Evening star., 1935-02-17
Farlev Faced With Difficult Problem of
Finding Jobs for Deserving Democrats

United States marshals, internal rev.
enue collectors. custom offlcers, post
masters in their respective home
cities, all Statewide appointments
and all appointments requiring con-
flrmation Of the Senate.
THE Congressman in each dis
trict is to control. subject to above,
all postmasters in his district, all ap-
pointees in his district to be made by
Mr.. Morgenthau (Secretary of the
Treasury, the Reconstruction FL
nance Corp, the Census Bureau. the
Agricultural Department. the Treas
ury Department, and other appoint
ments in his district not Statewide"
Under that agreement, II President
Roosevelt decides to appoint some
one from Texas to Federal post, he
first must have the approval Of the
Senators or Of the Representatives Of
the State.
Other State delegations stipulate
that no Job is to 60 to person from
their State unless that individual has
the endorsement Of every party on
cial from precinct committeeman
through county committeeman, State
committeeman, national committee
men and United States Senator's. The
requirement applies not only to the
higher paid posts, but to stenograph-
ers and clerks. It is the political
clearance" so often referred to in
Washington. A job-seeker lacking
political clearance" might as well
not be q job-seeker In most New Deal
departments.
But why the great demand for Fed
eral jobs?
First and foremost, because Of the
demand for all kinds Of jobs. But
next because Federal employment
now ranks with the best-paid employ
ment-outside Of the highest posi-
tions-to be found in the nation.
Congress already has restored to
Federal employees, and incidentally to
itself. 10 per cent Of Is per cent
salary cut applied In 1893. The addi-
tional S per cent will be restored April
l. After that the same salary scale
will apply in the Federal Government
that applied in 1929.
The result Is that Washington to-
day Is rapidly growing city. scarcely
aware Of depression. It is in the
midst Of q home building boom, rents
have gone up, and the community is
enjoying one Of its most prosperous
periods.
But still the Congressman who have
made all this possible are not salts
fed.
They have had patronage such as
no other Congressman ever had. With
that patronage they have been able to
grease the wheels Of their political
machines.
New Deal bounties falling to them
do not stop even at that point. In
addition there are emergency expen-
ditures Of more than four billion
dollars each year that are flowing into
their States and their congressional
districts. And five billions are flowing
out through the Home Owners Loan
Corp. and the Farm Credit Admins
tration to ease the lot Of distressed
farmers and home owners. This total
soon is to be raised to $500, 900, 900
To gain the favor of farm debtors
Senators already have voted-and the
House Ii expected to vote-to cut
interest rates on Federal loans to
farmers from the present ~ per
cent to 3h per cent. Next Congress
will be tempted to do q good turn
to home owners who have borrowed
from the Government and cut the
interest rate, now per cent, on their
borrowings.
The story is current that the way
President Roosevelt regained control
over his bill to provide $4,000, ,000. .00C
for work relief was to give assurances
to Senators that certain definite prof.
ects In their States would be taken
care Of by the Federal Government.
r n y II
Congressmen are itching to return
to the era Of back-scratching and
log-rolling In appropriation bills
With billions being spent, they need
to be checked by the Executive from
allocating each dollar so that they
can bargain for the best deals for
their particular districts. Mr.. Roose-
velt has been successful thus far in
getting lump sum" appropriations
for New Deal programs.
Already many a member Of Congress
Is feeling around to discover ways and
means Of placing constituents on the
pay roll Of the forthcoming Govern
ment works projects. Even with s.
100000 jobs to be created, only half
OF the unemployed but employable
job-seekers can be accommodated, and
pressure from politicians Is certain,
In an effort TO place followers In
the new Government employment.
Mr.. Farley's job Is to keep Demo-
cratic Congressman In line and at
least partially satisfied.
Huey Long asserts that the Post
master Generals power over Jobs Is
SO feared by United States Senators
that they avoid association with the
Louisiana "Kingflsh" and dodge
around corners when any one re-
sembling a Farley agent approaches
so that they won't be seen talking
with Mr, Farley's enemy.
tcopyrisht. 1850