The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-09-23
SEEN
HEARD
around the
NATIONAL
CAPITAL
By Carter Field y
By Carter Field =

Northumberland r. McNinch,
he new chairman of the power COM
is apparently trying to
brighten the electric industry into re-
iucing rates. Which is rather GU
rious, for if the electric industry
should reduce its rates sharply, as
a result of McNinch's warning, the
almost inevitable result would be
that there would be weakening of
public support for the Norris seven
Twas bill which is supposed to be
passed at the next session of con-
gress. And such a elimination
would be most unsatisfactory not
only to Senator George w. Norris,
who has come to approve OF Nc
but to President Roosevelt,
who appointed him.
After pointing to the record
breaking figures for sales Of cleo
tricity in the first seven months of
1887, McNinch remarked:
"This revelation of unparalleled
growth and prosperity is the an
swer to those devotees of that an
cient superstition Of hydromancy
who gazed at the water of few
hydro plants the government was
building and predicted the destruc-
ton of the private power industry"
: ut is both interesting and signifi-
can't" Mr.. McNinch said later, to
note that, as electric rates have
gone down, production and con-
sumption have gone up. 1t has been
and is a short-sighted policy to keep
electric rates as high as the tariff
will bear Such false economy holds
down the traffic and hurts the pow
er industry as well as the public.
1t has now been demonstrated be-
You'd all cavil that the public wants
and needs more and more power in
industry, in commerce, in the home
and on the farm. Only those who
see through a glass darkly now fail
to understand that the interests and
prosperity of the power companies
and of the consumers alike look ir
the direction of electrifying Amer
lea"
With all of which, incidentally, The
utility executives agree, though, UNI
fortunately for their own good, tor
few of them probably will heed thu
warning about high rates soor
enough.
Worth Watching
incidentally, McNinch is an in
teresting figure in politics--wel
worth watching. He was an up an,
coming cog in the Furnihold Sim
mons machine in North Carolina
years ago. Then he angered TIL
boss, and Simmons retired him t
outer darkness. For years he foun
every road leading to anything pc
litically barred by the relentles
Simmons.
But then came 1923, and the nom
ination of AL Smith by the Demo
Gratis. Simmons sulked. Hat i
hand, McNinch called on his oil
chief. He agreed that Smith shout
be beaten. Simmons encourage
him, first secretly and later openly
McNinch led the North Carolin
Hoovercrats, and carried the stats
with aid from Simmons and the no.
mally impotent Republicans, by a
overwhelming majority.
But mark this. OF all the hun
dreds of key Democrats, includin
many far more important than MI
Ninch, who revolted, McNinch
the only one who has ever succeed
ed in getting to first base since
Simmons himself was defeated c
that very issue in the next primar,
All over the South the same thir
happened.
Normally, in rebellion, the lea,
ers get short shrift. But in a rev
luton they come into power. In II
South the fellows who won, back
1928. and who carried Virgini
North Carolina, Florida, Texa
Kentucky, Tennessee and Oklahon
for Hoover, had their reward in p
litical Punishment and popular di
like. All but McNinch.
Herbert c. Hoover seemed to fe
no gratitude to any one in the Sou
who had risked his political futu
for him. With the exception
McNinchl Maybe Hoover figur,
that most of these Hoovercrats we
just fighting Smith because he W
wet, or Tammany POLITICAL
and therefore didn't deserve any I
ward from him. And, of course,
q way Hoover-on this one thing
was right.
But how about McNinch? How d
he persuade Hoover that he, alo
of all the southern boilers, deserv
reward? And how did he convin
Franklin d. Roosevelt that his po
ers should be increased? That m
has something.
Boland Has Something
Patrick ]. Boland, Democra
whip Of the house, is not as w
known to the general public as
deserves. The title carries the id
to most folks of sort of sergeal
alarms, or call boy, who rounds
the congressman for vote. Scum
like leg job rather than one