Imperial Valley press., 1936-07-21
News Behind the News
The Next Comptroller General :.
Harold IckeS Eyes Job E. They Say
He Gets Things Done

WASHINGTON - Although Congressman
Lindsey Warren of North Carolina seems to
have the inside track now in competition for
the post of comptroller general following expir-
alton of John r. McCarl'S 15-year-term, there
is a strong movement within the administration
for appointment of Secretary Harold L. Ickes
The PWA administrator is not known to
have displayed any interest, but it is believed
that he would take the job if it were offered.
The chances also are that he could have it if
he asked for it, as he will be used so much in
the Roosevelt campaign for reelection that
he would be IN excellent position to get what
he wanted.
Progressives who want Ickes to succeed Nc
Carl are arguing fer him that he is not men,
Der of any party machine, that his party aftil-
iation has always been Republican until this
year, and that he has a widespread reputation
as an honest man who gets things done.
Appointment of an old-line party politician
the president has been told, would do nothing
to bolster up confidence Of country jittery
about heavy federal expenditures.
Careful checks by New Dealers have shown
that Honest Harold comes closer to 100 per
cent popularity over the country than any other
cabinet membe ror major administrator-much
closer incidentally, than most of them.
His friends admit that Ickes could be de-
pended on not to interfere with many progress
ive-minded New Deal projects, as they accuse
McCarl of doing. But they insist his record
shows that the government would get every last
nickel's worth out of its dollar spent.
o
Heavy backstage pulling and tugging is also
preceding appointment of the five-man Mari
time Authority (new shipping board).
An especially hard drive has been launched
from the merchant marine industry against
selection of Karl Crowley, solicitor in the POST
office Department
Crowley drafted most of the new merchant
marine act, with its many safeguards against
exploitation and failure to build ships in re-
turn for government funds. He knows all about
the industry and its ocean mail contracts
Hence, it would be more or less logical to
appoint him to the board and Roosevelt has had
his name under consideration. The most i'm
portant thing about any new administration IS
installation of personnel which will understand
its functions under the act and will build up
an organization in the interest Of the public
rather than for the benefit Of any special group.
whispering campaign has been started
against the solicitor One item charged against
him is that he bungled the celebrated affair of
the airmail contract cancellations, although
Crawleys friends insist that he merely took the
rap on that like a good soldier, the real fancy
bungling having been done, they say by the
Department of Justice.
Some OF the shipping lobbyists openly assert
that the kind of men needed for chairman is
lawyer who will know how to get around the
law.
Roosevelt is above all anxious that the
merchant marine be built up because he knows
as well as anyone that it's needed as an auxili-
ary to- the navy One side assures him that
the best way to appoint Crowley; the other side
vice versa.