The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-02
| . BEHIND THE SCENES
 IN WASHINGTON LV RODNEY DUTcHER-i Democrat Washington
 Correspondent
Presidential Trip H a s Ominous Similarity to Excursion South During Last Congress, Which Turned Out to Be a Mis- take.

Washington, Dec. 2.-Only sever months ago the President departed on his last fishing trip in southern waters. The circumstances wer very similar to those of- today Roosevelt's attitude-that he coult take fortnight off at critica time and strengthen rather thai weaken his position-was much tn same.
 The question naturally arises: Has the President made the same mistake twice?
 The other fishing trip was 8 mistake. F. D. R. went at time when Congress was more rebel hOus than ever before, when his Supreme Court plan was at stake, When the rest of his program was blocked. But he was quite cOnfi- dent. He was sure Congress would realize the masses of voters were behind him and that 1t would be more tractable after stewing around couple of weeks.
 He thought he had the court flgh won. Probably he had-at the timt Justice Van Devanter hadn't quit Majority Leader Joe Robinson hadn't died. But the administra ton leadership was weak, and il that fortnight the opposition gained strength rapidly and the court plal lost ground.
 Other things happened, but in tn end that April-May fishing trip wa chalked up as a major tactica error.
 Same Dangers Today
 Congress today seems even more balky. The administration leader ship is still weak. Most of F. D R.'s program is blocked. There k danger that some of his favorite laws may be repealed and that Congress may stampede to "dt some thing for business" much more drastic than the President wants il to do.
 But once again the chief execu- tive has gone away, believing that Congress will stew around in its fu- tility, create a bad impression or the country and be virtually pinine for his leadership by the time ne returns.
 Wage-HOur Setback
 Lobbyists for the wage-hour bill notably those representing Labor's Non -Partisane League and c. l. O. unions, received 8 bad shock when Chairman John J. O'Connor of the House Rules Committee announced he wouldn't sign the petition to dis charge the bill from his committee where Republican and southern Democratic members had held Il tight.
 O'Connor's previous promise to do all in his power to get the measure out of the committee had been cited confidently as evidence that the American Labor Party. which boiled 4S2,O0O votes for Mayor LaGuardia in the recent New York City election, had the chairman on the spot. But after President Green of the A. F. of l.. had attacked the bill, OConnor thought he would be safe in failing to sign the petition for discharge.
 Political reprisals against O'Con' nor in 1888 arc now threatened. Model Modesty
 Greenbelt, nearby Resettlement' built model community. has its trou' bles. But they're minor. A woman complained that lack of enclosed backwards and necessity of hanging undergarments on an exposed clothesline made her feel as If sht were doing a strip-teasc act.
 The management gave two an swers, in effect: "l. Drape 'cm or the radiators. 2. You'll get used to it."
 Copyright. 1887, NEA Service. Incl