, 1935-05-22
WASHINGTON

lAiC NOAlulOulty III WASH
ington. Free-wheeling scouts reg
ularly fill the party Golfers with un-
sought reports. Some advise the
president to turn TO the right. some
t. shift far TO the left, some to steer
a middle course.
But a graSs-roots analysis In six
teen western states furnishes fasci-
mating spring reading for MessrS.
Farley and Hurja. II makes four
observations: ID People follow Huey
Long in the headlines but they won't
follow him TO the polls. ~ Father
Coughiin commands widespread re-
spect and sympathy. 49, The pres
ioent still fires popular imagination
but the voters demand results in
stead OF promises. a. Roosevelt
should win next year on the basis
OF current conditions but 1t will be
due TO lack Of formidable opposition
rather than TO his accomplishments.
High-up advisers draw differing
conclusions according TO their pre-
JUDGES. Brain trusterS urge upon
Mr.. Roosevelt an even more liberal
policy. Politicians like Roper think
he should not forget how the con-
sentative half lives - and votes.
Poker - The work-relief program
Is still IN the egg stage, despite
'earmarking" Of vast sums for long
time Improvements. Many major
problems provoke delay and dissen-
sion behind the scenes. Mr.. IckeS
wants TO go slowly and spend eau
tiouSly. but Mr.. Hopkins demands
iull speed ahead. Mr.. Ickes demands
that projects be useful and con-
structive." while some allotters ar
que for showing out the money.
But Frank Walker has quietly
settled one mess. In the past state
delegations played one government
agency against another. They shop
ped around until they found where
federal funds we're freest and the
terms most generous. When Ickes
insisted that states and cities put
up 20 per cent as against the gov
ernment's 30 per cent they ran to
Hopkins relief organization. Some
times they got the money for little
or nothing. II is a condition nobody
likes TO discuss.
Mr.. Walker has shut down on that
kind Of poker. He sends delegations
10 the appropriate agencies and or
ders them TO sit in the anteroom un-
I'll they do or don't get the cash
II they are turned down for good
and sufficient reason or any other
- they are out of luck all other
places.
sky Private power magnates
often suggest (sOtto vocel that
President Roosevelt was scorched by
a high tension wire when he was
young What they mean is that he
seems to have a fanatical obsession
against them. Now their quiet study
cf his rural identification order con-
vlnces them that he means TO de-
stroy them n way or another.
Utility lawyers report that II IN
the most comprehensive executive or
der framed in many years. It's pro-
visions escaped general attention.
but its sweeping authority authorizes
Identification Engineer Cooke TO
buy or lease existing plants and
transmission lines as he pleases.
But. here's the sad Joker - Mr.
Cooke may accept the voluntary and
uncompensated aid OF any public
or private agencies In making sur
veys 10 determine the need. desire
and cost Of setting the countryside
ablaze with light and power.
The sky is the limit under that sort
Of grant. The utilities are beginning
10 realize III. And the White House
power advisers - Mr.. Cooke. Frank
r. Walsh and Mayor LaGuardia -
are high filters.
Politics - The situation in the
presidents home state OF New York
illustrates the Importance OF that
clause permitting Mr.. Cooke to
choose his own electrical surveyors.
Conditions are similar In many other
states where the utilities have been
a dominating element IN politics.
The head OF New Yorkis Tempo
.rary Emergency Relief association
has offered 10 make the survey with
people on relief. He has also offer
ed to build rural plants and trans
mission lines with federal funds and
with people ON relief" But the
TERRA head-man happens 10 be Al
bert Scnoelkopf. board chairman Of
the Niagara Hudson Corporation.
which sought TO block Mr.. Roose-
velt's power program for many ear
His offers will be turned down pri-
vateiv and politely. Mr.. Cook plans
To enlist the aid of farm oranges and
declarations. civic groups and state
agencies In the canvass 70 determine
how farmers feel about electricity IN
their barns and homes.
The political possibilities r in
cscapaole. The enrolment Of nor
mally republican farmers IN a grand
crusade for cheap and sweat-savirg