, 1934-11-21
WASHINGTON
BY George Durno

BY George Durno
IeChnfque-PreSiden R0o6eveit,S
Thanksgiving trip 20 Warm Springs
couldn't have been more beautt-
fully timed than this year. The
annual turkey dinner at the Ge0r-
gia resort Is almost a religious
pilgrimage. Otherwise. those who
wish him not-so-well politically
might be able to say he was hiber-
mating deliberately In the face OF a
delicate administrative situation.
An undercover fracas his been
on In Washington for some weeks
over future New Deal recovery
policies. All OF the administration
higshotS continue TO lunch with
each other, smile and laugh In
high good humor. and call every
body BY their first names.
But each and every n OF the
really important officials Is anxious
about their places In the SUN. Many
Of them have personal ideas as to
how best the country can be raised
out OF the SlOugh-and naturally
are pulling all possible wires to have
those particular ideas adopted.
Secretary OF Interior lexis spent
about three days aboard the Presi-
dental special as II toured south
through the Tennessee Valley last
week. Icks holds out Tor a gigantic
public works program continued
over the next few years at the rate
OF about S5.O00,OO0,0 900 annually as
the only sure-fire solution.
The day after THANKSGIVING Fed
eral Relief Administrator Hopkins
win leave Tor Warm Springs 70 con-
fer with FDR and travel back with
wise thinks the national pump
must be primed with a great gush-
ing Of federal money but he differs
as to technique. Last winter. Hop
kinS put 100000 men TO work tenn
porarily on a hastily conceived
Civil Works program. He thinks
immediate action should be the adj
ministration keynote again this
w1nter-although on a basis OF ell
iminating last years waste and err
rors.
Icks wants comparatively long
range projects put into operation
on the theory they win slowly but
steadily produce further employ
ment indirectly Ia the so-called
heavy industries and thus gradually
diffuse increased purchasing power
over the whole country. Hopkins
wants action and TO this extent
they differ.
Balance-The president Is presid-
ing as the great conciliat0r in this
little difference OF opinion, and the
white cottage at Warm Springs IS
affording him a swell retreat for
heavy cOgitation between now and
Thanksgiving.
Recent Developments In Wash
ington-Such rs appointment OF
Mariner EccleS as Governor OF the
Federal Reserve Board-would in
dicate a leaning toward the Icks
school OF thought.
On the other hand Hopkins pro-
ouced results last winter when they
were needed badly and the Presi-
dent regards his ability highly. FDR
Is a past master at charting a mid
die road over which all OF his boys
can march. 50 the answer may
pop out around dead-center.
Moving? Rumors ran around
washington steady during the last
two weeks that Big Jim Farley was
about to quit either his Job as Post
master General or rs Chairman OF
the Democratic National Commit
tee.
They popped into print OH the
same day Senator Arthur Vanden-
berg. Of Michigan. Republican
white hope at the momest for 1886,
gave vent TO a statement. Farley'S
resignation-hiS head on a charger
in return for a Seml-coalition
agreement between the New Deal
and the remnants OF the g. O. p.
was all he wanted.
Big Jim'S office declined to dlgni-
~ the resignation runorS with any
official comment whatever. His
lieutenants inferred broadly, how
ever. that Vandenberg nan nothing
TO offer that could force the vlc-
torious Democrats into any kind OF
a bargain.
There Is this 10 be said OF the
reports Farley may be considering
retirement from the cabinet:
It Is common gossip that the man
who built I'D Mr.. Roovelts politl-
cal iurgernaut would like 70 become
Governor or New York I'm 1896.
Why then, ask the Skeptics, should
ne quit as Postmaster General
which title would afford an impress
sive stepping TO Albany-and
2 back TO private business With
management OF the Democratic
National Committee as a Sldeilne3
They argue this would expose hlm
officially as q slraigh.-out politl-
cal boss without The saving mantle
which goes with a cabinet post.
But-everyone knows the Post
matters Generalship and the Demo-
-cratlc rhairmnnshin now merIe in