The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-01-25
Protests No Good

Protests No Good
As administrator of the original
S3,70O,OOO,OOO public works program
he collided early with congressional
seekers of patronage and pork. He
refused even to see Congressman
when they asked a review of some
rejected project. He ruled that
every plea for money must stand
on its own feet.
Protests went to the White House
but the policy stood. Senators and
Representatives alike talked of in
suits" lack of cooperation" and
''Un-Democratic procedure" but to
no avail. This weeks pledge that
Mr.. Ickes would not be car of re-
employment was their first taste of
revenge.
In the face of this hostile atti-
tude, Rep. Edward T. Taylor Cd,
ColO) defended Mr.. Ickes on the
floor of the House with the state
ment that every cent expended so
far could be accounted for"
Early in the PWA, Mr.. Ickes ran
afoul of PostmaSter-Gen James
A. Farley. Emil Hurja, the Farley
patronage dispenser, had been
placed in a key job at PWA. Mr..
Ickes demanded that Mr.. Hurja be
transferred. He was.
Takes Swing at Farley
This week Mr.. Ickes, innocently
enough, took another swing at Mr..
Farley when the Interior Depart
ment's publicity Office circulated
among all correspondents facsimile
copies,Of a magazine article attack
ing the conduct of eX-COngresSman
Weber Wilson as federal judge in
the Virgin Islands. Mr.. Wilson was
said in the article to have gotten his
judgeship via Cummings via Jim
Farley via Pat Harrison" Later
the department announced that the
copies had been prepared for Off
cial use only and went to the press
by accident.
Last night Mr.. IckeS apologized
formally to Mr.. Cummings, Mr..
Farley and Senator Pat Harrison
Cd. Miss for the attack.
To police his far-f1ung enter
prises. MIR. Ickes established an in
vestigation division which has 80
regional offices and 400 operatives.
Spy System Is Denounced
This spy system has been de-
nounced from all corners of the
government, but Mr.. Ickes has in
sisted that so long as he spends
public money he must prevent
"chiseling." In one year, 2515 in
vestigations of PWA contracts alone
were made. and nearly 1000 of them
resulted in refusal of ALLEGATIONS.
Again Mr.. IckeS stuck his chin
out when he expressed the opinion
that the Federal Housing Admins
tration could not meet the needs of
low-cost housing, and was obliged
to compose his public feud with
Administrator James A. Moffett in
hastily called session at the
White House.
Mr.. Ickes conceded jokingly to-
dav that IF a man worked hard at
it. he couldn't work up a bigger
list of enemies than have made" y
In his list of enemies. he included
contractors. public utility interests
and oil men,"
Sought Only Minor Job
"I have been forced to turn down
contractors looking for soft touches
and public utility interests who
were afraid of being hurt under the
PWA program" he said.
Il know some congressman aren't
my friends. I've had to turn some
down both on jobs they wanted Tor
their constituents and projects they
wanted approved for their districts.
When. following the election OF
1882. Harold IckeS thought he might
be useful in Washington, he aSpired
no higher than the Indian commits
sionerShip. He had the support of
Senator Hiram Johnson of Cali
fornia.
He has gone far since the day he
met the President elect in New York
City and sold himself not as Indian
commissioner but as Secretary of
81, T,,ta,-fOr