narrows down
the Democratic margin, the adj
ministration will be forced to re-
organize the house leadership.
Men like Speaker Rainey, Leader
Byrns and Whip Greenwood, who
have demonstrated such f1abby
leadership, will be Shunted aside
for stronger men.
1t so happens that practically
all of the strong Democrats in the
house come from states south OF
the Mason-D Dixon line. The
Rainey- Byrns- Greenwood trium-
virate rode into the positions of
power by making a sectional fight
against southern domination. The
sheer necessity for stronger lead
ership will in time force the dis
solution of this triumvirate.
n
~REENWOOD'S friends in In
" diana are making much of
his position as whip.
But, believe it or not, there are
many people in Washington who
do not know who is the whip.
Early in this session of congress,
President Roosevelt, thinking of
the many administration measures
upon which he needed hearty
congressional cooperation, decid-
ed it was necessary to take steps
to insure united party front in
the house.
Turning one morning to his sec
retary, Steve Early. Mr.. RooSe-