, 1935-09-08
WASHINGTON
BY Ray Tucker

new FACA act discloses belatedly
hat 1t was written by the brewers
lobbyists or friends in onRreS
While the lawmakers staged a sham
battle on whether the alcohol con-
troll agency should be located In the
treasury attic or backyard the
brewers boys got what they wanted
behind the scenes.
The law gives the federal gov
eminent the same authority which
Il exercised over abuses under the
codes. Uncle Sam can stamp out
commercial bribery in the sale OF
Liquor, false advertising and labels,
Brewers financing OF retail outlets
etc But IL can exercise this au-
thority only in state which have
the same provisions and penalties
III their statutes. Otherwise the fed
erals must keep out.
The brewers apparently knew that
only a few states possess such laws.
NV they have started q drive 70
repeal state laws which conform 70
the new FACA provisions. II they
have as good luck with legislatures
as they did with congress the So
called brewers trust that brought
on prohibition will ride high again.
Helpless+The bin bears other in
ternal evidence that II was written
as a result Of deals motivated by a
desire for revenge and profits. Of
fiC-al insiders ruefully observe that
H. operations may provoke all KINDS
OF administrative and political
Trouble. no matter how well 1t Is
administered.
Congressman from vet centers
Chicago wanted the scalp OF FACA
Administrator Joe Choate. who had
denied them many favors for con-
Sti+uentS. SO they ~legiSlated him out
OF office by providing that the new
inw could not become effective I'M
III his successor was named. Mr..
Choate left his office in disgust a
mcnth ago and hasn't been seen or
heard from since. though he Is an
intimate friend OF the president.
Meanwhile, some brewers are
-IriSbranding their product, giving
the impression that their beer con-
tains IL per cent alcohol. CSeven
Ter cent Is about the economic
maXlmum.) But the helpless Choate
o1tfit can do nothing except turn
offenders over 70 the Food and
Drug Administration. r and D
prosecutions require many months
for completion. In the meantime
bel drinkers are bamboozled and
the industry demoralized. Honest
guzzlers and brewers suffer.
Forehanded - Army GHQ wishes
It had had the foresight to clamp
down a censorship on some OF the
generals who supervised the recent
war games in New York state. Their
putlicized dissatisfaction with the
result Of this first test Of a motorized
and mechanical fighting force has
brought a storm Of criticism.
Private reports describe the
rianeuvers as a great success. Army
puhlicistS reconcile the ~discrepan-
ck S. however. What the generals
rleant. they say, was that this
country is woefuly deficient IN
quantity supply Of modern rifles,
Tanks. range-finders etc. Though the
figures are q deep secret, the army
has less than 1000 automatic rifles
anc a few score Of the latest model
OF tanks.
The millions recently appropriated
by congress have not been spent
yet and did not show IN the New
York games. But IL will be a Diff
fe-ent story when the doughboys
2 arch out TO mimic warfare next
vear-unleSS the economy wave now
threatening Washington forces Sec
retsry Dern to hand back some OF
his funds. There Is q strong sus-
picion that the generals unusual
lcquaciousnesS was a deliberate move
TO forestall that.
Diplomacy - State Departmenters
won't admit il but the story seems
20 be that they we're happy TO get
out OF the diplomatic brush with
the Soviet as well as they did.
Although Secretary Hull did not
address his second spanking to
Comrade Stain directly there was
nothing 70 prevent Moscow from
making a snappy answer TO Wash
ington. Soviet correspondents work.
ed overtime TO cable the Hull reply
70 their newspapers and Ccmrade
Stain read II at breakfast.
What apparently happened Is this:
The State Department privately
notified Ambassador Bullitt. who Is
an old friend Of Stain, to tell him.
that we would appreciate IL IL he
would let Mr.. Hull have the last word.
Perhaps the amible and attractive
Mr.. Bullitt explained &c his Russian
friend the domestic political situa-
ton In the United States at the
present moment. 1t doesn't matter
what he said or did. Moscow took nc
action which forced us to make good
cur warning that most serious con-
sequences" would follow the Soviet's
failure TO disavow all talk about
world revolution.
Cool-Democratic scouts have
espied plenty Of silver Innings in
the political clouds which seem to
be lowering over the White House
Jim Farley has reported to Presi-
dent Roosevelt that western states
are safe. when new Los Angeles vot-
erS registered for a bond issue cleo
ton en- August Is, with neither poll
teal organization making q special
drive $1,000 out OF 5000 signed up as
democrats. Newspaper polls show the
administration rolling UP a majority
In the south and the middle west.
Jim scouts the idea that there win
be a third party Of any proportions
Even anti-New Deal senators-GlaSs,
Byrd, Tydings-are making commit
fnents that they won't bolt. But what
pleases democratic politiccs most Is
the cool response to the suggestion
that Al Smith head an independent
ticket. Al could make trouble In GER
tain populous states which have large
electoral votes.
Ambition-Tammyite John O'Con-
@A~fm &-A-- - " " ----