Evening star., 1935-03-06
BY GARDNER JACKSON.

BY GARDNER JACKSON.
The insecurity of their political po-
sitions felt by leading members of the
New Deals official family is illus
trated by their extreme sensitivity to
news leaks and to the views of per-
sons with whom their subordinates
associate, even out of Office hours.
These officials exhibit anger when
newspaper stories appear without Of
ficial sponsorship and they have late
ly been known to show concern about
the places their assistants visit and
the telephone conversations they hold.
An atmosphere of suspicion and
espionage similar to that in war times
has been created.
Take the case Of Victor A. Christ
gau, farmer and former Republican
Representative from Minnesota, re-
Gently deposed as assistant admins
traitor of the Agricultural Adjustment
Administration. Mr.. Christgau, q
courageous progressive. who was forced
to resign by Administrator Chester c.
Davis, was charged by the latter with
lack Of frankness because he had not
told Mr.. Davis of various telephone
conversations he had had with me
since my dismissal from the A. A. A.
These conversations were held when
Mr.. Christgeu was in his office. No.
body knew Of them except Mr.. Christ
gau and myself. How Mr.. Davis
learned of them one can only sur
mise.
Invitation to Trouble.
Under the reorganization following
the ousting Of jerome Frank, general
counsel of the A. A. A., and several
others, Mr.. Christgau was to have had
charge of the agricultural labor prob
lem, an increasingly pressing issue re-
lating particularly to the industrial
farming areas of California, Colorado.
New Jersey and other States and to
the tenant farmer and hare-cropper
troubles in the cotton South.
Having discussed the problem with
Mr.. Christgau from time to time prior
to my dismissal and having met GER
tain persons at the University of Call
fornia and elsewhere during a recent
trip to the Pacific Coast who had
made a study of conditions there, I
invited Mr.. Christgau to come to a
Sunday evening buffet supper at my
home. We would there talk with one
of the University Of California pro-
fessors, who chanced to be in Wash
ington, and with other New Deal Of
ficials who were interested in agricul-
tural labor.
This invitation was extended to Mr..
Christgau by a telephone call to his
A. A. A. office. The purpose of the
gathering was stated and the names
Of some of those who would be present
were mentioned. The fact that Mr..
Christgau attended this discussion was
cited by Administrator Davis as one
of the reasons why Mr.. Christgau
would not be allowed to handle the
agricultural labor problem, after all,
and why he would be taken of the
operating council of the A. A. A. and
be denoted in rank and salary.
Up until q few months ago, the
A. A. A. was relatively free from such
condition. Some of us working
there compared notes with fellow
workers in National Recovery Admin
iStration and Public Works Admins
tration, for example, and, finding that
the mail addressed to them at their
offices, even their personal mail, was
often opened before it reached their
desks. we boasted that we were work.
ing In a department which still hon.
ored the bill Of rights for its employees
at least
Guard Against Graft.
OF course, the P. w. A. espionage
under John CLAWS reflects Secretary
Ickes' passionate intention that not
nickel of Government money under
him shall slip out as graft. Tall tales
are told by P. w. A. workers about
the scrutiny to which they and their
actions are subjected by CLAWS and
his staff, in pursuit of Mr.. Ickes'
laudable aim. But such q purpose can
scarcely be advanced in other emerg-
ency agencies, and there has been
considerable restiveness among young
New Dealers on account Of intrusion
upon their privacy.
Certainly no worry about graft could
have caused Administrator Davis Of
the A. A. A. to make inquiries about
a farewell dinner 20 or more of us