The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1937-11-18
New Experiment


New Experiment
Neutrality-suspicious. of TIT
New Deal as well as it's opponent!
are watching new experiment b!
President Roosevelt with more thar
passing interest. They are watch.
ing this experiment because of var.
ious circumstances including OBJ.
viously its political phases for they
realize that the President has step
ped out into hitherto untrod field
unplowed ground In this new exper.
iment.
Chiefly because it is something
entirely new and not because any
one yet can tell what is going tt
happen I want to report this week
on the Presidents plan to have his
eldest son James, his No. l Sec
rotary, serve as a clearing house
between the Chief Executive ano
some eighteen or more government
agencies. Roosevelt, the younger
has been designated by the Presi-
dent to sit down once each week
with the heads of the enumerated
agencies and talk over their prob
lens, iron out those which he can
help solve, coordinate the work be-
tween them as far as he is able to
do so and, most important to the
men with whom he deals, decide
which questions confronting these
units of government may be mat
tiers for the Presidents personal
consideration.
It is a big order. But Jimmy as
he is known around here is a big
man at least physically because he
stands something like six feet one
inch. He is twenty-nine years old.
The audiences at the White House
with Jimmy have already started
and the agency heads who have sat
through the conferences seem well
pleased. At least. there has been
no criticism yet, no signs Of jealousy
or indications Of dissent among
those who are called upon to take
up their problems with the young
secretary to the President. In fact,
I have heard In only q few places
revival Of the punning that went
out a couple Of years ago when the
Roosevelt for King" game was in
its heyday, and Jimmy was laugh
ingly labeled as the crown prince.
Thus, the plan surely seems to have
started off most auspiciously. But
as said what success what trials
and tribulations, await 1t. no one
can say.
Much in Its Favor
Undoubtedly President Roosevelt
has started plan of action that has
much to be said in its favor. It has
OF course many possibilities Of trou-
bic and there surely IS argument
against having the White House
secretariat determine policy when
the President has been elected to
that job. Yet at this time credit
must be argued along with signs
and portents of trouble.
First let us recognize that the Of
flee Of President of the United
States IS man-killing job. There
Is nothing like 1t anywhere else in
the world There are not too many
men who can stand up under the
load of work and worry that is con-
tinually on the shoulders of the |
head Of the nation. There is no
way possible for him to escape it. |
Vacations? Sleepi Absence from
Washington? Not q chance. The
work and worry is with him always
every minute out Of his twenty-four
hour day.
Thus If there is any way that |
can be devised to lift some of the |
burden it ought to be done. No
way has been found heretofore,
however, and the milestone contin-
ues around the Presidents neck.
On the other hand this is de-
mocracy. In the opinion of many
persons there already is too much
power lodged in the hands of in
dividuals who were not elected but
were appointed to office. The Pres
ident has vast power and he has to
unload it somewhere into the hands
Of those he appoints. Nevertheless
throughout the federal government
scores of men and women exercise
very great authority over your life
and mine who were personally Sc
1ected by the President-for whom
none of us voted when we voted for
a presidential nominee. Result: red
tape rules and regulations, dos and
don'ts galore until we hardly know
whether We can eat our food with
out transgressing or failing to COM
ply with some federal regulations
All of that is by way Of saying
that by implementing the rela-
tionship between the President and
men and women whom he has ap-
pointed to office through the inser-
ton of an added wheel Of author
ity, there lie potential changes in all
of these governmental policies. And
there lies the possibility of changes
being made, for better or for worse,
without the President having any
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