, 1935-02-19
WASHINGTON
by George Durno

Choices-A group Of representative
republicans were lunching in4ormal-
w the other day. They hadn't gotten
together for the purpose Of discuss
ing party politics but eventually talk
swung around 20 the q. q. Ps fu-
ture. It began with debate over the
Lincoln Day speeches by former
President Hoover, President Glenn
Frank Of the University Of Wiscon-
SIN. and Theodore Roosevelt. In
which the New Deal v~ariously was In
directly and directly attacked.
Several Of those present had been
wheel horses In past national cam
pllgns. II was agreed generally that
the republican party wasn't func-
tioning very well at the moment for
a rather obvious reason. II has no
alternatives to offer the public as
substitutes for New Deal policies
unless general return to the old order
be considered on alternative.
There was general criticism around
the table of such things as q $4,000
100000 public works program with
out strings attached. NRA codes
and the business Of blowing pigs IN
der. Yet when the board vas canvass
ed no one was able 10 suggest alter
natives that the others thought
might hold general appeal for the
public.
Burden-Older heads present held
out n large ray OF hope for their
fellow party men.
1t involved sitting tight a while
longer and waiting for the Roosevelt
administration to run the public
debt a few billion dollars higher.
They counselled II the debt gets up
around $50, 000. O00. 900 next year II
should be possible to crystalline pub
lie fears about the burden OF repay
ment.
This figures 70 be one OF the big
G. Q. p. talking points In the next
campaign. The de0t will be over 81
billion at the close OF this fiscal
year.. Interest en- that for the IL
ronth period will run around $780,
100000. When n reaches It's eStimat-
ed peak the interest payments each
wear Will cost the taxpayers over a
oillion dollars. II will be pointed out
this is better than a fourth Of the
amount required TO run the whole
government in a normal year.
More-If congressional mail Is any
indication the masses aren't giving
a boot how much Uncle Sans bill
runs I'D Just so long as he keeps
Smelling cut. Many senators and con-
gressmen are convinced sentiment Is
swinging left Of the program toI
which the New Deal stands
One western senator. Tor example
revealed that a year ago 30 per cen.
OF his mail was made up OF demands
that he stand back OF President
Roosevelt fourSquare. To-Day. al
though FDR personally isn't oe4ns
especially attacked, this senator
unds his daily mail mostly maze ny
OF complaints the adminiSt-a alton
program doesn't 20 far enough
IL IS on this sentiment and Its
growth that such as Huey Long arr
gambling.
Stuck-A mid-weStern Lobby par
ticuIarIy interested IN ratification o.
me st. Lawrence Waterway Treaty
at this session has just completed
4 con 4denill poll Of the senate
those IN charge refuse 10 dAvulge tig-
ures but they concede privately IL
was rather disappointing.
Backers Of the LakeS-to-the-At-
lantic water highway had been con
fident they would pick UP ar ade-
quate number Of votes IN last No
vember'S election finally 10 put y
across-provided OF course Canadian
politics happen to be in a quiescenI
state.
When last seen they were rummag-
ing around for leverage that would
prop I'D q few doub lul votes.
Beheading-Word IS going around
washington that Nike T1ghe, vet
,Ian Pre- ldent OF the AmaIgamateC
Steel & Iron Workers Union, Is on
he verge of getting q two-edgec
sword swung at him.
The rank-and-file boys who STIR
red I'D trouble last year are back
again but tn. aren't the major
worry in Tighe's life at the moment
The executive council Of the Ameri-
can Federation OF Labor feels Nike
fell down on the job Of organizing the
steel industry.
1t Is said that organizers are 10 be
sent out TO drum up business all
around him. If and when enough
recruits are signed up, there VIII
be a new head Of the steel union
soft-Just toss q bill In the hop
per that contains an ounce OF pat
ronage and the boys will discover II
faster than they would q horseshoe
in a plate of hash.
Senator King OF Utah introduced
a measure to appropriate s5lO00.0OO
to wind up any and all claims arising
out OF the old Mexican border trou-