, 1935-07-03
WASHINGTON
BY Ray Tucker


GuIIibIe Organized labor has
put over the Wagner disputes bill
and It may win its battle for the
Guffey coal bill. But 1t viii triumph
by sheer weight OF political pressure
rather thar astute maneuvering at
the capital.
It's legislative representatives were
caught mapping OF the "A. II. OF LIS
most important measure - the Wag-
ner bill. President Green complain
ed continuously because Rules Chair
man O'Connor Of New York would
not report out the measure for house
consideration. Mr.. O'Ccnnor x
planned that ne did not have enough
votes in committee and that q pre-
mature test would kill the bill for
this session. Mr.. Green then flashed
his inside score sheet showing O ma
jority Of the committee for the bill.
With Mr.. Green on an extension
line, Chairman O'Connor telephoned
four men the AL president counted
as favorable" All four informed
the New Yorker that they wouldn't
vote for the bill under any circum-
stances. They had been kidding the
labor leader and he believed them.
Skeletons - Senatorial attach
don't worry the Nye Munitions COM
mittee SO much ms persistent protests
from foreign diplomats. Several
ambassadors have worn out a path
to the White House since the inves-
tigators started to scrutinize the
l914-lel7 records Of New York's bet
ter banks.
The anti-war sleuths seek evidence
70 prove or refute the repeated &C.
cusation that our f~inanciers' fear
for then loans to the allies forced
the United States into the conflict.
As one senator puts II, Our army
and navy and marines bailed out the
banks" The committees nine ex-
aminers have not reported their find
ings but they are enthusiastic" over
their preliminary haul.
The nations expressing fear that
developments might prove embar-
RAISING are Great Britain and
France.
Considerate - Secretary Hull's
conflicting duties and desires place
him In a peculiar p~redicament. As
a man Of peace, he sympathizes with
the committees efforts to thwart the
makers OF war and remove the
causes. But he must also get along
peacefully and comfortably with
foreign governments for certain i'm
mediate ends.
The senators appreciate his diff
Guilty and have worked out a scheme
10 tighten 1t. They have agreed not
to make public their banking dis
~coveries until Mr.. Hull has seen them
first. They have also ~refrained from
any examination OF the reports.
Withholding their curiosity until all
the material has been collected and
sorted. II there are any leaks"
they don't want to be blamed.
This agreement is not so reasSur-
ing TO foreign diplomats as IL sounds.
The committee permits Mr.. Hull a
first squint at the papers, but II
has not agreed to suppress them even
IL he should request IL. There may
be some sensational disclosures be-
fore long.
Foresight - Although house mem
bers gid with noble explanations
their demand that the treasury sup
plant FACA as liquor czar. the I'M
mentioned reason for their bitter
fight Is politics.
Experience has taught that inde-
pendent commissions tend 70 become
non-political. That's true Of the In
t~erstate Commerce Commission, the
Federal Trade Commission, the Ia
riff Commission, etc. Standing In
the hmelight, they al ward off po-
ltical influence. But a cabinet de-
partment does not enjoy such i'm
munity and most cabinet members
must play politics.
Congressman don't expect favors
from Secretary Morgenthau II they
overrule his objections by placing
liquor control under him. But they
are thinking OF the day when more
politically-finded men MAJ succeed
him. And kindnesses revolving
around liquor have always produced
votes on Election Day.
Complex The Hull Wallace
theories on foreign trade face a ST.
mon-pure test these days. In a high
ceilinged room In the State Depart
ment American and Canadian ex-
perts are bargaining over the rates
and exchanges OF q most important
reciprocal tariff treaty.
IL involves more trade than the
five agreements already signed. Our
industrial and agricultural products
are more similar TO Canada's than
70 those OF other nations. For in
stance. feeder cattle were imported
into Middle Western states In great
numbers until the Hawley-Smoot
tariff set up excessive duties. But
any lowering OF the bars win bring