Evening star., 1935-01-10

AS 1t Is, Mr.. Wallace probably Will
have difficulty finding a chauffeur
who will bear the constant snub he
will get from the other chauffeurs,
for, after all, few thousand dollars
in automobiles makes lot of differ
ence to chauffeurs as well as cabinet
officers.
And the difference may be euen
greater than in the cited figures
because each Official piH be per-
mitted to turn in his oiDn car on
the netD one. Hence, the plush
trio may look torUard to $4,000
cars, Uhile the best that poor Mr..
Wallace can erpect wiH probably.
be $4,000.
In all seriousness, you can readily
see five to two ratio like that rather
makes a permanent inferior of Mr..
Wallace
The other Cabinet officers appar-
emily have only an academic interest
in the matter. At least they did not
mention any new cars in their
budgets.
They will use the old cars inherited
from their predecessors or purchased
earlier in the New Deal.
Let scoffers remember that the Gov
ernment furnishes cars to all high
officials because they are needed in
business, and some of the cars are
getting old. Mr.. Hul's, for instance,
Is five years old. His turn-in conse-
qnentiy wifi be tess. "
Mr.. Cummings is four years old,
but the age Of the others is not stated.
Houeuer, it is not true that the
neU 81, 900 machines in contempld-
ton are going to be circus 1Udgons
or red, ,Uhite and blue linousines.
Nor are they to be outftted uith
culliopes. Those are false rumors.
They are to be Just the ordinary
$4,000 uehicles, iDith simple radios,
silver cigarette trays and the other
ordtneary necessities OF cabinet
motoring life.
That does not alter the seriousness
Of dangerous social distinctions. and
the latest word from the fuming front
is that Mr.. Roosevelt, or at least Louis
Howe, may take the situation in hand.
There Is a probability that Messrs.
Hull and Cummings and Madame Sec
retary will be curtailed to $4,000 cars,
or Wallace will be ordered to take a
$4,000 one, whether he wants it or
not.
Garner's Stand.
The one ray of hopeful light under
the hood of this auto situation is
being offered by Vice President Gar
ner. You may recall he declined to
use Government car as Speaker of
the House. He accepted one as Vice
President, but in the new budget he
has recommended that the appropria-
ton for its operation be cut from
$4,000 year to $4,000. The explana-
ton apparently is that the Vice Pres
ident does not care to take his official
car back to Uvalde during the recesses
of Congress.
Another suggestion of hopeful
ray has been worked out by Treasury
Secretary Morgenthau. He uses a
Government-bought car here person.
ally, but he has ordered use by minor
Treasury officials of confiscated boot
logger and rum-running cars.
When in New York, his associates
say he has been known to use the
seized car of Owney Madden or one
of the other ex-big shots which has
bullet-proof glass.
All the insiders below the highest
one are trying to find out who is
going to head the new employment
program set-up for Mr.. Roosevelt.
Apparently none Of them (Messrs.
Ickes, Hopkins, ct all has an inkling.
It means much to them because
Hopkins job is being abolished and
Ickes will lose the P. w. A. under the
new set-up.
The best guess still is that both
Hopkins and Ickes piH be ap-
pointed on a board Uith others to
handle the funds and that Frank
Walker or some one of his pacific
type tDiu be made chairman to
maintain peace.
Friends of your old pal, Gen. john
son, have been mentioning his name
for chairman, but he has said he
would not accept another Government
job.
A way to keep the cabinet from
breaking up over the auto issue may
be found in Mr.. Hopkins recent re-
ceipt of information that his unem-
ployed boys in Florida are rounding
up wild horses which were tame
when abandoned after the realty
boom exploded. As no one knows
what to do with them, they might be
sent up here for cabinet officers to
ride.
War Secretary. pern is one officer
who got a new car last year, but 1t
only cost $2,500. which leaves him
little better of than Wallace.
Literateurs liked the style of the
dissenting opinion Of Supreme Court
Justice Cardoza in the oil case. It
was reminiscent of that brilliant dis
senter, retired Justice Holmes. Car
doza Is expected to come nearer fill
ing Holmes toga than any one else
on the bench.
tcoDsrisht' 1851