The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-01-21

House Hopes j.. Own Reign
in Virginia Threatened.
Washington, Jan. 21-The steam
rollerinR TO which Senator Harry
Flood Byrd was subjected In the
senate the other day might not
have been 30 utterly complete II so
many senators had not suspected
that Harry was seeking TO build
himself UP as o 1910 presidential
candidate and at the same time
fighting out an old grudge with
Roosevelt.
The question whether Byrd or
Roosevelt Is going TO take charge
OF government reorganization may
not have been definitely settled,
but II looks as II II had.
The senate voted, 73 10 I, for
the administrators bill 70 extend
life Of the RFC for IN years, SEN
atOr Byrd being the lone member
TO vote nay. Byrd's amendment
to extend RIGS life only year
had been beaten, SO TO 22.
On the surface, the conflict be-
tween Byrd and the president may
look like an honest difference Of
opinion.
The senator thinks hundreds Of
millions Of dollars can be saved
through q reorganization program
eliminating Implications and over
tapping.
| The chief executive believes
that only minor savings can be
made through reorganization in
sisting that his program OF reor-
ganization for efficiency purposes
be kept separate from any program
OF economy which will eliminate
governmental functions.
Clash Goes Far Back
Insiders who know the back
ground of the Byrd Roosevelt rcla-
tionship realize that there is far
more 10 II than that. And even
more TO II than the mere clash be-
tween the conservatism OF Byrd and
the liberalism OF Roosevelt.
According TO Jim Farley's "For
Roosevelt Before Chicago boys,
Byrd started out with them ut the
outset Of the 1882 pre- convention
campaign, then was persuaded by
wall Street Democrats" 10 be-
come q candidate for the nomina-
ton himself.
At any rate, he controlled the
democratic machine in Virginia,
chose delegates for himself, and
was prominent among the favorite
sons no held out with Al Smith,
John Raskob, Jouett ShotBe, and
other conservatives In the stop
Roosevelt effort.
II was generally understood that
the Virginian was out for the vice
presidency II nc couldn't capture
the major prize.
After the election. Byrd was an
unannounCed candidate for secre-
tary OF agriculture or for q sort OF
an Assistant president" Job which
would give him charge Of White
House political relations.
But Byrd's presidential ambi-
tons. his conservatism, and the
question whether he could be de-
pended on for full loyalty to his
chief were more than enough to
cause Roosevelt TO turn him down
for any appointiye job.
Snipes at New Deal
Byrd then had himself appointed
and subsequently elected 10 the u.
IS. senate when Claude Swanson
resigned TO become secretary OF the
navy In 1888. He became perhaps
the most persistent critic OF the ad-
ADMINISTRATION in conservative dem
ocratic ranks, attacking one admin
istration measure or policy after an
other.
Various optimists proposed him
as n presidential candidate on q
conservative democratic ticket.
Az 1896 approached, II began 10
be common talk among many Vir-
gjnla politicians that Senator
Byrd. still In control Of the state
machine, WAS figuring on having
the Virginia delegation 10 the
convention vote for his own NOM
fnati0n.
Whether there was ar much to
this story as the White House was
led TO believe. all such talk ceased
promptly when the Richmond
T'lmes-D Dispatch conducted straw
vote which showed Roosevelt an
overwhelming fayorite for re-elcc-
ton.
Rnivn To- ThrnntnunI