, 1935-03-19
WASHINGTON
BY George OurnO

WAShhNGION
BY George Ourno
ShoOting-Senator Huey Long and
Father Charles Coughlin, Smacking
back at General Hugh johnson by
charging the latter Is merely a
mouthpiece for Bernard M. Bar
UGH, share common knowledge that
the general was long associated with
Baruch In private business.
Perhaps the senator and the priest
do not know that JohnSon's first
robust radio attack on them was
written at Baruch's baronial estate
near Georgetown, S. G.
They likewise may be unaware that
several OF the other guests there as
Sembled for a little shooting are
very close to the White House.
WOrkers-As the background Of
this interesting political episode be-
latedly develops, the swashbuckling
general participated in neither the
sport nor the c%onviviality and hoSpi-
tally that followed each years
shoot. Instead. he labored diligently
on his speech. search the dictionary
and thumbing the Thesaurus for
barbed words and biting phrases 10
toss at the twin tremiteS"
Every evening while other mem
berS Of the hunting party were gath
cred around the roaring log fire gen.
orally enjoying life Johnson tried
his speech out "on the dog" so TO
speak.
The drones actually became cola
borators. Whenever one was strick-
en- with an idea IL was freely con-
tributed and frequently adopted.
Expert-And when Johnson stat
ed in the course OF his subsequent
debate with Father Coughlin that
his speech had been looked over and
approved by high members Of the
Catholic church he may have had his
sojourn ar the Baruch hunting lodge
in mind.
One Of the generals South Caro-
lima conSultantS on the vitupera-
tive verbiage he poured over Long
and Coughlin was a Roman Catholic
priest.
They huddled alone while the
huntsmen relaxed in the big living
room.
Deft-Just for the record. there is
one more interesting angle OF this
triangular debate.
General JohnSon's first blast wa
unloosed at a New York testimonial
dinner arranged by the magazine
publishers who IT Just bringing out
some OF his latest writings. II had
been suggested to the White House
that a message Of compliment from
President Roosevelt might make the
occasion more CHEEKY for TIE erst-
while boss Of NRA-
None was sent. President Roosevelt
regards General Johnson highly, and
particularly so now. Some say IL was
blind luck on the part Of FDRis
secretariat in turning down a nor
mally agreeable request. Others won
der more II the White House didn't
know all about that counter-attack
in advance and chose not 70 be In
the position Of officially introduc-
ing the New Deals first real smash
at Long. Coughlin g. co.
Choice-The row between Madame
Secretary OF Labor Perkins and
Chairman Francis Biddle Of the Ma
tional Labor Relations Board ovef
the Wagner Industrial Disputes bill
doesn't augur well for the meas
ureS.
Orangized labor Is for the bill
which incidentally Biddle wrote-l00
per cent. It would give them at least
two legs on the closed shop without
a struggle.
But when a cabinet member adds
her voice to that OF Donald Rich
berg. chief New Deal coordinator. IN
opposition It sounds like taps. Mr.
Roosevelt Is confronted with q prob
lem In mathematics. Does he want
to offend two of his principal assis-
tants or one OF the ablest LIBERAL
minded who took a volunteer Job?
Revfsion-Fashes from the blades
of Borah and Richberg are prelim-
mary 20 a scrap over the Pittsburgh
plus" system embodied in the steel
code. Senator Bankhead Is pressing
his bill TO outlaw the Pittsburgh
plus system whereby steel prices are
elevated. The Darrow report. rak-
ing that system over the Goals. is 70
be fortified by reports from the
Federal Trade Commission.
Richberg's defense Of the Pitts
burgh-plus system Is not in line with
President Roosevelt's action in call
ing for an inquiry by the Federal
Trade Commission and NRA on al
legged abuses in the steel trade. II
is Bankhead's idea to enact an
equal rights trade act" that will
kill Pittsburgh plus. whether or not
there is to be another steel code.
Grandchildren Coughlin's de-
scription of Bernard NJ. Baruch as
the head devil stirring the coun-
try's present hell-broth sounds
funny In Washington-almost as
funny rs Huey Longs assertion that
Baruch is sending Roosevelt 70
hell"
Ever since President Hoover per-