The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-07-20

General. X. Lobbyists Bus-
 ily Trying to Influence
 Choice of New Ship Board
 Members Byrd Rule
 Over Virginia Machine
 Threatened.
 Washinston, July 20 0-- Although Congressman Lindsey Warren of North Carolina seems to have the inside track now in competition for tho post Of comptroller general, fol- lowing expiration of John R. Me- CArl'S i6-year term, there is . strong movement within the administra- ton for appointment of Secretary Harold L. 1ckes.
 The PWA administrator is not known to have displayed any in- tgrest, but 1t is believed that he would take the job if 1t were of- fered. Tho chances also are that he could have 1t if he asked for it, as he will be used so much in tho Roosevelt campaign for re-elec- ton that he would be in excellent position to get what he wanted.
 Progressives who want Ickes to succeed McCarl are arguing for him that he is not Q member of any party machine, that his party af- llation 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 Q country jittery about heavy federal expenditures.
 Careful cheeks by New Dealers have shown that Honest Harold" comes closer to 100 per cent popu- larlty over the country than any other cabinet member or major strator-much closer, inci- dentally, than most of them.
 4 His friends admit that 1ckes could be depended on not to Inter- fer0 with many progressive. minded New Deal projects, aS they accuse McCarl of doings. But they insist his record shows that the govern nlent would get every last nickel's worth out of It's dollar spent.
 Spar Over Ship Board Choice
 Heavy backstage pulling and tug ging is also preceding appointment Of the five-nlaa Maritime Authority thew shipping board).
 An especially hard drive has been launched from the merchant marine industry against selection of Karl Crowley, solicitor in the poStofflcc department.
 Crowley drafted most of the new merchant marine act, with It's many safeguards against exploita- ton and failure to build ships in return for government funds. He knownS ail about the industry and It's ocean mall contracts.
 Hence, 1t would be more or less logical to appoint him to the board and Roosevelt has had his name under consideration. The most irn- portant thing about any new ad- ininistration is installation of per- sofinel which will understand It's functions under the act and will huiId up an organization in the ir- tctest of the public rather than for tho benefit of any special group. Snipe at Crowley
 Al whispering campaign has been started against the solicitor. One tom charged against him Is that he bungled the celebrated affair of the airmail contract cancellations, although Crowley's friends insist that he merely took the rap on that like Q good soldier, the real fancy bungling having been done, they say, by the department of justice.
 Some of the shipping lobbyists openly assert that tho kind of men needed for chairman is Q lawyer who will know how to get around the law.
 ssThe shipping companies have no trouble getting their point of view through to the president, thanks to White House Secretary Marvin Mcintyre and Roosevelt's close friends, Vincent Astor and Kermit Roosevelt, both shipping magnateS.
 Roosevelt Is above all anxious that the merchant marine be built up because he knows aS well as anyone that it's need as an auxiliary to the navy. One side assures him that the best way to get no merchant marine Is to appoint Crowley; the other side vice versa.
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