The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-03-12

io1dtiAS DI0uu
So Brann was summoned to Wash
ington. talked at length with Farley,
and was taken to the White House to
see II the Roosevelt personality would
do the trick. 1t WAS rumored later
that he could have the assistant secre-
taryshlp OF the navy II he wanted It
The trouble about placating Brann II
that he would have to be given some
signal honor outside the state. Any
thing inside the state would more than
ruf1le Representative Moran. Moreover
Moran has sold the White House and
WPA Dictator Harry l.. Hopkins pref
ty thoroughly on the idea that Branns
friends just won't do.
In West Virginia the situation II
even more difficult. The two strong
figures OF the Democratic party, who
happen to be the two senators. are At
such loggerheads that the fight has
famed out on the senate floor. with the
boy senator, Rush D. Holt, denouncing
the whole relief and WPA admlnistra-
ton In the state.
For Democratic senator to charge
that Harry Hopkins and his organiza-
tion are playing cheap factlonal poll
tics In behalf OF the other Democratic
senator, Matthew NJ Nicely, is very bad
medicine, indeed. Holt said on the
floor that the West Virginia admins
traitor, F. W. Mccullough. "h a dis
grace to the state OF West Virginia
and to the Works Progress administra-
tIon."
What has been happening, according
to insiders, is not very different from
what has happened In many states,
except In one particular. People want
ing Jobs had to have the endorsement
of local political leaders. The Differ
ence In West Virginia Is that the lead
ers whose approval WAS necessary
were always allied with the Nicely or
ganization, and never the Holt faction
Apparently Senator Holt missed the
boat when he did not have an agree
ment with his colleague before McCul
Tough was appointed.
Mail Contracts
Present Indications are that Presi
dent Roosevelt will extend the present
mall contracts, AZ In number, with thu
shipping companies, for period Of
one year. He has the authority to do
this under existing law, assuming tina
no new shipping legislation Is enacted
And best information on Capitol Hill
and In New Deal circles Is that mont
will be.
There was quite 4 stir recently ovel
the drafting Of new ship subsidy bill
| by New Dealers. Much mystery wal
made about the new measure, which
was, II was said, to be introduced b.
Senator Guffey OF Pennsylvania Tn,
new measure. according to gossip &C
copied for few days. was to have tn
/ Presidential blessing as against tn
/ Copeland bill and the ideas OF Senate
| Black OF Alabama. 1t was Senate
Black, those interested recalled. VIII
! directed the investigation whic
seemed, to put IT mildly, to be littl
unfriendly to the shipping companies
Underneath all the mystery as t
the Guffey bin and the discussions Q
merits OF the plans OF Senators Cope
land and Black, the determining fat
tor Is simply this-that Presiden
Roosevelt is willing to do more to al
American merchant marine than col
gress is willing to do at this time. Pei
haps after election, the Presidents az
vsers explain. congress will be In
more nmiable frame OF mind.
The wheel within these wheels
that the President at the moment
concerned very much over the econom
issue. He is going through a, lot {
motions. what with all these COME
ences OF the spending and lendln
agencies and whatnot, to give the coul
try the impression that he Is going
stage a Calvin Coolidge economy al
and get the federal treasury back Q
sort OF Andrew Mellon basis, thong
OF course he would never use thu
word Mellon"
Ralk at Subsidy
SO this would be no time to launc
out into what would be, In many Sc
lions OF the country, very unpopult
spending campaign In the interest I