Evening star., 1934-06-15

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This leader of financial legislation
in the House earned his Stonewall
title the same way Jackson did. While
all the rest have been fleeing before
the advance of the administration,
Mr.. Steagall has stood there like q
stonewall, impenetrable.
At least that is what he did for
some weeks after President Roosevelt
sent the housing bill to Congress. The
White House prodders got busy on
the inside and prodded Mr.. Steagall
into promising to report the bill.
At the appointed time, Mr..
Stedo1u did. but, 10 and behold,
the bill Mr.. Stedgdu reported hap
pened to be an entirely different
bill.
Mr. Roosevelt's prodders were SO
angry that one of them (an official in
Frank Walkers division), called news
men of Washington into press con-
ference.
This official spoke very diSparaging-
ly of Mr.. Steagall's committee. He
charged that it had sold out to the
building and loan associations, that it
had betrayed the administration, ETC.,
ETC., etc.
Some one present suggested that
such remarks were very libelous. un-
less proved, and would cause an up
roar. The official thereupon wisely
decided to make his remarks "ot-the-
record" meaning confidential.
News Travels, However.
That kept them from getting into
the newspapers, but they reached the
ears Of the Banking Committee men,
bers and the Building and Loan
League. AS a result, every one lost
his temper-that is, every one except
Mr.. Steagall. He still was giving a
good imitation Of a stonewan.
The votes taken in Mr.. Steagalfs
committee were not made public. II
they had been, they would have
proved Mr.. Steagall's rigidity.
In euery pote taken, Mr.. Stedgau
believe it or not-stood By. the
White House. He poted against
changes Which ,Donld 0iue a halt
billion dollars in loans to buildings
and loan associations. He poted
for the administration bill. Only
two or three members OF his con-
mittee did KeWise. j
Mr.. Roosevelt's prodders know that.
but they refuse to give Mr.. Steagal
full credit. They noted that his pals
on the committee were all on the other
side, particularly his bosom companion
and alter ego, Mr.. Goldsborough, a
Democrat from Maryland.
Also, they complain that Mr.
Steagall has never before been over
thrown by his committee, at least
never by such an overwhelming margin
as 16 to 8 and IS to 4, which were
the anti-administration margins on
the committee roll calls.
No Ill Feelings Exist.
Furthermore, no i'll feeling seems tc
exist between Mr.. Steagall and his own
committee members, who went against
him and the administration.
The upshot of the thing is that the
administration had to exert extreme
inside pressure to get its bill out Of the
discards. 1t is supposed to have every
thing fixed now so that it will get
exactly what it wants, finally. after
both Senate and House have passed
the bill, and it goes into the hands
of a conference committee.
Mr.. SteagdlPs friends are Uery
proud of him. They say the 1d-
r1intstrution is displeased only be-
cause he has the courage OF his
conuictionS, which haze not hap
pened to coincide Dith Mr.. Roose-
peIt's conpictions on imitation and
guaranteeing bank deposits. They
ercuse his thtulress to the dd-
nltnistr1tion on the housing bill on
the ground that he 11ds not inter-
ested in the subject much, one Ddy
or another. Also, they expect him
to get some patronage.
To them, Mr.. Steagall is just big
misunderstood man who does not care
as long as he can continue to have
his way generally on the subjects in
which he is interested.
At any rate, all will concede that
his unfathomable activities have made
him the most colorful figure in a drab
house.
The charge that the Building and
Loan League wrote the substitute
housing bill, reported to the House,
has been forcefully denied No one
will deny that the substitute was
thoroughly acceptable to them, while
the administration bill would ruin the
profitable second mortgage business.
Poses With Hoover.
When the new Republican national
chairman, Henry P. Fletcher, had his
pictures taken. he posed beneath a
photograph of ex-President Hoover,
which was plainly visible In the
pictures.
Clarence Darrow was not fooled on
publicity for his second report. He
did not personally let it out prema-
turely, but friend did. The friend is
not connected with the Darrow board
and may not have received his copy
from Darrow.
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