The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-04-03
lIinion-Dollar Fee Reported

each
Million Dollar Fee Reported
g. Wallace Dempsey. once chair
man OF The House Rivers and Har-
bors Committee. bOasted 70 friends
after his defeat for reelection that
he was earning far more as lobbyist
for river and harbOr projects than
he had been paid as a member OF
Congress. Prank w. MOndell. for
mcr Republican floor leader Of The
House. Is said 10 have received
$1,000 600 for getting a retroactive
provision into the first Mellon tax
reduction bill. and that Is only one
OF the Jobs he has done IN the past
10 wears.
Prom The point Of view Of special
interest groups who pay the lobby
lists the fees paid are important
From the puplic point Of view. 1t Is
more important 10 know 70 what
extent these high-paid gentlemen
succeed in mOlding government TO
their hearts desire
Less is known Of their successes
than their failures. since success
turns 20 failure. as a rule. when
Congress finds ont what is going on.
The legislative bodies have grown
inCrpas .urlv re.entful Of attempts to
high pressure them into line.
Collect From CreduIOus"
The late Senator Caraway
thought many of the special-interest
spOEesu IN obtained their money
under fl--e Pre- -enScs.
Everybody knows that these par
aSites that are obtaining money
from people under the belief that
they can influence legislation are
without power TO do IL" he once
said The entire activity Of some
OF these association promoters Is
devoted 20 finding out what is like
~ % happen, notifying people. and
taking credit for bringing 1t about.
Whenever some promoter can in
duCe people 70 contribute. there Is
formed an association and money
is collected from the credulous."
ONLY last year Senator Henry
Ashurst ID. Arizl gave voice in
picturesque language to the resent
ment of many Of his colleagues
when he said.
Like obscene harpieS. lobbyists
are lowering not so much over the
Senate and House as they are over
every department and every agency
Of the government 80.
senate Honest. He SAYS
These lobbyists are not here to
give strength 10 the government.
They are not here TO add per
maneucy and durability to the gov
eminent. They are here IN large
numbers to line their pockets with
the avails OF contracts which Will
not stand scrutiny. I think the
Senate is honest and capable of
transaCting public business. and
needs no protection against lobby
lists. because I know more than 10
senators who within the last week
have told lobbyists where they
should 60
In general lobbyists for a cause
have higher score than those who
work for a dOllar-and-centS in
terest. Labor succeeded in defeat
ing John J. Parker'S nomination 70
the United States Supreme Court
and in passing the Norris anti
Injunction bill. Il worked hard for
its temporary victory on the pre-
vailinE wage in the relief bill.
The utilities. on the other hand
were investigated in spite OF their
efforts and the money they spent 70
prevent 10 proved a boomerang. In
their present campaign against the
utility holding company bill they
have stirred up so many protests
that Congress. az first inclined "a
be impressed. IS getting impatient
and suspicious
High Pressure Succeeds Often
Yet high pressure methods some
times succeed. as the SentinelS Of
the Republic fight against pink slip
tax publicity has demonstrated IN
the last few weeks.
The issue was dead until the
SentinelS began agitating IL RAY
mond Pitcairn. their national chair
man. organized the same kind OF
vrite-in protest that the utilities
have used. even 70 distribution o.