Evening star., 1937-05-17

that the facts ought to be made avail
able and the truth ascertained about
number of incidents which come
dangerously near accusing the White
House OF actually using discretionary
powers over public funds or public
offices to influence the votes Of men,
bers Of the House and Senate.
If Wall street bankers came here
and influenced votes by a Quid pro
quo OF valuable character or if busi-
ness men did it, the words used would
be doodle" and graft" and the
country would insist on severe con-
demnation OF any such practice.
Incidents Reported.
So the charges and innuendoes are
grave enough to merit attention, be-
cause they constantly mention the
White House, and there is nothing
more unfair in democracy than the
making Of charges which affect the
very vitality of the democratic sys-
tenn Of government. Here are the in
cidents:
l. Postmaster General Farley,
emerging from a conference at the
White House with President Roose-
welt, and being reminded by re-
porter that some Democratic Senators
were not going along with the admin
istration on the Supreme Court bill,
is quoted by the Washington Post on
May is as having said: We'll, when
Senator OMahoney comes down here
wanting help on a sugar bill, his con-
science won't be bothering him, will
1t? Or when Senator Pat McCarran
wants aid for his State. It's all In
the viewpoint"
2. On April 20. 1887, Paul Mallon,
nationally known writer, related in
his dispatch that Federal job pay
Ing $500 year had developed some
complications between rival candi-
dates and that James Roosevelt, per-
sonal secretary to the President, had
told Chairman Prall OF the Federal
Communications Commission that
Papa said the Iowa delegation in the
House was going to vote for his Su-
preme Court program and, therefore,
their candidate for the job must be
taken care Of
Viewpoint Deplored.
The episode aroused the San Fran
cisco Chronicle to say editorially:
Certainly the institutions Of Amer
tea, for generations to come, should
not turn on who gets q $500 lob
now. That Just this pressure Is be-
Ing used, Is notorious. This Is the
first specific example Of 1t which
comes in 50 blunt and substantial a
form"
II the incident IS true, then this
type OF thing was even more strongly
condemned by Woodrow Wilson in
his book on constitutional govern
nlent when he wrote:
There are illegitimate means by
which the President may influence the
action OF Congress. He may bargain
with members. not only with regard
to appointments, but also with re-
gard to legislative measures. He
may use his local patronage to assist
members to get or retain their seats
Such things are not only deeply
immoral, they are destructive Of the
fundamental understandings of con-
stttuttonal government and, there
fore. Of constitutional government it.
sell. They are sure, moreover, in a
country of free public opinion, to
bring their own punishment, to de-
stroy both the fame and the power Of
the man who dares practice them"
What did Mr.. Farley mean when he
said that Senator O'Mahoney and
Senator McCarran, Democrats, would
find the White House turning a. cold
shoulder to them when they came ask
ing for executive action on matters
affecting their respective States?
Cabinet Member Involved.
Assuming for the moment that some
body misinformed Mr.. Mallon about
the alleged conversation between Mr..
Prall and Jimmy Roosevelt can the
other incidents be dismissed also when