Evening star., 1934-01-30
Curbing Political Lawyers
Applauded as Needed Refor1

Unprecedented action is credited to
President Roosevelt in his decision to
prevent lawyer-politicians from enjoy
ing traffic in political influence. The
Washington housekeeping is believed
by the country to be especially fortu-
nate at present on account of the enor-
nous emergency financial transactions
of the Government.
The situation was causing grave
concern to honest and sincere WELL
wishers of the Roosevelt administra-
tion,'' says the Sacramento Bee. with
the statement that .'peddlers of politi-
cal influence in Washington haze been
carrying on their business ever since
there was Washington" The Bee is
convinced that these harpies will find
their operations considerably restricted"
There is nothing new" according to
the Gary PoSt-Tribune, "in the activi-
ties of political lawyers. The same sit
uation exists under every administra
ton, but they have been worse for the
past year because of the tremendous
increase in the business Of the Govern
ment. So many people have had to go
to Washington that Democratic law
yers who claimed they had a special
standing with the administration have
made plenty of hay. Fortunately Pres
ident Roosevelt has recognized that a
real scandal might develop and he has
called on Democratic party officials to
resign their party offices if they expect
to handle any business connected with
the administration. 1t should have been
done before this, but one man cannot
do everything at once and no one has
ever had ay idea the President ap
proved the chiseling practices he has
low stopped"
Few evils. so little observed by the
public, do more damage thinks the
Danbury NeWs-Times. and that paper
concludes The benefit of National Re-
copery Administration principles ap-
piled to public service will be great.
Parties will be stronger and cleaner,
Government will be purer and more
efficient and competition among law
yers will be fairer and juster as between
man and man" A tribute to the Pres
ident's fine sense of ethics" is paid by
the Asbury Park Evening Press, with
expression of the hope that "the spirit
that motivates Mr.. Roosevelt goes down
the line into the States and counties
and municipalities" The Press finds
that the New Deal has been carried
into hitherto unplayed field
Most certainly the President IS
right" in the opinion of the Rock
Island Argus. "in the statement that
these offenses are contrary to the spirit
of his administration. With the ma
jority party so strongly intrenched in
power, one understands very easily how
such things could easily take place. The
presidential warming. if unheeded, may
result in a great deal of unpleasantness
for transgressors. Such things are ad-
mittedly hard to eradicate. They have
existed as long as government itself,
whether government be monarchial or
representative. Mr.. Roosevelt will not
find it easy to stamp out such prac-
tices. But he is to be commended for
making the attempt"
"Mr. Roosevelt seems to have his
party organization well in hand" says
the Cleveland News. pointing to the
fact that "the significant thing about
the shake-up is that the committee
members obeyed the President i'm
plicitly." Taking up the history of the
evil, that paper states: without any
fuss or protest, several members of the
Democratic National Committee have
resigned following q heart-to-heart
talk with President Roosevelt. The
President has strongly disapproved Of
committee members practicing law in
the Capital. 1t is good old custom
for political stalwarts who follow the
law to descend upon Washington and
hang out their shingles there while
their party is in. But it gives the wrong
impression, Mr.. Roosevelt says. 1t Is
taken by many to mean that lawyers
connected with the administration have
access to the back door" Of the execu-