Evening star., 1938-03-23
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Public Development OF Tennessee
Valley watershed ,Uith generation of
loD-cost potDer as principal OBJ
5ecttDe tDas one OF earliest social
experiments undertaken during
RooSepelt administration. Directing
giant project has been three-mdR
board, split for mary ,0eeks past in
bitter personal feud. with President
and Congress each trying to ascer-
tain facts and effect settlement.
BY JOHN H. CLINE.
Asserting it is clearly the right" O.
Congress to conduct a fair" investl-
cation of the Tennessee Valley Al.
thority, President Roosevelt formally
notified the legislators today that he
had removed T. v. A. Chairman
Arthur E. Morgan and submitted an
opinion by Acting Attorney General
Robert H. Jackson that the President
had legal authority for his action.
Before the message had been de-
Nvered, Senator Barkley of Kentucky,
majority leader, had blocked Senate
effort to authorize an investigation of
T. v. A.
Senator Bridges, Republican, of New
Hampshire sought unanimous consent
to call up resolution for a joint
Senate House investigation of the
agency, but Senator Barkley objected.
He said there was no question regard
Ing the desirability of an investigation,
but that it should not be made by
partial" legislators.
Assailing the removal of Chairman
Morgan as "dictatorial" and "arbi-
rary,' Senator Bridges said:
1T must be remembered that Di-
rectors David E. Lilienthal and Har-
court Morgan now are in unquestioned
possession OF all records of T. v. A..
Unless there is an immediate investi-
cation OF the things to which DIR.
Morgan has referred, these may be
covered up or whitewashed"
President Defends Action.
Chairman Morgan was removed yes
terday after he had finally rejected a
demand that he submit to a "fact4
finding investigation by the President.
Vice Chairman Harcourt Morgan was
named to succeed him.
In his brief message, the President
defended his action, declaring efficient
administrative management of gov
ernment would be destroyed in short
order" if members of the executive
branch be permitted to follow DR..
Morgan's course of conduct.
1T is clearly the right of the Con-
gress," the President stated in his
message. ito undertake at any time
any fair inquiry into the administra-
ton OF the T. v. A. or its policies which
the Congress may deem in the public
interest. But cannot in the mean
while abdicate my constitutional duty
to take care that the laws be faithfully
executed 4"
Arthur E. Morgan has repeated the
assertion that'he will answer questions
only to committee of the Congress
obviously, there can be no objection
10 hearings before such committee
But the Congress will, am sure, real
lie that If any member of the executive
branch OF the Government, of high
degree or low degree. is given the right
by precedent to refuse to substantiate
general charges against other members
Of the executive branch of the Govern
ment and to insist on disclosing speci.
flcations only to committee of the
Congress. efficient administrative man.
agement of government would be de.
stroyed In short order"
Cites Alleged Wrongful Acts.
The President also set forth the al.
legged wrongful acts of which he ad.
judged Chairman Morgan guilty.
Included were the making of grave
and libelous" charges against his Co.
directors and refusal to sustain them
constructing" the work of T. v. A. ane
refusing to give facts to the President
when asked for them.
The opinion in support of the legalit,
Of the removal was prepared by Mr.
jackson in the absence of Attorne,
General Cummings. It was writer
March l8.
I think may state it is an unas
sailable proposition that ii any of thes
charges is established, the power O
removal ought to exist" Mr.. jackson
wrote. Furthermore. the T. v.
being an executive agency, performin,
executive functions, and 4herefore IL
the executive branch of the Govern
inent, the power Of removal ought Il
be IN the President"
He then cited the so-called "Myer
(see r. v. A., Page A-3.)