Evening star., 1937-08-01
Taxes Takes Front Rank
in Government.
BY OWEN L. SCOTT,

Real question is raised among the
political coat-tail riders-on the look
out for new coat-tails to ride-about
who, now, is the big boss of the Ma
tional Government.
John Garner, as Vice President,
awards the title to Mr.. Roosevelt with
out any hesitation. But gradually the
idea is spreading that the President, to
be more in keeping with reality, should
begin to think about returning the COM
pliment.
The fact is the center of political grav-
ity here in the Capital is swinging
definitely away from the White House
and toward the halls of Congress. That
swing started months ago with return
ing prosperity. 1t was accelerated when
the Senate defeated the Presidents plan
to add younger judges to the Supreme
Court 1t is getting another push from
the. growing congressional inclination to
ignore White House recommendations.
AS result of this swing in the bal
ance of governmental powers, dynasty
OF heavy thinking planners Is slipping
from prominence. Rising to added
prominence is what begins to look like
a new dynasty, much more practical and
much less idealistic.
This new dynasty-if such it turns out
to be-has it's roots deep in Texas.
Hard headed and intensely practical
disciples of Davey Crockett and old Sam
Houston are ready to come into their
own in Washington. They have their
ideas about the future of the Demo-
cratic party, about Tommy Corcorans
and Ben CohenS, about the part that
Government should play in business and
farming and finance. Those ideas do not
happen to be quite the same as the ideas
of Mr.. Roosevelt and his heavy thinking
advisers.
That fact adds to the Importance OF
any shift of power to Congress, since
such shift involves added power for
this emerging dynasty OF Texans.
John Garner happens now to be head
OF the group.
But he is fianked by almost equally
important individuals. There Is Sam
Rayburn, leader Of the majority in the
House of Representatives. There is Hat
ton Summers, who really put the nails in
the coffin for the Presidents court -reor :
ganiZation plan. There is Marvin Jones.
who is successfully bucking the White
House on farm policy. There is Wright
Patman, who gets results for war vet
Grams over presidential vetoes and whose
ideas on money and banking and busi-
ness regulation keep the White House
guessing.
Then, out Of Congress but very much
in the thoughts and the planning of these
Texans. is another Texan. Jesse Jones
head of the r. F. c.. and one OF those
who now dream dreams about a future
in the White House.
Not to be overlooked. but scarcely to
be mentioned in the same breath with
the others, is Maury Maverick organizer
OF group OF young Congressman who
are filled with zeal for reform and for
making the life of their elders uncom-
Portable. Maverick is the left wing
branch of the Texas movement" and
is somewhat lonesome in that role.
These TexanS-with the exception OF
Maverick--do not conceive of the Demo-
cratic party as the haven of the under
privileged and the harbor of jealous re-
formers. John L. Lewis, head of the C
l. O., would be very uncomfortable In
heavy thinkers who have had big play
Of the cabinet
The Texas idea is that the Democratic
party might well continue to be a party
of reform just SO long as control lies In
the hands of practical men who under
stand that government can accomplish
some things, but not all things
Mr.. Garner has expOunded the philoS-
ophy privately on more than one occa
sion. Why keep agitating and stirring
up alarums. he asks. when the country
wants to be let alone SO that it car
enjoy the good times that have returned
Business is good, farmers are prosperous
people are quite happy and are willing
to give the Democratic party and the
President credit for the improvement
There is enough glory to go around, SC
why stir up fight that can only caus'
trouble. This country can't be made
over in day.
Use of that Texas idea has been pro.
ducing results.
The Vice President used it to engineer
quiet burial of the Presidents court
change plan. He is raising it as a bar
rier to any White House attempt t
purge" the party Of members who ma,
not have agreed with the President or
some of the plans he has offered Hi
arguments have failed to change tn.
determination Of Mr.. Roosevelt to pres
ahead with his reform program bu
they have served to set the tone for tn.
Texans who play an increasingly i'm
portant part in shaping the course O.
Congress.
Those Texans must more and more b,
reckoned with when the White Hous.
seeks to determine policy.
1t was Marvin Jones who quietly pu
knife in the plan of the heavy left
wing thinkers to mix a bit of radica
land reform in the idea Of helping farm
tenants to become farm owners Wher
he got through, the tenant-aid program
just enacted into law, was based upor
an entirely different set Of principles
than when pat under way. His ideas or
a new system of crop control differ deepl,
from those of the President and Henr,
Wallace. AS result the chances ART
that the countrys next farm program
when and if there is one, will have {
definite Texas favor.
When it comes to dealing with future
problems involving the judiciary, Mr.
Roosevelt will hardly repeat his origina
mistake Of snubbing Hatton Summers
who deals with such things in the House
Mr. Summers has a habit Of Sneakini