Evening star., 1935-03-10
ROOSEVELT FOES
UNION FORESEEN
Fight on McCarI Issue Ex'
pected to Bring Groups
Together.
Continued From First page.)

appropriate congressional committees
to see that the law was made clear
beyond a doubt, he said fatty that
until then the payments would be
made. He pointed out that the At
torney Generals ruling that they were
proper was in accord with an opinion
rendered by Harlan F. Stone, associ-
ate Justice Of the Supreme Court,
while he was Attorney General under
President Coolidge.
Yesterday, however. Senator Norris
vigorously dissented.
"McCarl based his decision on a
ruling of the Supreme Court" Norris
said. II know that the Court OF
Claims and Attorney General Cum
mings and former Attorney General
Stone thought the other way. But
remember that in conflicts Of this
sort, the Supreme Court is the high
est authority. The only way to
change it is by an act of Congress. "
Norris Former Aide.
McCarl was secretary to Senator
Norris from 1914 until 1921, when he
became controller general.
Mr.. McCarl even passes on the
expenses of the President and the
Attorney General" Norris pointed
out.
Senator Arthur Vandenberg, Re
publican, of Michigan, joined in a
vigorous defense of the controller gen.
eral, saying
II don't know anything about the
legal phase Of the question, but I do
know something about the ethical,
and l am behind McCarl in this mat
ter 100 per cent.
Every step that has been taken
during the last two years has been
toward a breaking down of our sys-
TEN of checks and balances, and it's
question of how much longer we
are going to allow it to go on.
Principle Seen at Stake.
"The integrity Of our budget law
Is about the only anchor we've got
left. and we must cling to it. In my
opinion, Congress is going to.
IF you can spurn the opinion OF
the controller general in a ruling of
this sort, you can go much farther
and destroy the integrity and effect
iveness of his office.
1T is not the length of the step
that has been taken by this one act,
but the direction of the step that
magnifies it beyond its ordinary i'm
portance. I cannot condone it and
I cannot conceive of Congress per-
mitting it to go unchallenged."
The administrations present brush
with the controller general comes at
time when many Senators of both
parties are exercised over the alb
sence in the S4,880, 100000 works-re-
lief bill of more definite statement
of the purposes for which the money
is to be used. AS concession to this
sentiment, a. paragraph providing Ger
tain broad ALLEGATIONS for the money
has been introduced into the bill.
Widens Breach.
Perhaps most embarrassing to the
hNA4AAAA4o Va oSiOAA 40 VAC 4dII IIldJ III
treading on the toes of the controller
general it is also treading on the toes
OF Senator Norris, who on this issue
would be likely to have the full support
of the progreSSives of both parties.
The incident adds one more item to
the list of dissatisfactions among the
progressives with the present trend
of administration Dolicies
The House group which gathered
yesterday was not numerically large,
but it was regarded as indicative of
the tendency of the liberals in Con-
gress to pull away from the admins
trations leadership and formulate
their own program. On the Policy
Committee Of this group are Repre-
sentative Kvale, Farmer-Labor of
Minnesota; Boleau, Progressive, of
Wisconsin; Schneider, Progressive, of
Wisconsin; Keller, Democrat, of North
Dakota; Maverick. Democrat, of
Texas; Mas. Republican, of Mime
sofa, and Gilchrist, Republican, of
Iowa. Some Of the prominent mem
bers of the group are interested in the
Frazier-Lemke farm refinancing bill.
establishment of central bank, re-
vision Of the income tax laws, immedi-
ate payment of the bonus, shorter
hours for labor, and legislation guar
anteeing the cost of production to
farmers.
Fight Gag" Rule.
The House group is also in favor
OF relaxation of the gag" rules-a de-
nland for which they can, of course
obtain active support from conserva-
tive Republicans. Some of the lead
ers OF the group believe that they can
build up to membership of 100 or
more. Even that figure would leave
them considerable short Of holding
the balance of power in the House.
The development was regarded as sig
niflcant primarily as a sign of restive-
ness among liberals in Congress.
There have been no indications as
yet that the President has in mind
any steps to placate the liberals.
His closest advisers look upon the
works-relief bill as their big card.
If they can get it through Congress
in the form the Presidents wants it,
they think the larger flow of ex-
penditures will begin to take the edge
off some of the discomfort which is