, 1935-07-16
WASHINGTON
BY Ray Tucker

concerns o reported Of
fer Of federal judgeships TO two
members OF the House Interstate
Commerce Committee IN return for
support Of the death sentence In
the utility bill. Although nobody
dares TO mention names publicly.
house talk runs that the men are
Clarence +. Lea Of California and
Rep. Edward G. Eicher Of Iowa.
Fact Is that both legislators were
In line for judicial honcTs long be-
fore the holding company struggle
began. Department Of Justice
Sleuths have finished the usual in
vestigation OF candidates for the
bench In Mr.. Lea's case, and report
hi ma AL" Mr.. Eicher must wait
till an ageing but stubborn juist
in the Iowa circuit retires.
Now IHither man may be pro
NOTED for fear Il would be hailed
as proof Of the rumor. It's an ex-
cellent example Of how damaging
reports originate and destroy.
Shift Democratic medicine men
send word to the capital that
President Roosevelt's political
health is on the mend. HIS drama
tic one-man duel With the power
interests Is credited with checking
the slide down the popularity lad
der that set In with the supreme
court upset.
House members hava rat,,rnad
with the same impression after
visits with the home folks. Some Of
the more jittery fellows dashed
home over the weekend interven-
ing between the vote on the hold
ing company and the iva mea-
sures. They wanted to feel that
famous and influential pulse. And
the same fellows who defied the
president on the death sentence
reversed themselves on the Ten
nesree experiment. They fixed II 80
they'd be politically right once At
least.
Burt Wheeler Is capitalizing on
this switch In conference discus
sions OF the conflicting house and
senate holding company bills. He
is trying TO brighten house spokes-
men into accepting the senate
death sentence" slightly revised
SO as TO salve the lower chambers
pride. He may put IL ove
Ding - Harold Ickes has slipped
from presidential favor. The erst-
while muscle man Of the cabine.
didn't profit fom the experiences
OF rivals who took too many enc
mics ard too much territory-Ray
Moley. Lew Douglas, Jerry Frank.
George Peek, Hugh johnson.
The president has lost patience
with Childe Harold's propensity for
hanging the official family wash
in the headlines. M. Icces hasn't
caught the idea Of Mr.. RooSeyelt's
milling admonitions that x
wouldn't let that worry RE, Ear
old" The Secretary OF Tie Interior
has lost all his recent bOuts-lr
relief TO Hopkins, on taking over al
conservation activities TO Wallace,
on the Virgin Islands.
But the man who holds many
unrecorded victories over Mr.. Ickes
Is Jay Darling, biological survey
chief and better known as Ding
the Cartoonist." "Ding" stealth
lily swiped 100000 from Interior
funds 10 buy game re@uges. He
stopped DE building {: o road
through the OEefenokee swamp In
Georgia because It would frighten
the PARIS there, and then bought
the whole swamp. Now he has
presidential backing In taking
over an Ickes mountain In South
ern Oregon where the governments
only herd Of antelopes roams.
Ding" likes Ickes. but he loves
wild life.
Deferred Dan Roper Is striving
desperately to maintain the SEM
blance OF friendship between busi-
ness and the White House. even
he isn't getting much en-
couragement from the president.
Mr.. Roper's advisory council was
ready TO resign In a body at their
last meeting, although he won't ad-
NIT 1t. The majority we're for ex-
huming a few skeletons, too. But
he persuaded them TO make an
other attempt a. serving as nai-
son dummies. as SO many think
they are. A few c~ounsellors whose
cousel is never taken. figured It
would be to their advantage 10 re-
main on the inside looking out.
They compromised by naming q
committee to decide whether the
council would stick or desert. And
Uncle Dan showed his
shrewdness. Four OF the seven on
the committee are favorGbly dis
posed 20 the preSident-Messrs.
Kendall, Sw0pe, 7eagle ano Fa-
hey. The bust-up Is deferred TIL
anyway.
Drought-The politically inexpert
Forbes Morgan riled his supe-
with hts public admission
that the president has lost ground
in New York and New England.
But what he told his friends pri-
made them put On mourn
MI. Roosevelt's power, taxation
and AAA policies have slammed
tight the doors Of party contribu-
tors, according to Mr.. Morgan.
The givers are few and far be-
tween. Some tried TO raake a deal
him. promising TO contribute
II and Alen Ar. Roosevelt gives
ground In his attack on them.
have handed over all they
san afford to the American Liberty
Democratic lack or funds may
become serious soon. Headquart srs
activities cost at least $500, COG a
year or operating exp alone.
The Farley-Hurja political factory
never shuts down. IT'S getting so
bad that some weeks the ghost
doesn't walk around GHQ IN the
National Press Club building.