, 1935-04-22
WASHINGTON
BY George Durno

WASHINGTON
BY George Durno
BlOOd-If you're interested In war
pay no attention TO the European
dispatches. Watch Washington. The
battle is on in a big way as the
Roosevelt administration fights
grimly against a concerted assault
on a number Of fronts.
Mill owners, packers, etc, are out
to get the AAA~ processing tax repeal
ed. Utilities interests are sharp
shooting at the Wheeler-Rayburn
bill TO chloroform holding companies.
The patent medicine people are
building q fire under the Copeland
food and drug bill. Banking interests
have set themselves TO carve the pro-
posed bank bill In two and throw
away the Objectionable part. Manu-
factnrers have set up an organiza-
ton TO help kill NRA with special
reference to the wage, hour and
price fixing provisions. BonuSites and
Townsend Planners are threatening
members Of congress with political
death next election unless they ig-
more the White House edictS on
these two subjects.
And meanwhile the republican
party, after two years Of pernicious
anemia, Is stirring monkey glands
into its coffee with a bowie knife
and shouting for democratic blood.
ReprisalS-The New Dealers, led
by President Roosevelt in person. n
up on the firing step with hand gre
nadeS. Counter offensives have been
launched in an effort TO hold the OPP
position back in major sectors while
the General Staff wheels up a S4.-
$50. DOC. 900 battery Of heavy artillery.
Make no mistake, folks. the wars
nn-that qIadrennial battle TO de-
! eide whether democrats. republicans
or whatnot5 will next control the
government. You will be entitled 10
q vote on the decision IN Novem-
Der 1886.
OrEaniZed-Mr. Roosevelt and his
advisers accept current attacks on
the New Deal program. not a. indi-
Vidual efforts OF individual inter-
estS to free themselves from unwant-
ed regulation or restriction, but as a
well-organizcd campaign to sock the
administration simultaneously from
every angle. administration men are
charging openly that important
moneyed interests have combined to
tear the heart out OF the Roosevelt
program and lay II bare.
They regard II as significant that
| congress Systematically Is being de-
luged with mail expressing the wish
/ Of the common peepul" In startling
" similar letters that various White
House proposals be voted down.
There Is nothing new IN the idea
Of piling mail on congressional desks.
10 has been the first thought for
many years Of every field marshal
whoever undertook TO defeat or pass
a piece OF legislation. What sends
alarm signals through the Roosevelt
camp Is that recently congress has
been getting its warnings IN suceS-
Sive waves. For several weeks post
ment gToaned under protests against
passage OF the holding company bill.
AS these eaSed off kilograms rolled
IN, many IN identic language, pro-
testing the food and drug bill (which
incidentally Is a dead turkey). Then
followed floods Of mail demanding
rpeal of the processing tax. Even
| Secretary Of State Hull began re-
ceiving letters from school children
about the potato tariff.
Fighters-In response President
Roosevelt has been aggreSSlvely &C
cepting the challenge. IN addition
to his own statements on various
measures, he has sem his leuten-
ants out on the stump. Secretary OF
Agriculture Wallace went into the
heart of the cotton country TO warn
that thrusts at the processing tax
and cotton program were designed to
tear down later the corn. wheat and
tobacco programs. Jumping to New
England, he told Of the adminlstra-
lioa's "insidious enemies" Secretary
OF the Treasury Morgenthau went
on the air to defend and extoll the
Donald Richberg has been speaking
himself hoarse in behalf Of NRA
and its limited continuation. He will
help argue the big test case befor
the u. s. Supreme Court-a distinct
innovation.
And since General Hugh Johnson
cooled off. Secretary of the Interior
Ickes has been sent in to pitch rocks
&C Kingfish Huey Long and his rab-
ble-rousing Shart-the-Wealth pro-
gram.
Watch for the r-epercuSSions. folks.
There's heavy money and plenty Of
ammunition on both sides. All Of
which should make the coming sum
mer ar interesting one.
Preparing-The country is over
due for one Of those 'fireside' radio
talks from the President. in the
opinion OF many of his advisers. Fur
Their. the White House mail Is get
ting heavy with requests for a fur
Their statement of position.
Presidential aides have been quiv-
ering for a good robust issue with
which 70 send FDR back on the air.
Situations IN and out Of congress
are shaping up toward a presidential
broadside al the financial interests
which allegedly have combined to
slip banans peels under the New
Deal. Watch your radio programs
for definite word.
Erratic-When President Roose-
welt signed an executive order back
in the heyday Of NRA directing gov-
| eminent departments TO buy only
from firms which were complying
with the National Industrial Re-
covery Act Il is doubtful whether
these pushing the Blue Eagle had
q full conception Of the ramifica-
tons Of federal purchasing agencies.
First there was the problem pre-
sented by Henry Ford. The admin
lstration got around this by conced-
Ing that Ford never agreed TO code