The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-11-29
ardently of an Anglo-American entente-will let him dangle.
 Titanic Struggle

ardenCly or an AnglO-AmerlCau entente-will let him dangle. Titanic Struggle
 The Saturday midnight dead- line for registration of holding companies finds the government and the $15,00O, ,000, ,000 power in- dustry locked in one of the fierc- est struggles in the history of utility regulation.
 The outcome of the titanic battle not only will determine the fate of the holding company ! act, but will have far-reaching political and economic reverbe- 'ratiOnS.
 If the government wins, many of the most powerful utility mog- uls in the country will lose their corporation scalps. If it loses, the utility issue is certain to be a major battle cry in next years campaign, and the movement to curb judicial powers will receive tremendous impetus.
 Utility Maneuvers
 The behind-the-scenes strategy of the two combatants is now clearly defined.
 THE AIM of the utilities is to overwhelm the government with 8 tidal wave of legal actions.
 THEIR OBJECT is two-fold: first, to wear down the govern ment by constantly hammering on a hundred different fronts; sec- ond, to enrage government lead- CTS into committing provocative act which can be seized by the utilities in order to sway public opinion.
 This program is behind the Baltimore suit and other tests to which the government is not party. It underlies the secret re- versal of policy within the in- dustry not to file any registra- ti0ns.
 Such a course was the original intention. But within the last few days, it was decided that a few companies should register so as to pile up additional labor on the securities and exchange commits sion in formulating rules and reg ulations.
 Administration ManeuverS
 The governments strategy is a combination of offensive-defensive tactics.
 For the time being, the gOv- ernment is giving the utilities free rein to force the fighting. It is adopting a peaceful and reas- surfing attitude.
 This is behind the conciliatory statement of SEC Chairman Jim Landis and the order of Attorney General Cummings ito refrain from bringing criminal proceed ings" against recalcitrant utilities.
 Cummings and Landis had two ideas in mind:
 FIRST, to put the onus of ag- gression on the utilities, let the idea sink home with the public that the utilities are resisting reg ulation, defying the government.
 SECOND, to maneuver the util- ities into making the same mis- take into which they are trying to jockey the government - an overt act which would swing pulp lie opinion against them.
 "Gang the Government"
 That some of the infuriated utility barons are capable of such a blunder was shown by the "let's gang the government" statement of Edward F. Hutton. This free- tonguing brought jubilRnt smiles to the lips of New Dealers. It was a stroke of luck, and they are planning to make much of it.
 Meanwhile government law yers are preparing sensational legal cOunter-attack.
 For weeks a manipulated group of the best legal talent of the jus- tice department, SEC, federal power commission, interior depart ment and REQ have been burning the midnight oil preparing briefs, arguments and assembling prece- dents. When finally they open fire, some real surprises are in store for the opposition.