, 1934-12-19
WASHINGTON
BY George Dunno

legislation.
Obviously their advice wasn't ask
ed this time but these observers
fear that the Senate munitions in
vestigators, made huffy by this di-
version Of their spotlight, will jab
the administration into an uncom-
Portable corner.
New Deal adherents are most ap-
prehenSive owe selection OF Bernard
M. Baruch as chairman OF the pres
idential group. They have visions OF
the line OF questioning the Senate
Committee will pursue when Baruch
appears before them as a witness.
Mr.. Roosevelt chose Baruch for
apparent reasons. The New York
financier was head OF the War In
dustries Board In '7-ls and for over
u years he has been perfecting a
plan for mobilization OF industry IN
case Of future war. Recognized as
an authority on the subject. he de-
livers periodic addresses before the
Army War College.
But while Baruch would eliminate
p~rofiteering in connection with our
next call to arms. he would permit
a reasonable profit" for those man.
ufacturing the implements Of bel
ngerency, direct ard indir oct.
What constitutes a reasonable
profit?" Why should one man make
any profit while his brother Is ex-
posing himself TO death as q SOL
dier? This Is about what Baruch
may expect to be asked by the in
curing Senators.
Tornado-Men who know the
President well are convinced he in
jected the administration into the
situation. not 10 protect the NUM-
tons manufacturers from further
disclosures OF their tremendous war
time and peacetime profits. but 70
ther because he feared the Senate n
vestgation might develop q public
tornado OF resentment that would
interfere with long developed plans
for national defense. They say FDR
has no sympathy for the munitions
kings Unfortunately guns and
powder are essential to the conduct
Of a var Army and Navy authori-
ties would prefer NOT TO see the in
dustry nationalized In time or peace.
Looking through military eyes they
fear II would shrink away to a point
where It could not cope with sudden
emergency.
On the other hand, members Of the
Senate Committee want nationali-
zation. They want to stop war by
stopping the indiscriminate sale OF
its weapons. They claim our fac
tories are arming potential foes.
Foreign-Another suggestion put
forward has been that Mr.. Roosevelt
wanted 10 cut short the Senate in
quiry because OF international COM
pllcations rs disclosures was devel-
oping.
ENJOYS Of foreign nations here
dispel that idea. They say the
Presidents announcement caused
far more reverberations IN European
and Far Eastern capitals than has
any d~evelopment OF the senate in
quiry. Although FDR called II ma
tional defense our foreign neigh
bors regard 1t as preparation for
war"
And there you have some Of the
reasons Mr.. Roosevelt's friends wish
he had left the Nye Committee TO
its own Vaccinations.
Prase-A prophet sometimes gets
hts honor II he waits long enough.
This time the prophet Is Herbert
Hoover. His honor comes from Pres
ident R~oosevelt's National Resources
Board. headed by Secretary Of In
terror Ickes and including Frederic
A. Delano. the presidents uncle as
one Of its most active members.
AS you probably have read. the
voluminous report Of this fact-find-
ing unit endorsed a plan for budget
ing public works over a 6-year per-
Tod. II gave credit 10 the Federal
Employment Solicitation Board for
the idea.
PracticaI-Recently Governor Paul
v. McNutt Of Indiana was in WASH
ington and called on President
Roosevelt and other members Of the
New Deal. Out In the End Indiana
District Fred Lands, a Republican.
was elected 10 Congress by 1900
votes and then died. McNutt was
here mixing medicine TO swing that
seat back TO Representative George
r. Durgan, the incumbent Democrat.
McNutt explained that when Lam
dis beat Durgan the corn-hog checks
had not yet arrived In the district
from washington. Charles A. Hal
leck, prosecuting attorney Of Jasper
County. has been named by the Re-
publicans TO run IN the special cleo
ton but the Governor makes no
bones OF his Intention OF waiting un-
I'll those corn-hog checks start
flowing In before setting the date.
McNutt, with a wide grin. explain
ed the election board had held there
could be no call for q special cleo
ton until January 3. McNutt Is
chairman Of that board and ap-
pointed the other two members.
The FESB-if you will pardon al
phabeting another board-was con-
ceived and set UP by former Presi-
dent Hoover. When Ickes first tack
led the job OF spending s.. 800 100000
on public works In 1898 the data
collected by this board was about all
he had 70 90 on. AL Of the first big
batch Of projects approved by PwA
IN July 1888 were from a list previ-
ously scrutinized and okayed By the
Hoover agency.
Not to make the pat on the back
too emphatic, the Roosevelt Board
added to It's approval OF the 6-year
plan:
The work OF the sterilization Of
flee. however. has been very limit