, 1935-06-12
WASHINGTON
BY RAY Tucker

Test = New dealers have become
more wary under recent battering.
They consult legal authorities like
Attorney General Cummings and
Controller General McCarl before
starting new undertakings.
President Roosevelt alone preserves
the old fire and jauntiness. Some
times he seems to be pressing a lit
tie too hard - like a golfer whose
shots have gone bad on him. ASso-
ciates comment on IL. There is irri-
tation instead Of confidence in his
immediate circle. They hint OF a
new medium OF approach 10 the vo-
tiers instead OF background" talks.
II simply near that several trial
balloons notably the supreme
court proposal 80 have popped In the
White House front yard.
The president carries the burden
- and "the bag" - almost by him
self. He may be able 10 ~recapture
the verve and dash OF earlier days.
He delivers pep talks to his team
every day. It Is the acid test Of the
New Deals staying powers.
Reprints 80 Friends and enemies
still sing lyrics over the president Z
dizziness in redefining his social OBJ
jectives.' That was his Snappiest
pep talk. In simple. brief style
he wrote the democrats platform for
next year.
What most people praise Is its
spontaneity. The president and 200
correspondents roared with laughter
when the owner OF the Vancouver
sun asked: Just what are your
social objectives?" Some chief ex-
ecutives would have been previously
hurt at such a belated query. But
Mr.. Roosevelt's eyes lighted up. He
seized his opportunity.
What everybody missed was the
ante-room huddle between the Can
adam publisher and Charley" Mi
chelson. Shrewd democratic propa-
gandist. They talked for some time
before the doors TO the presidents
chamber were thrown open TO the
press corps. Mr.. Nicholson smiles
graphically. but the democratic ma
tional committee will get out millions
Of reprints.
Violation = A seemingly unimpor-
tant charge buried in Controller
General McCarl's voluminous in
dictment Of TWAS expenditures Is an
item listed as double compenSa-
ton" Republican senators missed
Its significance and muffed a good
chance to asSail the New Deals al
legged disregard Of legal forms.
When Mr.. Roosevelt visited Mus
Gle Shoals before he took office he
was tipped off that private power
companies had damaged the plants
turbines during their period OF OPP
Grafton. Mr.. Roosevelt named Hus-
ton Thomson as his personal inves-
tigator. Mr.. Thomson collected S.
600 for reporting that the damage
was not serious enough to mention.
The report has never been made pub
lie.
But Mr.. Thomson was then serving
as government counsel In the New
River power case. Technically. 10
hold :wC government jobs at the
same time is a violation Of the law.
The comic angle is that Mr.. Thorn
son K frequently mentioned a. the
next Attorney General should HON.
er Cummings quit.
Saved $50 The COP has no. gloat-
ed 49, that is. responsible leaders now
ia nfNnna hmWHn nj ~wWwa awaa-#
R-ooSeveltian reverses. They have
not treated the setbacks as affording
them a partisan advantage.
But or senator who is an avowed
presidential candidate vas saved
only by luck. On the Sunday after
the decision he shooed his wife and
children off to the country. and
composed an Grafton that was an
Grafton. He admits IL. IL took him
from breakfast time until 10 o'clock
at night. II sparkled with witty
lines. and II oozed with constitution
al lore.
Tired but triumphant. he raided the
pantry for cold cuts Then he turn
ed on the radio for relaxation. And
he listened to William Edgar Borah
while the Idahoan covered the very
identical ground which the senator
had narrowed In his Sabbath lone
illness. Now he thanks God for
the Borahs who rush in where presi-
dental hopefuls should not tread
Pinned - All this premature talk
about imposition OF inheritance taxes
pains the White House. II spoils an
arrangement under which the new
duties we're to be levied without any
direct responsibility falling upon the
administration. II also signifies
congressional refusal TO be the goats
In the scheme.
The undercover plan was for con-
greSs 10 tack inheritance taxes onto
the bill extending nuisance taxes
Since a president cannot veto part Of
a measure without killing all Of 1t