The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-03-29
BY RUTH FTNSEY
Tines special Writer


WAsHTN TON. March %
T-,osa ubi1utous twins. Right Of
Petition and the Political Lobby,
have been changing hair ribbons
again and trying 10 confuse Con-
rrass and tho public as 70 which Is
ur.evI and which mischievoUs.
They've been doing u since repre-
sentative government began and are
expected TO continue unless and
urtI freedom Of speech sinks for
the third time IN a sea 81 Fascist
castor oil. But each time they man
age 20 do it with a new twist
The utilities holding company
bill started the fun this time.
IL has been before Congress only
= month but already hackers Of the
bill are demanding an investigation
Of the lobby against II and Presi-
dent Roosevelt has denounced util-
itv propaganda IN singing terms
Tn return. utility men complain
that these rebukes violate their right
of petition. They hlTl the charge
Of propaganda right back 10 officials
sponsoring the bill. including the
President.
a Fighting Word"
Both sides are bitter and prob
ablv VAL become more so The
struggle on the holding company
issue is certain 70 be COi0red nv in
dignaron al all the money spent by
Hobbies fin the past. all the indie
fsn5ible methods they have used IN
the past. and the constant and an
moving pressure they have brought
on Congress Lobby has become a |
fighting word
Yet right % petition. tracing an
honorable lineage back 10 the Con- |
sututiOn. Is inevitably bound to-
Eethcr with the political lobby.
ONLY q few weeks ago a radio /
speech BY Father COughlin on the |
World Court Precipitated upon |
Senator's such storm Of letters |
and teleErams that overnight what /
had seemed certain victory for the |
\ 0urt turned into defeat.
NTOdav 4 similar delUge of mail Is |
20 ming from utility investors. When |
C'5ngrcssmCu try to diferentiate be-
Tween the TWO types Of mail they
find that doing 81 involves eXamina-
tIpns of the motives. methods and
general accuracy Of the instigatOrs. |
a task which seems to many Of them |
hopeless.
Calls il Healthy
The lobby came into existence
many years ago when constituents
of the first C0ngreSSmen discovered |
that representation according TO
geographical units didn't always
mean representation according to
economic units. AS essential TO
democracy as political representa-
tion. economic representation was
left 20 develop itself outside the ac-
Cepted governmental structure. and
az a result It took on strange forms
and guiSeS.
Yet there has never been a time
when students Of government be-
lieved the lobby could be done away /
With without az the same time de-
sToying the right of petition.
Hobbies represent healthy /
Democratic development" saws Or. |
e. P. Herring. author Of the Brook
ingS Institutions Group Repre-
sentsuon Before Congress"
They arose in answer to certain !
needs They have been forced to /
take the political structure as they |
found &c. Entirely extralegal and !
Unconstitutional they have been |
much maligned and misunderstood. |
They are a part OF our representa-
the system. and yet due TO their |
heritage from the old lobby. they |
bear the faint Of illegitimacy."
Inevitable" Says DIR. Beard
Charles A. Beard. eminent his
torian and political scientist. like |
wise believes the lobby is inevitable. |
Congress must always work amid /
vast net Of agencies. having large |
sums az their disposal n spend in /
agitation and IN maintaining re-
search bureaus TO accumulate facts |
'avOrahle 20 their special concerns"
.le saws in The American Lsvia-
than"
Under the burning spotlight of /
their scrutiny. constantly lombard |
&C by their pleas. threats and prom
ises. and gaSsed by their publicity. |
the legislator who tries TO see
things as they are and as a whole |
ard 10 do his fun duty in the midst |
Of clamOr and perpleNity must have |
pOiSe, discrimination and courage"
But II Congress has 10 endure the |
lobby u doesn't have 10 endure II |
in silence. More and more frequent |
in recent years have been its in