, 1934-12-06
WASHINGTON
BY George Durno

AA@ @AA&
Printed demands have been made
rather persistently that Chairman
S. Clay williams and his colleagues
shall start letting the public In on
what's stirring inside the Blue Ea-
gle's nest. Charges have been made
that these men are mishandling
their publicity-or lack Of ID.
The truth Is that the NRA helms
men aren't talking because they
haven't been prepared to say any
thing. With j. L. OrNeIll's Undue
ton into office the picture may
change but probably not much.
Williams was president Of one Of
the Big Four tobacco companies.
Anyone acquainted with cigarette
advertising could hardly judge him
to be ignorant Of, or impervious TO.
publicity on carefully selected
points.
But Williams and the other men,
berS Of the administrative board
haven't been noted a. men who want
TO break the front page even If they
have TO break a leg to do II. They
have been marking time waiting to
see what President Roosevelt II 90
ing TO recommend to Congress as to
ARA's future. Meantime there has
been a quiet cleaning out OF eaglets
who had filled the nest with clamor.
IL has been smart work to shut
themselves up and become as mys-
FERROUS as competent corporation ex-
ecutives are forced to be while de-
velOpments are between hay and
gross. Uncle sam is getting the
benefit OF what every good business
man very well knows
AS pointed out recently by our
New York column. W.. Averill Har-
riman, who has been placed i'm
charge Of NRA public relations.
knows nothing about publicity by
inclination Is ideally fitted for the
job Of saying nothing.
The n sure tip-off that a federal
agency is beginning TO fade has been
when the Washington corps OF cor
respondents stops making il a port
OF daily call. A few months ago the
corridors OF NRA were full Of news
writers but not = now. Today the
motto Is - Blessed Is that nation
which has no history
NRA at the moment Is a perfect
~ lovely sleeping beauty. There is
a suspicion that Mr.. Roosevelt Is 20
ing TO assure she'll be no tomboy
when she awakes-to the Job OF Civ
ing business back to business.
-Tough-WaShington observers are
about convinced Donald R~ichberg's
chief job is not coordinating but sup
cruising trial-balloon -ascensions.
In the last month Richbere has
made more speeches than a candi-
date for office. Nearly every one OF
them has contained hints OF what
President Roosevelt may be expected
TO recommend to Congress next
month.
New Deal headquarters Is bus
gauging public reaction TO these
hints. Those fav0rably received viii
stay in; those arousing any wide
spread hostility presumably are out.
As a coordinator Richberp wasn't
able TO make the grade on his big
geSt assignment. He vrestled with
the family row over low-cost hous-
ing for weeks but II broke into the
open and FDR personally had 70
step in.
The presidents greatest personal
protection has been that he imposes
complete responsibility on his rank
ing subordinates. When one Of them
gets IN a jam that particular per
son takes II on the chin and no
blame accrues to the White House
Mr.. Roosevelt Tut a coordinator
over his brood TO keep them from
gettlng In each others hair or trv-
ing 70 run the New Deal machine IN
Two directions simultaneously. IN
fortunately only the fellow who a
tolo he Is right is pleased. The
other one resents taking any advice
or orders except from the White
House direct.
FresSure-Jim Farleiy's hired men
are working night and day On their
prooe Of ocean mail and foreign mail
contracts IN an effort to have A fl
nal report ready BY January n As
scheduled. 1t will be physically i'm
possible, however. so thew are draft
ing q preliminary report ~ reach
President Roosevelt's hands ahort
December Is.
The post office is going TO recon-
mend that the President ask Con-
greS 70 establish q system of ont
night subsidy for the merchant ma
rine n commercial aviation with
out using mail as a ~subterfure
should Congress fail to agree il will
DC proposed that FDR drasticallv
modify existing mail contracts.
Inc President. under the law. can
moony these contracts or ' cam
Gel them outright I'D to April II.
Rescue-Theodore q. JoSlin. who
was secretary to Herbert Hoover
during that Soul-Searing period from
1881 70 1888. In a new book. "Hoov-
er OF the Record" quotes the for
mer president as saving the fol-
ment:
What / have tried 10 do during
THESE years has been 10 save the
American people from disaster. They
90 not know what they have missed.
Because they don't know what thew
nave missed. they are dissatisfied
with what has been done. In such
circumstances. they turn TO other
leaders.
"A former European official re-
Gently observed that statesmen. in
trying to prevent disaster. XIII
themselves off. He might say that
my tactics nave been wrong that
! should have waited until the AM
erlcan people we're half drowned
and then have waded in and tried TO