The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-05-17
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BY DR.. JAMES z. POPE
Special Washington Correspondents
AS FLORIDA GOES
CO >--

so GOES CONGRESS
Only a few weeks before the
Florida deluge we were neck
. deep in an era of government by
telegraph, and high-pressure ora
tors were causing our lawmakers
to be flooded with kilograms.
This form of sabotage by innuen-
do, or just plain gluff, soon gave
oyer to another era, that of gov
eminent by chain letters. Since
Florida, however, we have the
newest wrinkle in political re-
mote control-government by pri-
lnaries.
Swiftly on the heels of the
Florida primaries, and sounding
strident note in the poor anx-
ious lives of seekers after re-
election. the Administrators
wage-hour bill-twice sentenced
TO execution, and still being held
a prisoner by the unfriendly Rules
Committeewas given proba-
tionary parole through Congress
sional writ OF habeas-corpus. This
order, known as a discharge PEE
tition signed by 2l8 careworn and
jittery House members, some OF
whom had been displaying symp-
toms of political delirium tremens
since the latest Florida hurricane,
went over the heads of arbitrary
committeeman and brought the
battered wage-hour issue to the
floor of the House for action.
It is stubbornly contended by
some who are occasionally sus-
pected of being good guessers
that the House will pass the bill,
but the Senate may order it shot
at sunrise. Certainly, much de-
ponds on the nature and extent
of pressure which may be brought
by those who, on select occasions.
press our Senator's but whale
of difference is wrapped up in
the fact that only one-third of
the Senators must face their re-
spective voters this year. While
lobbyists may lobby and voters
may vote as they please, Senator'S
also may do pretty much as they
please provided there remains
two or four years between them
81 o.&lfI.<sss as,..N,Satff,.
THE FLORIDA BLUES
Poor candidates. Clinging to
their precarious political perches
with soul-torturing desperation,
oftentimes unwaranted by actual
conditions, some of them cannot
risk the luxury Of sober analy-
sis. Even the absolutely normal
occurrence, such as the one in
Florida, puts some of them to I'M
reasoning and panicky flight like
a covey of frightened partridges.
Among the several Congressman
who. as IS claimed. were won over
or scared into supporting the
wage hour bin I am Wondering
just how many actuallv took time
10 calmly consoles Ell evalpate
conditions from the standpoint Of
cool logic. ~
This is not dissertation pro .oE
COM on the wage-hoar bill. II is
simply q pursuance the lreSkion
whether or not the sizxling CON
troversy over the issue really IA,
fluenced the voters in Florida tc
such a marked degree, Do they
vote there on iSSues-or do they
still vote on men9
NOT LAW BUT CUSTOM
In most sections. especially the
South. il remains the unwritter
law Of politics that ence 3 man is
elected 10 the United States Sen
ate he is practically appointed for
life. unless something nnSeeEnly
develops and nothing unsremly
developed in the Florida contest
The incumbent. seeking renom.
ination. brought good reference.
and was highly recommended by
the White House. Flartherfnore
the people had already Learned