Evening star., 1934-09-13
U.S. CASH CALLED
maine VOTE SPUR
New Deal Victory is Held
Influenced by Loans
and Subsidies.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
More famous perhaps than the
slogan "As Maine goes, so goes the
Nation" may be a new comment
which made its appearance among
political folk hereabouts several weeks
ago and which has been more perth
nently applied by Its users since to the
election In Maine. It is this: did
you ever hear Of anybody shooting
Santa CLAUSE" ss--A
The plain inference Is that the
Maine electorate was cajoled by the
large Federal loans and subsidies and
that the voters would have been u1.
grateful If they had not supported
the New Deal.
The facts are most interesting to
recapitulate at this time, for we shall
hear o good deal about the indirect
use-of Federal money In the next sew
erai weeks to bring about the re-
election Of a Democratic Congress.
Here are the essential points taken
entirely from the statements OF Demo-
cratic spokesmen for the administra-
tion.2 Hf3as
4 Brann's Boast Recalled.
IL Gov. Brann, just reelected by
. bigger majority than he had two
years ago, boasted throughout the
campaign that he had obtained O
total of $108. 100000 from the Federal
Government.
a. Both Gov. Brann and the Dem
ocratic nominee for the United States
Senate emphasized the probability that
$50, 900 would be awarded by the
p. w. A. for the Bay of Fundy power
project. A letter from President Roose-
velt was used in the campaign to
support such prediction.
g. Secretary Ickes, who Is in
charge of the p. w. A.. announced
after the election that Maine had re-
ceived 156 per cent Of its p. w. A.
quota-that is, 56 per cent more than
its share, based on population.
Just what Maine did get or what
It may get in the way Of funds from
the Federal Government may turn
out, on further investigation, to be
much less than what was claimed by
Gov. Brann. But there can be no
doubt that the State of Maine, which
paid o total of about $6,000,000 in
takes to the Federal Government last
year and about $4,000, 900 In process
ing taxes, or q total OF about $8,000,-
O00 In all, has received approximately
s1a000,0O0 from various Federal
agencies under the New Deal. This
includes p. w. A. and G. w. A. and
the Federal Emergency Relief Asso-
citation, to say nothing Of money
loaned through the r. FIG.
Rooseyelt's Letter, Too.
Most interesting Is the letter from
President Roosevelt himself. which
became q campaign document. 1t
was dated June 23, and addressed to
Gov. Brann, who read IL over the
radio during the campaign. It was,
In part, as follows:
.My Dear Governor: I am In full
accord with your conviction that this
is the proper time to take up tns$A
serious way the possibility Of deve1ops
inn the enormous jatent electrical
enkrgS Of the tadeysters Of the Bay
Of FtIndy -. Il : .4.zx
also agree W1tki yOu tAads tAic WY
10 90 about this in . practical manner
Is to Immediately appoint . con1mis-
sion to 70 over those definite projects
which have been wnrked out by ex--
perienced engineers and select the
best and most practicable plans :.
Says Funds Available.
aaThere Is for the time being con-
siderable amount Of Government funds
available for public works. some OF
which, of course, could be diverted to
this purpose should 1t be found, first,
that the creation Of the power Is
practical and economical, and. second,
that it can be made available for
various uses and win not lie idle for
many years to come after 1t has been
sof course, public money must first
70 to those projects which viii employ
the greatest number of people in the
shortest time, and on works which,
when created, will bring the most
lasting and certain benefit to the
people Of this country. I have high
hopes that the 'Quoddy' project (Bay
of Fundy proposaD after proper in
vstigation will prove to come under
this category :
II will await the report Of such
commission IN case you. decide on
taking such action with the greatest
interest and can assure you that you
WIN have sympathetic ear in WASH
in9ton for whatever recommendations
mty result from their studies"
$50 b Commission Was Formed.
Naturally, Gov. Brann Immediately
APPOINTED a commission, and the
promise of "symathetic ear" from
TIN President of the United States,
With billions Of dollars at his disposal,
gaze hope to unemployed and others
that maybe a $50, 900 900 project would
cohde to the people, of Maine, who
would benefit from the huge expendi-
TUE.
And, it may be asked, what possible
chance would q Republican Governor
hFe to get the sympathetic ear" Of
thu Democratic President In the White
HNise? Actually the Bay of Fundy
ppject has been up two or three
times in recent years and has never
been seriously regarded here as likely
venture. But it was revived effectively
Inc The campaign this Summer, not
only by Mr.. Roosevelt's letter but by
the fact that Secretary Ickes, in
chatge Of the Public Works Admin
istfation, made an inspection visit to
Name to look over the Bay of Fundy
prpRct. His trip was widely pub
nc1zed In the State. He did not de-
hyft an address but the, significance
off The journey, coupled with the
Pradent's letter. was sufficient to give
the impression that more Federal
m0ney was in prospect for the State
ofaMaine.
Sow the Republican spokesmen who
have been charging that all this was
. snribe" are rejecting on the intelli-
geAce Of all the voters OF Maine. Only
minority Of voters of that State, per-
haps would be influenced by any such
collaboration. Still, If only, $4,000
changed their votes as result Of it,
tn4 Rtrfyc vyc.ll1. che yaro fha rny,av1nxS.