Evening star., 1934-04-16

The adviSability Of eliminating
political patronage from the Home
Owners Loan Corporation is a sub
ject of controversy on editorial pages.
Those who support Senator Norris
demand for a non-political admins
tration contend that exacting f1nan-
cial requirements, efficiency and a
sense of justice should be the chief
requirements in naming the operating
personnel. Opponents of this idea
admit equal possibilities for honest
service in all parties, but hold that the
existing administration Is entitled to
fill the posts required.
"Why the late-day hypocriSy?" asks
the Austin (Tex) American. Demo
cratic members insisted that Demo-
Gratis should be given the preference
in the naming of employees of the
home loan set-up the Nation over. Re-
publicans wanted free-for-al in the
selection. When the reins of gov
ernment are held by the Republicans,
Republicans are given the plums. This
is a longtime record of Republican
control of the Nation. Now the Demo-
Gratis are in control and there are
thousands of hungry Democrats who
are clamoring for loaves and fishes OF
victory"
so potent is the argument con-
cerning pie and its distribution, says
the Asheville IN. c. Times, doubtless
the perquisites, persuasions and puis-
sance of this pie are so great that the
Congressman Of any section acknowl-
edges that one main approach to the
celebrates heart lies through the
celebrates political stomach. OF
course, the Republicans charged that
the H. o. L. C. had Become spoilsmen's
paradise, the implication being the
grotesque hypothesis that under Re-
publican administration it would have
been different. Well, the several re-
gional administration of the H. o. L. C..
plan will have to be mighty men to
rob the Republican Indictment Of sting
lent by bald fact"
1.-THE fact that the organization Is
partisan" according to the Indianapo-
lis News, docs not mean that it is in
efficient. While the tendency will be
in that direction, and the exposures
of colluSion and fraud involving the
corporation representation in some
States have been serious. the Job can
be well done. The Indiana organi-
zation has been commended for its
conservatism in appraising homes for
loans, its insistence on clear titles and
its avoidance, as far as practicable, of
loading the Government with the
weakest loans for which other lending
agencies were willing to take the
bonds"
Criticizing the way in which mat
ters were handled in Illinois, the Rock
Island Argus contends that "the al
legged failure of the Home Owners
Loan Corporation to function eff
GENTLY in this State is a matter that
should be investigated" The New
Haven Journal Courier believes that
even the possibility of political sub
servience should be ruled out" while
the Harrisburg (Pa) Patriot holds
that lack of protection against politi-
cal raiders is neglect of very seri-
GUS opportunity for public service" :"
The South Bend Tribune protests
against conversion of the corpora
tion into a vote-buying organization
in a campaign year." The Philadel-
phia Inquirer comments: Though it
may be nautral for the dominant
party to want patronage, there should
be an exception to the rule in bodies
such as the Home Owners Loan Cor
poration." The Baltimore Sun also
thinks that cit Is essential that the
personnel Of this corporation be care