The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-07-18
BEHIND
 THE SCENES IN WASHINGTON
Heads to Fall in Row Over Virgin Islands Rule . Ickes Expected to Win Moral Victory :. Notables Flock to House Lobby Probe.
By RODNEY BUTCHER Democrat Washington
 COrresuOndentl

a Democrat Washington
 COrrespOndent)
 Washington, July IS - Those pesky Virgin Islands, tiny nodules in the Caribbean holding a mere 22,00O persons, nearly all colored, brought on the major clash in this between cabinet officer and the senate.
 Now it is certain that Federal Judge T. Webber Wilson and Gov ernord Paul M. Pearson of the is- uands will be required to leave that balmy cline. The best guess is that Wilson will be required to leave first, which will be moral victory for Secretary Iskes over Senator Tydings, Senator Harri- son, Jim Farley and Attorney Gen. eral Wilson's packers.
 On the other hand, Wilson, being a democratic politician from Mis- sissippi, stands more chance of a subsequent federal pob than Pear son, republican appointee.
 The whole Virgins squabble was such small potatoes that you can CAdAh all CAAOI up dSdAASe IsOVoC- welt for letting it reach the point where it waggled the foundations of the Capitol and the interior de- partment.
 Messy Row Develops
 Pearson would have been re- placed by a democrat a coule of years ago if the character of his vilifying enemies hadn't been such as to cause Ickes and Roosevelt to support him under fire.
 Wilson's activities against Pear son and his performances on the bench had been such as to assure a transfer for him, too. But Tyd- ings fo Maryland, sore because one of his politicval porteges had been dismissed from an island job for unsupported charges and activities against Pearson, promoted and conducted a senate investigation.
 Hiring a couple of Baltimore law yer-politicians, he began hearings which turned into a much- -hurling festival with Pearson on the receiv- ing end. After Wilson's testimony against Pearson, Tydings publicly whitewashed the judge.
 Infuriated by the unfairness ot all this and his departments in- ability to cross-examine witnesses, foolhardy Ickes publicly demanded Wilson's dismissal and sent 8 hot, public letter to Tydings, who re- sponded by charging Iskes with falsehood, character assassination, gross deceit, cheap publicity, and effrontery.
 Ickes was at the White House early next morning, good and sore, determined to get in his story first Tydings arrived later, equally sore, Both found Roosevelt sore, too.
 As If he didn't have anything else to worry about, he suggested without such an unprecedented row as this one! So the hearings were abruptly halted.
 Rubberneck Department
 The Corcoran-Brewster hearings were one of the big shows of the year and reporter, without stretching his neck much, could see Committeeman Lehlbach of New Jersey, pudgy veteran bull dozer; Martin Dies of Texas, who wants to deport 6,0O0,000 alien con- sumers of American goods; Chair man John O'Connor, stocky red headed Tammanyite who arranged a no roll-call vote on the holding company death sentence; rugged faced "Goober" Cox of Georgia, and Sabath of Illinois, Corcoran's only friendly questioner.
 Then there were Senator Burt Wheeler, sponsor oe the senate bill, and Congressman Sam Rayburn, its house sponsor; Corcoran, look ing like an angelic choir boy in a double-breasted blue suit; Ben Cohen, tall, lean. soft-spoken in tellectual; swarthy Ferdinand Pe- cora their friend and former asso- ciate, grinning from ear to ear as Corcoran made what he called "the best witness in all my legal experi- ence"; Ernest Gruening, waiting to deny Brewster's charges of intim- idation, and his pretty, plump sec- retary, Stella Draper; burly Con- gressman Maury Maverick of Texas and dark little Vito Marcantonio of New York, belligerently impa- tient to back up parts of Corcoran's story.
 You saw house employees, as ii taking bus mans hoiday--young Parliamentarian Lew Deschler, sad faced Head Doorkeeper Joe Sin. mott. and chubby Sergeant-at-Arms Kenneth Romney; Assistant Secre- tary of Interior Oscar Chapman one of the administrators young est upper officials; keen-eyed Kemper Simpson, chief economist of SEC; Press Agent Warren Wheaton of the republican national committee; Congressman Eaton of New Jersey, formerly of General Electric; a couple of hard-faced assistants to O'Connor. Tammany products; Congresswoman Edith Rogers, Massachusetts, ready to tell how Brewster rushed to the house floor. white and shaking. to tel her I've been threatened"
 h
 Also present were Oswald Garri- son Willard. formerly of the Nation, going over his private correspond ence between high spost of testi. mony: Chairman McSwain of the military affairs committee; even a couple of local society reporters.
 And many others whose names you wouldn't recognize if I men. tioned 'em,