The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-12-25
WashingtoH
Merry-Go
Round
BY DREW PEARSON and
ROBERT 5. ALLEN.

WTAsHINGToN, Dec. 25.-In
w business and labor circles
Maj. George L. Berry is known
as head of the powerful Jressmen's
union. AS a government official ne
holds the important post OF Co
ordinator for Industrial Recovery
But to several thousand children
in Happy Valley, Tenn, his ances-,
trail home, Berry is Santa Claus
Each year on Christmas Day he
gives a party on his large model
farm in Happy Valley to the young
sters of his home county. All >Sre
welcome, and for each there is II
cream, cake and candy in abun.
dance and toy gift.
In preparation for playing Santa
this year, Mr. Berry bought full
carload of toys.
Mr.. Berry and his wife have been
host at similar parties for many
years. ChildlesS. they find great
joy in giving a day of happiness
to the children of neighborS.
Christmas is not the only holi-
day the Berrys celebrate by dis
tributing gifts.
On Thanksgiving they send to
several hundred friends in all parts
of the country large turkeys raised
on their own farm. Packed in ice
the birds are shipped from Happy
Valley. to arrive just the day be
fore they are to be eaten.
GONE of the country's highest-
~ priced legal talent almost fret
ted themselves into nervous pres
tration during the argument on the
Tennessee Valley Authority case
before the Supreme Court.
The court allotted five hours to
hear argument; two for the govern
ment, three for the numerous power
attorneys.
First to lead off for the opposition
was Forney Johnston, chief counsel
for the Alabama Power Co. and, al
though a Democrat, one of the Bit
terest New Deal foes in the country.
Mr.. Johnston talked for a half
hour. Some of his colleagues began
arranging their papers in anticlpa-
ton that he was nearing a close
and they would be called. But the3
were wrong. Mr.. Johnston was Zr
from finished.
While the other half dozen utility
lawyers glared, twitched and fldgeJ-
ed in their seats, the chunky little
Alabaman talked on and on and on.
When he finally sat down there
remained just SO minutes Of The
utilities time.
To government attorneys the un-
dercover animosity among the OPP
posing lawyers furnished much
quiet amusement.
DRESS conferences of Secretary
l. Dan Roper's ordinarily are the
dullest in the capital But the other
day one of them yielded a nugget
of inside news that surprised Mr..
Roper as much as it did reporters.
He opened the conference by an
nouncing a reorganization of the
Business Advisory Council. This is
a body of big business men estab-
lished by Mr.. Roper chiefly to
garner little personal publicity.
AS he has repeatedly ''reorgan-
lied" the council, newsmen were
apathetic over the latest change.
Mr.. Roper announced that Harry P.
Kendall, council chairman, would
explain the details.
The textile manufacturer tackNis
the job with relish. With WARMTH
and eloquence he expounded on the
significance of the councils work.
"AS an example" he stated, after
the Supreme Court threw out the
NRA, the council submitted a con-
fidential plan to the President on
how the NRA could be continued"
The browsing reporters sat up
with a jerk. This was hot stuff"
Big business had urged the Presi-
dent to carry on the NRA despite
the Supreme Courts ban.
Delighted with the impression he
was making, Mr.. Kendall prepared
10 continue. But Mr.. Roper, a-twit-
ter with alarm, stopped him.
"Ah, hum, er, uh, Mr. Kendall"
he broke in. Il don't believe you
want to go into that matter just
now"
Mr.. Kendall looked up startled.
suffered for a moment, finally re-
piled: Yes, yes, yes. I guess you
are right, Mr.. Secretary and sat
down.
Copyright. 1885. by United Feature
Syndicate. Incl