Evening star., 1935-04-01

White House announcement that
President Roosevelt-"in person." IS
they say in the moyies-wiIl supervise
the expenditure of the s4,s80 ,0o0, 900
work-relief fund means more than
meets the eye. Probably the true
inwardness of the emphatic denial
that Messrs. Hopkins. Ickes, Tugwell
and company are going to direct the
distribution of the billions is that the
average member of Congress is in
clined to throw a fit at the bare sug-
gestion of such q thing. The reason
Is that the officials in question have
a reputation on Capitol Hill of being
politically minded. With a natu-
raj desire to bag the largest possible
slices of work-relief pie for their re-
spective communities. Senators and
Representatives are not keen to do
business with New Dealers Of that
type. So F. D. r. will assume full
responsibility for doing out the
piums. 1t goes without saying that
although his dictum will be the last
word on all occasions, the President
will rely to q wide extent upon the
counsel Of his administrative aides,
as well as on that of Admiral Peoples
and of Gen. Robert E. Wood. who Will
head the advisory board. The net OF
1t all is that politicians with work
relief axes to grind win at any rate
be able to lay their troubles before
the President instead Of submitting
them to men whom many members OF
Congress look upon as officials lacking
In political understanding.
As the huge work-relief project ap-
proaches the stage Of actuality, Re.
publican agitation over its political
effects mounts higher and higher.
The G. o. P. is filled with genuine
alarm that the dollars will be roll
ing just about the time they will
be most useful for Democratic CAM
paign purposes in 1896. Republicans
do not disguise their fears that they
will be under a correspondingly heavy
handicap in trying to depopularize the
Roosevelt administration and the New
Deal They envision repetition OF
their sad experiences In 1884, when.
they claim, 1t proved utterly impos-
sible In countless communities all over
the country to make any political
headway against public works projects
and relief rolls or otherwise persuade
the electorate to vote against Santa
Claus"
Democratic leaders profess to be
utterly unconcerned by the recru-
descence Of Republican activities. as
manifested by the forthcoming con-
vention of Midwestern groups bent
upon dethroning Eastern stand-pat
control of the elephants destinies and
laying the ground for G. o. p. VIC
tory in 1896. Democrats refuse to
view next years prospects through
anything except roSe-tinted spectacles.
Their argument is that the depression
will be 80 thoroughly beaten ana re-
covery so indubitahly In sight by that
time that the country will turn In.
stinctively to Roosevelt for . second
term. The Huey Long third party
borey also leaves Rooseveltians ur,-
perturbed. The only effect OF such
development, they contend, Will be
automatically to make Mr.. Roosevelt
the bulwark Of conservatism, who VIII
command the support Of both Repub-
licans and Democrats unwilling to
run the risk of extreme radicalism In
the White House.
There was an impromptu popularity
contest In the Senate restaurant the
other day while viii Rogers and Ber-
nard M. Baruch happened to be there
at the same time. The Oklahoma
l1umorist was the luncheon guest Of
Vice President Garner when Mr..
Baruch, fresh from his triumphant
appearance before the Munitions Com.
mittee, entered the restaurant with q
group of friends. Immediately the
presence Of the humorist and the
financier was discovered people from
IN oser the room docksd 70 thsm tor