, 1935-09-03
WASHINGTON
BY Ray Tucker


Graft - The use OF federal funds
to build up local political machines
OF questionable ability and morals
furnishes Reliefer Harry Hopkins
With q hard nut to crack. Although
President Roosevelt has ruled that
politicoS must keep their itching
hands off these billions no way has
been devised to handcuff them COM
pletely.
Numerous complaints have reached
the inner circle to the effect that
local bosses are handling work re-
lief money exactly as II IL were pat
ronage. Applicants for Jobs have
been forced TO present political
recommendations In some instances.
Party hacks lacking any training or
experience have been permitted to
dole out funds. In several large
cities conditions are VIGOROUSLY bad.
The result has been TO strengthen
malodorouS machines swept into Of
flee In the 1882 and 1884 landslides.
Many have no sympathy for the adj
ministration'S policies and are
simply caShing in. Some have &C
tually opposed the president. Con-
scientious New Dealers are worried
and so are the solid. non-partisan
people IN these communities. Either
Mr.. Roosevelt or Mr.. Hopkins may
speak his mind on this matter soon.
Garner-Had several young demo-
Gratis who seek a vice-presidential
nomination on the Roosevelt ticket
been lolling In the White House
anteroom recently, they would have
folded up their patented lightning
rods. They could have read their
fate in Jack Gamers boyish grin as
he emerged from the presidents Of
flee.
Mr.. RooSevelt's warm compliments
for the Texans part in steering
must" legislation through the last
session were ringing in Jacks ears.
SO were the presidents final words
Of parting: IF I'm the candidate
next year. JACK, you'll be my run
ming mate" The president, OF
course was indulgin@ in a modest
joke when he lifted" about his re-
nomination.
Only a few know that II was the
vice president who kept ire presi-
dent In the fight for the holding
company bill. Mr.. Roosevelt had
given 1t up Is a bad job when his
aide voluntarily stepped in. Keep
your brain trusters out Of this"
Jack said In effect, "and Ill put It
over" A few days later the White
House phone rang. tits okeh," said
Jack, Just as you want ii, too. We
simply give them the holding COM
panies) an anesthetic before we
hang en-"
Shifts - Now that congress has
packed its bag and gone home Pres
ldent Roosevelt has quietly taken up
the question Of reorganizing ramb-
ling and conflicting New Deal
agencies. It means that the watch
word from now on will be economy
and efficiency an appealing 1896
slogan in view OF hOstil criticism.
The presidents move explains sew
eral seemingly unrelated executive
orders - the coordination Of hous-
ing agencies, the extension Of the
Budget Bureaus authority, the ter
mination OF PWA expenditures. The
u~nadvertised reason for stopping
Ickes' heavy work is the desire TO
save perhaps a billion Of the $780,
100000 appropriation. That would
be an unexpected answer - next
June - TO campaign charges that
this Is a spendthrift administration.
Improving business conditions are
cited as another explanation for
shutting down on longtime grants
and loans. New Deal economists
this work in late fall or next spring.
expect that industry will undertake
They will concentrate on stimulat-
ing the market for consumers
goods.
Color-Hardly a word has crept
into the newspapers about Penn
Sylvania's new laws conferring abSo-
lutte social rights upon colcred peo-
pie, but democrats and republicans
at the capital regard 1t as a major
political development. They are
studying census figures to determine
what influence Ii may exert on the
1886 presidential campaign.
The legislation provides among
other things that colored people
may not be denied a room in a hotel,
a seat In a theater CT public con-
veyance. They impose a fine and
imprisonment upon violators. They
were initiated and passed by a
democratic house and republican
senate and signed by a democratic
governor. Despite this non-partisan
backing the democrats may get the
political credit.
In a close election II Is estimated
that colored voters hold the balance
CT power in New York. Pennsylvania,
Illinois. Ohio and Indiana. Those
states have almost $50 electoral
votes
Profits-President Roosevelt Wig
orously opposed insurance Of bank
deposits when 1t was first preached
In 1888. He eventually acquiesced
when its sponsors argued that II
would be q weapon for forcing
banks into the Federal Reserve and
establishing a unified banking sys-
tenn. The idea was &c withhold the
insurance from institutions which
did not sign up.
But White House Spokesman
fought the provision In the new
bank bin which would have barred
1000 small state banks from the
deposit guarantee unless they quail
fled fer the reserve system. Sena-
torial sleuths think they have found
the answer for the shift. They under
stand that Jesse Jones has invested
RFC funds In these banks and
wanted them to enjoy fun federal
benefits.
Thus RFC operations may force
q modification CT the Rdministra-
Il tfnnfr NnIlrfnr trward wnarv rnrOr