The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-02-28
GOVERNOR IRKED
ply REPORTS OF
F. D. RS FEARS
Story President Is Afraid of
Extra Session Here
Termed Fiction
nv TANrc nncs
BY JAMES DOSs

Any suggestion that he does not
enjoy the political confidence Of
President Roosevelt and other ma
tiona! Administration leaders is ex-
ceedingly irritating TO Gov. Nc
Mutt.
He disnisses as mere fiction" a
story given wide circulation this
week that the President and his
advisers are afraid of the conse-
quences OF special session of the
Legislature before the state conven-
ton in June, and would welcome
the sessions postponement until the
party's candidate for Governor has
been chosen.
1t was suggested to the Governor
this week that there is record OF a
telephone call from Washington to
an Indiana Federal official, asking
for advice on the possible results of
a special session. A telegraphed
answer to the call Is supposed TO
have been made,
Asked yesterday if he felt the
President was dubious about the
state being in the Roosevelt col
umn this fall, Gov. McNutt returned
an emphatic no"
He also intimated that he alone
is the source of information as to
when or whether a special session
Is to be called, inaSmuch as the
authority to summon the General
Assembly is vested in the Governor.
He repeated that stories contain
ing the inSinuation that Washing
ton is trying to interfere with his
. handling of the situation are mere
fiction"
The first state convention of
Young Democrats, being held here
today and tomorrow, is being
watched closely by observers and
leaders of all factions to see if there
Is any indication of swing to-
ward any of the three candidates
for Governor-Pleas E. Greenlee, E.
Kirk Mckinney and Lieut.. Gov. NJ
Clifford Townsend.
Alvin Johnson, 2 deputy attorney
general, who has acted as state or
ganizer, Is strong contender for
the honor of being the first presi-
dent.
His election might be construed
as victory for Mr.. Greenlee, in
asmuch as he was one of those
l Statehouse employees who braved
Ethe possible displeasure of the Gov
sermon and attended Mr.. Greenlees
coming out party recently at Shell
byville.
Mr.. Johnson even spoke briefly,
and is known to have been a Green
lee supporter before the former
patronage secretary was separated
from the state pay roll.
Ben Stern, secretary to Senator
Frederick VanNuys and one of the
senior Senator's closest political adj
visors, is reported likely to come
from Washington for the conven-
ton.
His prospective visit is being con-
strued by some to mean an attempt
to block the election of such a
known Greenlee adherent as Mr..
johnson.
Supporters of the candidacy of
Lieut.. Gov. Townsend are openly
mot fearing" Mr.. Mckinney. Some
Townsend followers are predicting
that the former Home Owners Loan
Corp. head won't be able to muster
more than AIS delegates for the first
convention ballot.
They are more respectful, how
lever, in considering the Greenlee
opposition, because they are afraid
he still has the hold on the organi-
cation he held when he was the
Governors secretary.
The reason the joint legislative
committee on social security drop
ped the proposed gross income tax
amendments like hot brick, is the
fear that attempts to enact them
would draw out the special session
too long.
1.-THE big wholesalers whose taxes
would be increased would send a
powerful lobby over to the State
house to fight such a broadening
OF the paying base, and We won't
have time to battle the problem out
in a short special session." was
the way one administration spokes-
man put it.
The difficulty about the amend
ment Is said to be the taxation of
wholesalers now paying the one
fourth of / per cent levy on what
really are retail sales and should
be taxed at / per cent.
ut is the big fellow and not the
little wholesaler who is flouting the
gross incomG tax law" said one
legislator.
THE big operators go into court
and get an injunction. They get
the use Of the money and they have
the b0F1o If eveptuo11v haoti,,o tho