Evening star., 1936-01-05
New Dealers Find
Glamour Is Conc
By Owen L. Scott.

likely TO c0nn0e: Inere lSnt so mucn
fun left in leading the life of a Wash
ington big shot" Something has hap
pened to take away the glamour.
Ask what that something" is and the
reply. If frankly given, will be about
like this:
> Too much shooting is going on from
the sidelines. People are harder to
please. Congressman. back again, do
not act the way they once did. They
want more favors, are less inclined to
allow themselves to be put off And the
Supreme Court is far too solemn and
menacing for comfort Even Mr.. Roose
velt is becoming less tolerant Of the mis-
takes that draw outside fire.
In other words, things are changing
in the Capital.
Politicians are taking over the stage
formerly occupied by "big-shot" admins
traitors. Harry Hopkins and Harold
Ickes and DR.. Rexford Tugwell and
Henry Wallace and Mariner Eccles,
among others, no longer dazzle the popu-
lace with breath-taking plans for spend
ing billions or for bringing new social
order.
Rather, Congress is back on the job
Of giving orders and concerned with the
very practical matter Of coming elec-
ton. Congressman are found to be rela-
lively free from the inferiority complex
that governed their conduct for most Of
the last three years.
u
People generally are more interested
in whether fan dancer is going to be
hired at taxpayers expense to entertain
c. C. c. camp boys or whether AL Smith
really has turned down several White
House invitations, or whether Senator
Borah actually stands chance Of cap
turing the Republican presidential nomi-
nation, than they are in whether the
New Deal has a different plan for meet
ing the farm problem or for dealing
with the relief problem.
These all can be accepted as signs
: that the country rapidly is getting back
to normal.
For President Roosevelt they are signs
that he recognizes and understands. The
noise of gathering political battle is for
him like the smell of powder to an old
warrior. He appears ready for the COM
ing fray and probably will be more at
ease in the role of political battler than
in that Of economic reformer.
But the same is not true Of many, II
not most, of the other leading New
Dealers.
Several of them functioned best when
their slightest wish became law through
the magic Of an Executive order In
those days of the recent past there didn't
seem to be any need to worry about
courts or Eongressmen. Now hard
boiled Supreme Court, Congress that
can become rambunctious and the
threatening turmoil of political battle
give them the jitters.
So of late the New Deal public rela-
tions departments have changed func-
tions For two and one-half years they
struggled to educate the public to an
understanding Of what the experiments
were all about. Now their job is to edu-
cate their bosses to an understanding OF
what politics is all about.
Some of the bosses are being put under
wraps. Others have been learning from
experience. Some more are having diff
ficulty adjusting themselves to the
change.
Experiences have been Illuminating.
Nobody among the top crust New
Dealers enjoys talking more than does
Mariner S. Eccles, governor of the Fed
Grad Reserve Board. Mr.. Eccles has his
own ideas about use of bank credit and
imitation and he likes to expound them.
For quite a time he did so for neUSpa-
per men and members of Congress. Then
a decision was reached that talking did
the cause no good.
But Mr.. Eccles determined to express
his ideas before the recent session of
the American Bankers Association.
What he said on imitation was inter-
preted in way that did not please the
Reserve Board governor This resulted
in new statement, explaining the first.
Senator Glass of Virginia, already foe
of Mr.. Eccles, did not like the explana-
ton of the explanation and is trying
to head off his confirmation by the Sem
ate. Gov. Eccles has returned to the
task of building reputation for silence.
Then, every one knows the delight of
DR.. ReXford Tugwell, Undersecretary OF
Agriculture and resettlement admins
TRAITOR, in using ponderous phrases and
talking about the social revolution.
John Franklin Carter, DR.. Tugwell's
public relations adviser, suggested that
he go easy on publicity and let the job
out in the field tell it's own story. The
5000 100000 to spend. The desire to
avoid ballyhoo resulted in little back
ground concerning the enterprise ap-
pearing in print. The press conference
an institution in most departments, was
side-trac&ed.
Then suddenly there appeared story
that DR.. Tugwell had 10000 employees to
care for about 5000 farm families and
that his department was spending twice
as much for salaries as for aid to the
destitute. The newspaper reporter ap-
parently did not know that the ReSettle-
, ment Administration had taken over
about $4,000 farm relief cases from
Harry Hopkins Relief Administration.
1t also inherited $4,000 employees and DR..
Tugwell had been congratulating himself
on his feat in cutting that number to
$4,000.
After that break he looked to Mr..
Roosevelt to help out, but the President
kept quiet.
Where silence had hurt in one in
stance, the urge to expound caused
trouble in another direction. In the
second instance, the resettlement admin
istrator told Los Angeles audience that
a fighting alliance of workers and farm
ers was needed to wage class warfare
against the big capitalists. Political
repercussions have been such that Post
master General Farley is reported to be
after DR.. Tugwells scalp.
Harry Hopkins, relief and w. P. A.
administrator, has allowed his tongue to
oct him in q tight nlace on more than