The Washington times., 1936-12-21
WHITE HOUSE.
UN0FFICIALLY
BACKSH|M
Writer Says His Fight
With Power Trusts
In His Favor
BY EARL GOODWIN

A SZ5,UOO Zee from one OF the
leading economic royalists'' op-
posing the Administration is the
foundation stone to the Admins
tration's opposition to the choice Of
Representative John ]. O'Connor
Of New York, strong contender for
the post of majority leadership of
the House. At least, it is so re-
ported freely in Administration
circles.
1t was not by any means fee
given to Representative O'Connor,
who is above suspicion. 1t was a
legal fee, legitimately paid by a
large public utility holding COM
pany executive, to his brother,
Basil O'Connor, who was at one
time a law partner of Franklin D.
Roosevelt.
New Dealers are still aching
from the beating they got from
the electric light and power bust
ness during the hectic days prior
to the enactment of the bill to
throttle the holding companies
and dissolve those deemed useless
by the Securities Exchange Com
mission.
Blow to Popularity
New Dealers say that the Roose-
velt tide of popularity was running
strong until the propagandists of
the Hopson division of the holding
company army got into action and
nearly smashed the Roosevelt
popularity count down below the
so per cent mark.
Chairman Farley has said there
would be mo reprisals": yet in
spite of the formal White House
attitude of "hands off" in the
fight for majority leadership in
the House, there's scarcely work
ing New Dealer in the city who
wouldn't throw banana peel
right in front of Representative
O'Connor of New York, chairman
of the Rules Committee and as
pirant for leadership.
The aspirations of Representa-
tive Sam Rayburn of Texas for
the leadership have the backing
of most of the New Dealers in
executive and administrative posi-
tions. although there is a large
following of good New Deal Demo
Gratis in Congress who will vote
for his rival, O'Connor.
Ravhurn Led Fight
It was Representative Rayburn
who carried the burden of the Ad-
ministration fight on the holding
companies, which represented a
legislative phase of President
Roosevelt's lifelong fight against
what is popularity known as the
power trust"
Mr.. Roosevelt had more hearty
interest in that utility holding
company bill than in almost any
thing else in his program, with
the exception of the social security
measure. Every crack at the bill
which Rayburn took on the chin
was an affront to the President.
Almost every powerful political
enemy President Roosevelt made
in New York State in the years he
was in the State senate can be
traced to the bitter warfare of the
power people against the young
Roosevelt, looked on as an upStart
in politics. That's why the PreSi-
dent showed so much interest and
used such strong expressive Ian
guage in every campaign speech
and in every other public mention
of the power interests.
That's why he is presumed to
favor Rayburn today.
Post Shows Stand
Where Rayburn stands with the
Democratic organization is easily
seen in the fact that he was the
chairman of the Democratic Ma
tional Committees speakers bu-
reau during the campaign. That
is an important post. 1t is sort
of field marshal for a political
campaign; it gives the head Of
the bureau a chance to put some
real campaign money into dis
trict and into the pockets of the
professional speakers.
The post of floor leader. or ina
jority leader" is looked on as
the doorway through which one
goes to the Speakership, which
is the prize post in Congress.