, 1935-11-04
Behind the
Scenes i'm
Washington
BY RODNEY BUTCHER,
Brownsville Herald Washington
Correspondent

Dy hODENEl OOLOAALhp
Brownsville Herald Washington
Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4-That
S165, 900 Tee which Mr.. Arthur Mullen
seeks for his efforts with regard to
certain PWA projects in Nebraska
indicates what the big-time lobby
lists have been getting away with
since the New Deal began simultan-
eouSly to pour out billions for re-
covery and TO try t. reform the
business structure.
Nc one knows how many millions
the statesmen OF influence" have
collected since March, 1888. No one
ever will.
Most men close to the inside agree
that the most spectacular cle3nups
we're made In the first year of the
administration, before Roosevelt rec
| ognized danger In the situation and
told Mullen and others they couldn't
function both as lobbyists and DEM
OCratiC national committeeman.
But the lobbying business still
flourisheS
Mullen, a Nebraska political boss
and OF Rooseyelt's floor man
ayers at the 1882 Democratic con-
vention. has been reputed to have
large influence both at the White
House and with Secretary Ickes.
NO investigation will ever deter
mine Just how much influence he
has been aba to exert at either
place. His influence unquesticnably
has been exaggerated-but such x
%aggerations IN Washington meal
more clients and bigger fees.
1t isn't on record that any Off
cial in Washington ever refused to
see Mr.. Mullen, who contributes
large sums regularly TO the Demo-
cratic party.
Rated as Ickes' @Angelo
Ickes frequently has been hard
boiled toward Mullen and his de-
mands. But favor-seekers, looking
around for influential advocates, are
impressed by stories that Mullen fl
nanced IckeS' independent progress
sive committee for Roosevelt in 1882
and that he came TO the support
Of Ickes for secretary Of the interior
at a critical moment.
Friends of IckeS have denied
those stories, but they're rather
commonly believed in PWA and the
Interior DIartment.)
More OBSCURE lawyers frequently
come to Mullen and others Of his
TX. promising fee splits in return
fer help. Recently Mullen was rag
ing because in at least two in
stances Ickes had refused to approve
payments to him from Indian tribal
funds for alleged services.
But the relations Of Mullen with
government officials IN kept a
deep, dark secret-just as was his
annual SIS, ZOO retainer from Cities
Service until the recent lobby in
v~estigaticn.
The lobby racket here win never
be curbed or exposed until officials
are compelled to make public their
contacts with lobbyists.
Ncrris on the Trail
In the Ease of the Sl65,000 fees,
Mullen has on his trail the re-
doubtable Senator George w. Nor
ris Of Nebraska. which is lever any
fun for anybody.
The fees are billed for services TO
two water conservation and power
projects and have been submitted to
Ickes for approval. These projects
were approved early IN the PWA
game, while Norris fought Tor two
years for his Tri-County irrigation
power project against opposition
from Mullen, representing the first
two.
Norris wants to know whether
PWA is being asked to approve use
Of its funds for fighting another
PWA project.
PWA lawyers suspect that per-
hapS Mullen expected TO be scaled
down to about 100000. They guess
that eventually he may receive be-
tween SIS 900 and $4,000.
A BobbIe for Hull
Secretary OF State Cordell Hull Is
our f~lrst-ranking diplomat. But he
made a faux pas as a welcoming
delegation gathered to meet Presi-
dent Roosevelt on his return to
Washington.
Mrs. Roosevelt. like many others
that cold morning. had the sniffles.
She was raising her handkerchief