The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-02-08

In congress, considerable jealousy
has arisen among committee chairmen,
party wheel-hOrses
jealousy and those who would
Aroused enjoy being admin
lstration spokesman.
Some of them, it hardly need be said,
believe their political salvation lies in
following the administration blindly
and in addition there is another seq
ment of legislators who keep their
eyes on the historical significance of
passing events. This group wants to
have a leading part in enactment of
the social security legislation because,
it must be said, this is the greatest of
all experiments undertaken at any time
by the American government. From
lobby conversation it is perfectly evil
dent that there are many men in the
house and senate who would be willing
to retire to whatever rewards their po-
litical service has given them only to
become known as the father of the
social security legislation.
This condition has precipitated sew
eral humorous circumstances. Sena-
tor Wagner of New York sponsored
the legislation in the senate and Rep
resentative Lewis of Maryland pro-
posed it In the house. Senator Wag-
ner's committee arranged to start hear
ings on a stated date in the senate and
that date was announced rather sud-
hnI %h4
committee hearings been announced
than Representative Doughton of North
Carolina scheduled similar hearings
before his ways and means committee
in the house. He set the hearings one
day ahead of the senate and the rivalry
between the two for headline wit
nesses has been, to say the least,
source of many jokes.
AS far as / can judge from all Of
the expositions, explanations and dis
cussions that deluge us here in Wash
ington, there is only one conclusion
which an observer can safely reach.
1t Is that the administrations social
security program cannot possibly do
all that is claimed for 1t by its spon-
sors but it will do more most assured
ly than its violent critics assert it Is
capable of accomplishing. Thus, the
thing SINNERS down to this: If there
is need for revised social standard in
this country and if any social security
program can be made workable, start
has been made. AS | said earlier in
this column, time alone can answer
the question.
Some weeks ago l reported to you
that there were rumblings of difficult
ties ahead for the
q rou0ie Presidents gigantic
Ahead public works pro-
gram, as his new ex-
pertinent in recovery efforts is de-
scribed. He asked congress for a lump
sum of S4,S00,OOO,O0O with which to re-
vive the heavy industries and other
lines of commercial endeavOr that they
may absorb some of those unemployed
now on relief rolls. 1t will be remem-
bered that in his annual message to
congress he said with emphasis that
federal aid to the destitute must stop:
that the giving of relief directly was a
state responsibility.
The first hitch encountered by the
administration wheel-horses in guiding
the public works bill through congress
developed in the house when the lead
ers, anxious tc pass the legislation as
the White House dictated, sought a
special rule which limited debate to a
couple of hours and made it almost
impossible for individual members to
amend the bill. Several scores of
Democrats and all of the Republicans
baked. For several days the house
leaders fought CALAMITY to keep the
stubborn opposition from running away
with things, but the OBJECTIONS from
the Democratic ranks became so large
that a compromise had to be offered.
It was accepted and the Republican
critics and Democratic opponents were
successfully squelched.
One result of the near revolt against
the house Democratic leadership was
the exposition of feeling against Sec
rotary Ickes of the Department of the
Interior who also carries the titles of
public works administrator and oil adj
ministrator. A lot of Democrats dis
like Mr.. Ickes for what they call his
political aloofness. Apparently he has
not yielded to their demands for
patronage appointments and naturally
men seeking elective offices hold out
that plum as bait to voters. In the
midst of the row in the house Speaker
Byrns told the directors, those who
were attempting TO undermine Mr..
Ickes. that the interior secretary would
not have charge of this great sum of
money as he has in the past. The
speaker said 1t would be administered
by Mr.. Roosevelt himself, but there
has been no explanation thus far of
how the President personally is going
TO direct a job of such magnitude, a
job for which Mr.. Ickes has employed
something like 5000 workers In vari-
Gus capacities.
g. Western Newspaper Union.