Evening star., 1938-06-29
Nothing Political?

When the President OF the United
States sees nothing wrong with an in
dorsement Of a senatorial candidate in
Iowa by Relief Administrator Harry L.
Hopkins no wonder Aubrey Williams,
deputy relief administrator, feels at lib
erty to urge reliefers to vote to keep
our friends in power" Furthermore,
when Mr.. Williams attention is called
to the incident, he insists there was
nothing political in what I said nor were
there any political implications intend
ed" In the name of the great Jehovah
and the Continental Congress what on
earth did Mr.. Williams intend?
With considerable circumlocution, Mr..
Williams, in a letter to Senator Shep-
pard, chairman of the Senate Campaign
Investigating Committee, described what
he had been doing when he addressed
the members of the Workers Alliance
a union composed of w. P. A. workers.
He said: II pointed out to them that in
democracy it was important for them
point of view just as their opponents
think 1t is important to remove from
office those who have their point of
view"
If this was the intent of Mr. Williams,
he might just as we'll admit that he told
the workers to 60 out and vote for ad-
ministration candidates for the SEN
ate and House What is the use Of
beating about the bush? The Senate
committee, while it accepted Mr.. Will
liams' disclaimer of politics, cracked
down on the deputy administrator of
public works, declaring that his speech
was unfortunate"
However, the Senate committee which
has been intrusted with the duty of see
ing that public funds, including relief
funds, be not expended to influence
voters in senatorial elections, and of
seeing that officials paid by Government
funds shall not influence or coerce voters,
will have to be bit sterner and more
drastic II 1t is to halt the use of the w.
P. A. in the present political campaign.
Mr.. Williams has already done his stuff,
whether he admits it or not. His ad-
vice to the Workers Alliance has been
spread throughout the country. News
papers and the radio far and wide have
carried the report of his address. The
w. P. A. workers have had their tip.
Mr.. Williams is unable to understand,
apparently. why relief official having
TO do with relief Jobs by the million is
debarred from telling the men and
women who are on relief how they
should vote. Perhaps he distinguishes
between Mr.. Williams as a relief official
and Mr.. Williams as an individual citi-
0en-and feels that as the latter he is
entirely warranted in entering into party
primaries and elections. He has some
thing of a precedent. President Roose-
welt last Friday said that, of course, as
President of the United States, he would
not think of going into elections of
members of Congress, but that as head
OF the Democratic party he felt fully
justified in having his say about the
candidates.
Not only does Mr.. Hopkins indorse
senatorial candidate in Iowa, not only
does Mr.. Williams urge the Workers
Alliance to vote to keep our friends in
power" but the w. P. A. increases its
wage rates at time and in States where
the political effect should be assured.
The rate is. jumped in Southern States
where the administration is trying to
defeat certain Democratic Senators. In
Kentucky where Senator Barkley, the
administration leader in the Upper
House, is engaged in desperate strug-
gle against Governor Happy" Chandler,
the W. P. A. pay rate is boosted more
than in other States, except in Okla
homa. Yet there is nothing political"
In all this.