The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-01-21

Attention ought to be called just
here to the differences that have
arisen and prom
some Use to cause diff
Differences culties between
the execut iv e
branch of the government and some
OF the legislators. Mr. Roosevelt, as
President, seems to feel that he
should have plenty of power to deal
with problems like the Spanish stu
alton and export of arms without
consulting congress. A good many
New Deal Leaders in congress
feel the same way. But there
are many who disagree with
that idea. There is pronounced
sentiment at the Capitol in IA
vor of legislation that would
definitely prohibit the exporting of
arms and munitions of war but in
Guiding definitions and guide lines
for those in the executive branch
of the government to enforce. That
school of thought proposes to re-
tain under congressional direction
the constitutional right of a declara-
ton of war and are fearful that the
delegation of discretionary power to
the President would lead us into
war eventually rather than keep US
out.
1t is too early yet to tell what
form the permanent legislation will
take because of the circumstances
just outlined. With the top heavy
New Deal majority in congress, it
would seem the better guess to pre-
dict that Mr.. Roosevelt will have his
way but on the other hand, until
such an issue becomes clear cut one
cannot tell very far in advance how
the two schools of thought will solve
their problem and whether the Unit
ed States will be committed further
to the one man control that would
necessarily result from granting
additional discretionary power to
the President in a matter of this
kind.
There seems to be no doubt any,
where that sooner or later one of
the nations whose troops is partici-
pating in the Spanish civil strife
will commit an overact, an act of
war. Some hot-headed individual in
command of a ship or an airplane
or troops guarding border will
take pot shot that will wipe out
life or two and wipe out peace at
the same time just as occurred
when the comparatively insignif-
cant Austrian Archduke was shot in
1914. There can be no question that
the United States must follow an
international policy under these cir
cumstances that is most cautious.
1t must watch its step. It dare not
slip-if it is going to stay out of that
European cauldron. And congress,
first of all, must calm down and
consider this situation in the light
of the future instead of the jittery
urge to respond to excited editorials.
DR.. Rexford Guy Tugwell, the IA
nous dreaming brain truster No.
-, of the Roosevelt
ugUeHS ad ministr tion,
Last Act has returned to
private life - to
an executive position with
molasses firm. Before he left his
post as Undersecretary of Agricul-
ture, however, the famous professor
signed an order that is designed
to curb lobbying by former employ
ees of the Department in whose ad-
ministration he had hand.
The aim of this order was an
obviously worthy one because it was
designed to prevent former Off
Gals or employees of the Depart
ment of Agriculture from using new
connections with commercial groups
from obtaining information or US
ing influence not of the best sort
from a public standpoint. With that
order, there can be no quarrel.
I find among astute observers in
Washington, however, no serious
supposition that the order would
operate to deprive DR.. Tugwen him
self or any other former official of
high standing from access to mem
bers of the Departments staff. It
just does not work out that way.
It never has and it never will, de-
spite the wholesome character of the
good professors plans.
The truth is that while such an
order may make lesser officials
more cautious and thus put few
obstacles in the way of petty lobby
ing, it is thoroughly Intellectual in
preventing the use of influence or
the obtaining of information from
that Department or any other in the
government.
The difficulty with this situation
is that government offices are being
used as stepping stone to more
lucrative jobs. The government does
not offer ambitious and able men
a security of tenure. Men who DEM
onstrate ability in governmental po-
sitions sooner or later are offered
jobs with great big salary checks
attached and they would be less
than human if they did not con-
slider such proposition when they
know that in the course of human
events a great turnover will take
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