Evening star., 1935-09-01
BY JOHN SNURE.

~ tween the President and
~ groups and individuals In
\ Congress stood out as the
first session of the Seventy-fourth
Congress came to its stormy and
eventful close. This trail is marked
by intense feeling, in some cases bit
terness, which will not be effaced
easily and which will be an impor-
tant factor in the 1885 campaign.
Because President Roosevelt to q
remarkable degree was able to drive
through almost all his must" legisla-
ton and to have it enacted with but
little amendment, there is some
tendency to overlook the fact that
before the Administration achieved
its aims, it encountered great opposi-
tion from the Democratic side Of the
Senate and House. Although Repub-
lican opposition, of course, was to
be expected, the most formidable and
tenacious antagonism against the
White House program was shown by
Democrats.
The scope Of this Democratic op-
position to the Presidents must"
plans is by no means generally
realized. largely because the President
dominated Congress In the end and
partly because the titular leaders of
the Democrats in both houses, such
as Speaker Joseph w. ByrnS and Sen
ator Joseph T. Robinson, almost with
out exception backed up the White
de
difference between the President and
dissenting membets of his party at
the Capitol fiared from time to time
through the session and did not take
the form Of general insurgency.
Leaders Fear Insurgency.
From the standpoint of a united
and cohesive Democratic party, as
that party gets ready for the presi-
dental and congressional campaigns,
the insurgency Is a cause for not a
little uneasiness among the leaders.
They are consoled by the belief that
the Republicans are less cohesive than
the Democrats, that they can find no
candidate who can match Mr.. Roose-
welt in popularity, and that the huge
Democratic majority in the House is
political Gibraltar, impregnable to
any siege.
Nevertheless, at best, Democratic
leaders cannot fail to realize that the
differences in the recent session of
Congress between the high command
and Democratic elements in the legis-
lative branch are sure to enhance the
difficulties Of the congressional cam
paign. In view of the extent of
Democratic insurgency in the House,
President Roosevelt will be unable to
dominate the House in the next ad-
ministration If the Republicans cut
heavily into the Democratic majority.
1t is not necessary that the Repub-
licans win control of the House to
make it virtually impossible for the
President to retain command of that
body.
The dispute between the President
and about half the Democratic mem
bers of the House on the public utili-
ties holding company issue. particu-
iarly the death sentence" stands out
as in some respects the most remark
able exhibition of Democratic insurg-
ency. For a time it amounted to open
defiance Of the administration. It Is
true that in the end a so-called COM
promise was effected on the death
sentence"
Garner Saves the Day.
| This was brought about only because
that highly astute and accomplished
politician, Vice President John N.
Garner, took hold of situation which
he feared would be disastrous to the
party in the campaign and headed of
the political danger of letting the bill
die and having the President and Sen
ator Burton K. Wheeler of Montana,
champion of the death sentence" in
the Senate, carry the campaign on
this question to the country. Obviously
such q campaign would have wrecked
Democratic prospects in many Con-
gress district.
But although the holding company
bill differences were compromised to
some extent, the Ill feeling between
the President and Democrats who led
the House rebellion has not been
healed, and possibly it never will be-
Administration Democratic chiefs will
not forgive such men as Representa-
tive George Huddleston of Alabama
and Representative Samuel B. Petten-
gill of Indiana, who led the fight
against extreme action against the
holding companies and denounced the
death sentence"
They, with a good many others who
! lined up with them, will encounter
opposition for denomination and re-
election and this opposition will get
administration backing. according to
all indications. Senator william H.
Dietrich, Democrat, of Illinois, who led
the struggle against the death sem
tence" has a black mark against his
record at the White House, and one
may be sure it will not soon be effaced.
O'Connor Is Involved.
In connection with the struggle over
the holding company bill, and the
lobby inquiries that grew out Of It,
there Is bad blood between the Presi-
dent and Representative John j.
O'Connor of New York, chairman OF
the House Rules Committee. This
came to the point Of almost an open
break in the last weeks Of the ses-
sion. And what is more, the break Is
likely to be accentuated early in the
coming session. Administration
spokesmen accused Representative
O'Connor Of sympathy with the hold
ing company side in the controversy.
ICss GIL