, 1935-08-09
WASHINGTON
Nv Raw

BY Ray Tucker
Remake - President Roosevelt
will have to reorganize his official
family ruthleSSly to make them sing
in tune and march in step. The
headlines don't begin to tell the story
of their inner differences and dis
senSion.
Messrs. Ickes and Hopkins war
over non-federal projects every day.
After Mr.. Ickes' agents persuade a
city to borrow 45Fo Of federal funds
for a new sewer, Mr.. Hopkins men
agree 20 furnish 900 without inter-
est charges. That happened in At
lanta. The Forestry Service has
bid for land wanted by Rex Tugwell
for rural resettlement. thus boost
ing the price. Secretary Swanson
forced Secretary Dern to mobilize
the War Department against the
reds" although MI. Dern would
have preferred to keep out. Attor-
ney General Cummings refused to
let the Treasury select its own law
yer to prosecute a notorious gang
ster, although this lawyer had the
t8OOAo u VIII RAAAA(AR0A 0C1CAAcC WIZ
ness, and the gangster goes free.
MIR. Roosevelt has had no time to
rehearse his company in their prop
er lines. But now that the New
Deal is reaching the stage where ad-
ministration becomes all-important
heads will fall here and there. He
could use a stronger cabinet as a
talking point in 1886.
Funds - COP Chairman Fletcher
is rolling in wealth these days -
that is, for him. New York repub-
licans recently raised $250,0O0 and
turned over One-third to him. 1t
accounts for new publicists, new ra-
do speakers and new typewriters at
the Barr Building at Washington.
Republicans are contributing more
regularly than at any time since
the 1882 debacle. Some donors ex-
planned that they didn't dare to give
for fear q administration retalia-
ton, but the supreme court removed
that hobgobiin. Others saw no use
in pouring out money to a lifeless
outfit, but the new hope that the
New Deal may prove vulnerable has
loosened them up.
Chairman Fletcher and the oan-
greSSional collectors have effected
a working arrangement to bring in
the cash. When republicans refuse
to give because they are waiting to
Sc whom the party will nominate
next year, as many do, Mr.. Fletcher
hands their names over to the Boil
ton-HaStings organization. Their
collectors point out that even If Mr..
Roosevelt Is reelected it may be pos
sible to return enough GOP-ers to
the house TO checkmate him. That
often does the trick.
Bidding - Cool heads narrowly
avoided a knock-down-drag-out
fight between Chairman Fletcher
and the grass r~ooters."
Poppy young western republicans
- hard heads" they call them
around COP Observation-Disclosures
that the ex-diplomat was too tender
toward the New Deal. They wanted
TO fight the president all down the
line, including. even the AAA al
legedly so popular in the west. Spe-
officially, they proposed that John
Hamilton, Mr.. Fletcher's assistant,
be given the post Of chairman.
Influential New Workers like
Charles D. Hilles spiked that move.
Mr.. Hilles. a political veteran, realiZ-
ed that Mr.. Fletcher's trouble was
lack Of funds - that you can't fight
an entrenched and well-heeled ad-
ministration with an empty treasury.
Moreover, conservative eastern re-
publicans don't want to jeopardize
their chances by a wrangle. over the
Craftsmanship. Mr.. Fletcher can stay
until the real battle begins next
spring.
Borah still smokers over the prema-
Iture announcement that Chairman
Farley has marked him for political
slaughter next fall. 1t has brought
him many sunrise pledges Of bi-par-
tisan support.
Six democratic senator's, includ-
ing Wheeler of Montana, McCarran
of Nevada, Copeland Of New York
and Huey Long. have promised to
speak in his state for him. Demo-
Gratis back home have offered their
aid. Hi" Johnson, who has been
cool to the Idahoan since their diff
ferences in 1912, has warmed up.
The two ancient ~progress1ves had a
long. confidential chat over the Far
ley disclosure.
MI. Farley's enmity will strength
en- the senator, according to his
friends. for the New Yorker is not
particularly popular in Idaho.
Anyway" says Mr.. Borah, per-
haps thinking Of progressives who
have Endorsed the New Deal. IF I.
come back, Ill come on my own feet.
I won't walk on any political
crutches."
Control - As Whirligig predicted