The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-03-05

League was turning out pre- as it's mimeograph machine For incorporate criticism of the New Deal, these blasts almost rivaled the vitriol of Huey Long.
 But now the firing has ceased. Orders were passed down to 1ib- erty publicity sharqs to lay off the heavy artillery and stick to an educational" campaign against Roosevelt.
 This about-face is highly signi- ficant. It indicates the ever-pres- ent political risk of overplaying c hand.
 There is no doubt that the Liberty Leaguers Overplayed theirs. For the inside explana. ton of this lightning switch is the fact that Liberty blasts were beginning to react in RooseveIts favor.
 Easy Target
 This reaction party was the work of Charlie Nicholson, astute democratic press chieftain. He started campaign to show that the chief opposition to Roosevelt was entrenched wealth.
 The League was an easy tar- get. Every time 1t issued statement, Charlie pointed an accusing finger at the million aire duPonts, chief enthusiasts for Liberty.
 To have entrenched wealth against you is 8 political asset, and the republicans were the first to see this. Some of them ac- tually complained to democratic colleagues in congress that Nicholson was unfair in linking them with the Liberty League. The League, they said, was con- ceived by wealthy democrats. The republicans had nothing to do with 1t.
 Finally even the Liberty boys woke up. Hence the surcease of handouts.
 Free Press
 Uncle Andy Mellon got lucky break with the resignation of Charles Tranmeli from the Board of Tax Appeals in the Mellon $3,000,00 income tax suit. But he did not fare 50 well when he ap- piled pressure to influence news. paper accounts of his tax trial.
 Best reports on the Pittsburgh trial came from F. Raymond Daniell, ace reporter of the New York Times. His stories were frank, full and fortnight.
 One day Frank Hogan, attorney for Harry Sinclair, Doheny and other millionaire clients, including Mellon, told Daniell that the ex- secretary of the treasury would like to meet him.
 Daniell replied that he would glad to sec MT. Mellon after writ- ing his story.
 Powers of the Press.
 Finally Daniell had Q brief talk with MT. Mellon in the court room during recess in the hear ing and the conversation drifted around to the New York Times accounts of the tax trial. Mellon said he thought Daniell was giving the wrong impression ale though admitting that his ac. counts were factually correct.
 "I'm not giving any impress slOn," ret0rted Daniell, I'm writing news"
 Mir. Mellon then suggested that he thought too much space was being given to the trial. To this Daniell replied:
 T am sure the New York Times will be delighted to give equal space to any staetment you may care to make. And we will give it equal prominence in the paper"
 A day or two later. the wash sales between MT. Mellon and his daughter were disclosed, the gov- ernment charging income tax eva. sion. Daniell opened his story of these transactions with the following lead:
 "When Andrew w. Mellon and his daughter, Allsa Mellon Bruce, negotiated . business deal, one or another sometimes profited but Uncle Sam almost always lost '"
 NOTE-Frank Hogan, Melons attorney, several times protested against the frankness of Daniell's reporting, but the New York Times congratulated him on his work.
 SOuthpaw BOrah
 Senator William Edgar Borah takes stroll each monday on the greensward near the capi- tol, wanders solitary and alone among the scrub trees. The other day he picked up some handfuls of snow and playfully threw snow- balls, first with his right, and then with his left hand.
 His aim was bad with both.
 Merry-GO-R Round
 Striking contrast: During last years tax suit against Andrew