The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1938-10-06

bill emerged from the special COM
mittee that handled it. that the army
engineers were specifically exempt
from the new powers the President
was to have been given by the bill.
But most of the worried agencies,
bureaus and commissions did not
know how to do likewise. Some OF
them knew but did not have the pow
er. the army engineers have a GU
rious series of personal ties with the
elder statesmen on Capitol Hill not
possessed by any non-mllltary divl-
sion of the government. Some of
the ranking officers of the corps
were appointed to West Point by
senators still in the upper house.
Some were appointed by former sem
ators, but the ties still exist. And
the ranking officers of the corps
have been in close touch with nearly
all the present senators and mem
bers of the house of representatives
They have discussions with them
over projects, during committee
hearings. They meet them socially,
and gravitate together at otherwise
dull parties to talk about subject of
common interest-generally some
river or harbor project back in the
legislator home state that the army
officer has studied.
Continuing Friendships
Are Thus Built Up
That sort of thing builds up con-
tinuing friendships. The men get
to like each other. They get to adj
mire each others work, especially
as there is no friction and no ele-
ment of competition. So naturally
the senator or representative lends a
willing ear when the officer comes
round with an urgent plea that the
administration be not allowed to
mess his job up-as he sees it. There
is the further fact that the legis1a-
tor risks nothing by granting this IA
vor. 1t is not an issue at home. If
it were made an issue, he would
probably be on the right side of it.
But there has been every indica-
ton that the President would renew
his fight to get the reorganization
bill, and was willing not to antago-
nize the powerful lobby of the army
engineers by including them in it..
So the other bureaus and commits
sions and agencies have been wor-
ried ever since congress adjourned.
With one or two exceptions the
senators that the President would
have liked to see beaten because
they opposed him on the Supreme
court issue opposed him also on the
reorganization bill.
Enemies of Labor Board
Plan Neu Line of attack
A new line of attack on the nation
al labor relations board is about to
open as result of the recent trip
to Mexico City of John L. Lewis and
Edwin Smith, a member of the
board
The new attack by enemies of the
labor board and of G. I. O. may
have the support of Cordell Hull,
secretary of state. It is charged
that it was the influence of Lewis
and Smith, with certain other Amer
leans, that has made the task of the
state department SO difficult in deal.
ing with the Mexican government
on the issue of Mexicos seizure Of
American and other foreign oil prop.
critics.
Reports reaching state depart
ment officials show that the news
paper accounts of the Mexico City
meeting attended by Lewis anc
+ Smith did not give an adequate in
dication Of the lengths to which the
American visitors went in approx
ing everything Mexico has done. On,
dispatch spoke of the venom" will
which Edwin Smith attacked every
one opposing extremist labor legis
lation.
Smith praised Mexico as the only
country having a capitalistic struc
! ture-presumably the only country
except the Soviet republic-whicf
has the enlightened courage to in
sure the rights of all workers.
/ Reports indicate that Mexican Of
fcials prepared an elaborate build.
up for Smith prior to and after his
speech, which was translated imme.
diately into Spanish and repeated tc
the meeting for the benefit of the
delegates unable to speak English.
Declares Me1icans Lead
In Foriudrd Movement
Smith left no doubt in the minds 0.
the delegates that Mexico was If
the lead in the forward movement
with the United States tagging alons
but en- route.
John l.. Lewis, according to ths
reports, agreed with Smith in sup
porting every action tsss,,sss,,
the Mexican govern "
ment has taken. s1@sss
Four million work \.
ers In the United u
States, he told the
delegates, had sent
him to bring good
wishes and encour-
agement to the Mex