The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-12-30
SEEN
HEARD "A
around the
NATIONAL
CAPITAL
By Carter Field ~
BY Carter Field i


than his fellow cabinet member.
James A. Farley, in the opinion of
shreWd observers here.
Farley took a terrible beating be-
cause of the business recession. The
Postmaster General had a nice job
all lined up, with the Pierce Arrow
company, which would not only
have put him in the money, but
would have taken him back to the
state that he must use as his spring
board. New York, as the company is
located in Buffalo. Further, it would
have taken him out of the admins
tration and made him a free agent
politically speaking.
But with business as it is, Farley
has the feeling of having been side
tracked, and right now of being vir-
tua)l. eaaed. watching the process
sim march on through the bars of
fds cell door.
As it stands, his friends feel, the
best thing for Farley to do would be
to run for governor of New York
next fall. This would seem to be an
easy line of attack for Farley. Gov
ernor Herbert II. Lehman certainly
does not want to run again. In fact,
he was persuaded to run, very much
against his own will, only by the
strong pressure of President Roose-
welt, Farley and virtually the whole
Democratic organization.
No other Democrat in the Empire
state is an outstanding contender
for the nomination. Farley is enor-
mously popular personally, even
among lots of people who do not
love the President. Some friends
of the President, notably Senator
George w. Norris of Nebraska, do
not think much of Farley's political
methods, but there are not SO many
OF these, apparently, in New York.
G. o. P. Not Enthusiastic
There is another point here. Very
few Republicans in New York are
very enthusiastic about any partic-
ular candidate of their own for gov
ernor in 1888. Many Of the big fell
lows will concede privately that
they have no hope any more of roll
ing up majority north of the Bronx
which could possibly overcome that
OF the greater city, which, though
not Tammany any more, is quite
decidedly prof. arley.
Also it just may happen that the
campaign will become nationally in
teresting. It would be bound to, for
example, If District Attorney-elect
Thomas E. Dewey should happen to
be the Republican nominee, and it
is the general impression at the mo-
ment that Dewey can have that
nomination If he wants it. Dewey
just might mess up Farley's rec
ord and put him out OF the presi-
dental running for good and all,
even though unable TO defeat him,
but that is a danger every White
House aspirant must face again and
again.
Wallace is reaching out for
strength In various quarters, know
ing that the conservative southern
contingent will oppose him. For ex-
ample, he entertained a group of
about forty negro editors recently
at two-day conclave, all expenses,
from travel and hotels to the final
banquet when Wallace sat down
with them, being paid for by Uncle
Sam.
Naturally Wallace is also count
ing on farm support from all over
the country. His friends think the
conservatives will not get to- first
base opposing him.
But all this, Of course, both as to
Farley and as to Wallace, is based
on the assumption--or perhaps the
word hope" would be more &C
curate-that Roosevelt will not seek
third term.
Lack Understanding
Letters to senators and represent
tatives from their constituents who
happen to own securities in cleo
trio companies reveal curious lack
of understanding of how the law
making machine in Washington
functions. What these investors
want their congressman to do, of
course, is something to help their
own corporations. They want spe-
officially four things:
/. Repeal of the public utility hold
ing company death sentence, or at
least sharp modification of it so as
to eliminate only the intermediate
corporations.
2. Provision that any 'yardstick"
operations by which the government
seeks to ''show up" the privately
owned companies shall be sharply
circumscribed by conditions as to
accounting, sinclusion of pro rata
taxes both federal and local, and
inclusion of an equitable allowance
for interest on the governments in
vestment and for amortization of
the cost, etc.
3. Mo- further loans or grants to
local communities to set up govern
ment ownership electric projects.
4. Clear policy on all existing fed
eral power projects or others under
construction that the current will be
sold. at the switchboard, TO the high