The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-05-28
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NATIONAL CAPITALX< I
BY Carter Field ~
FAMOUS WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT IA -
FAMOUS WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT

Washington. - The Passamaquoddy
TIDAL power and Florida ship canal
projects have won a reprieve from the
congressional death sentence. 1t was
the first sign Of Presidential maneuver-
ing to get the approval of congress
Tor the two projects dumped on Capt.
tol Hill's doorstep last January by the
PRESIDENT. and treated so cavalierly by
Mr.. Roosevelt ever since.
| Whether 1t Is the real breath of life
or mere reprieve will depend upon
critics OF the two projects. They can
talk the resolution to death II they
| wish, unless all hope of adjournment
Is thrown to the winds. Incidentally
there Is nothing the Republicans In
the senate would rather talk about
than Quoddy and the Florida canal.
| They know they are on safe ground
| that the country regards both projects
as a waste Of public money-and that
| public reaction was so strong against
them that even the overwhelmingly
Democratic house and senate had to
vote them down.
II the resolution Just introduced by
Senator Joseph T. Robinson Is passed,
there Is very little doubt as to what
will happen. It provides that board
OF three engineers Is to be appointed
to study each project, and to report to
the President on June 20 or before,
this year. II they report the projects to
be Justified" the President, under the
resolution. would then have the APP
prevail of congress to allot ten million
dollars for the Florida canal and nine
million dollars for Quoddy out of work
relief funds.
All the members of the board are
to be engineers who have not In any
way been connected with either prof.
ect. They would be appointed by the
President and receive $50 a day plus
expenses for each day OF service.
Causss Surprise
Critics of the project were surprised
at the resolution. though 1t has been
intimated at the White House that
some new plan would be worked out
for Quoddy. There had been no such
hint about the Florida canal.
Senator Duncan U. Fletcher Of Flor
Ida has been watering the White
House as we'll as the senate office
building with his tears In behalf OF the
canal. while Governor Louis ]. Brann
has been talking grimly to the Presi-
dent and James A. Farley about what
would happen In Names September
election II Quoddy were simply
dropped overheard by the administra-
ton
Democratic senators In New England
were inclined to think that the move
to revive both projects was Just a po-
litical gesture. aimed at pleasing
Fletcher and getting Brann In a good
humor.
Ii was pointed out, however, that the
Maine voters were rather practical,
and that If the resolution were allowed
to die because not enough White
House steam was turned on they just
might resent 1t.
Another possibility Of course Is that
the engineers. II told by the President
before he appoints them that they are
not to worry about pleasing anybody.
but shall report their own convictions,
may bring In an adverse report, thus
agreeing with all the previous studies
made OF Quoddy. An adverse report
would provide ample justification for
not going ahead.
This view Is held by those senators
who have thought for some months
now that the President had finally
been convinced by Harold L. Ickes and
others that Qunddy was a pure waste
OF money and that Mr.. Roosevelt's ref
erence Of the whole matter to congress
had just been way out. Especially,
they point out. as he did not ask any
administration support of the projects
when they were under consideration.
Tax Lawyers Busy
Washington's long array OF tax law
yers. the men who fight to keep tax
payers from being forced to pay what
the bureau OF internal revenue insists
upon taking. almost regardless OF the
law and the precedent. have been
booked almost soldy from now on.
LIN many instances their services are to
start with the passage Of the present
tax bill.
incidentally they are advising clients
to postpone any move toward reorgan.
lzation. Numerous Incidents where re-
organizations, mergers or other forms
of change In the corporate structure
were desired have been put off until
after the passage OF the tax bill.
Dependence on the tax lawyers strikes
some of these very lawyers as rather
amusing at the moment. Two OF the
most successful told this correspondent
that they could not make out the fog
glest idea of what many Of the pro-
visions mean.
But at present no one has the SLIGHT