Evening star., 1938-03-04
THE POLITICAL
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Tennessee politics are in a thriving
condition-if activity means thriving.
The Democrats there are intent upon
picking a senatorial and guber-
material candidate. Senator McKellar
has joined forces with E. H. Crump of
Memphis, former member of the House
and for years dominant leader in that
section of the State. Governor Brown
ing, who was backed by Crump in the
election two years ago, is no longer
persona grata SO far as Crump is con-
cerned. Browning appointed Senator
Berry last summer to fill a vacancy
caused by the death of the late Senator
Bachman, when the court bill fight was
on and the administration needed all
the votes it could get in the Senate.
Berry was a staunch supporter of the
President in this contest.
Senator Berry and some associates
have had claims against the Govern
ment amounting to S5,000000 for marble
deposits now flooded by the backWaters
from the Norris Dam in the Tennessee
Valley. Federal commission has just
reported that the deposits were CONNER
cially valueless," Chairman Arthur E.
Morgan Of the T. V. A. has turned loose
vitriolic attack upon his fellow di-
rectors DR.. H. A. Morgan and David
E. Lllienthal, charging that they entered
into friendly agreement with Berry
to appraise the value of his properties.
He has also demanded that thorough
congressional investigation be made of
the whole T. V. A. administration. And
there seems to be good deal of support
for such an investigation among some
members of Congress, although Senator
Norris has attempted to turn the entire
matter over to the Federal Trade Com
mission.
The T. v. A. rumpus is likely to have
bearing on the political situation in
Tennessee. But it may 60 considerably
farther than the boundaries of Tennes-
see in its political efforts. Chairman
Morgan has not minced words in his
statement, stating directly that the
Berry leases were made in full knoWl-
edge of the fact that lands were to be
flooded and that he had entered into
agreement with landowners specifically
to turn over to them part Of the money
to be collected from the Government.
The demand for an inquiry into the
T. V. A. by Chairman Morgan gives the
opponents of T. V. A. an opportunity
to advocate again just that thing. They
have been demanding such an inquiry
for some time. Representative May of
Kentucky, an enemy of the r. v. A, in
sists that the public is entitled to full
knowledge Of just what has been going
on down in the Tennessee Valley. The
I. V. A.. May says, is in competition
with legitimate tax-paying industries.
Senator McKellar and Mr. Crump have
given their support for the guber-
material nomination to Prentice Cooper,
State Senator from Shelbyville For
the senatorial nomination a dozen or
more potential candidates have sprung
up. Which one of them will have the
Mcclellan -Crump backing has not been
disclosed. There are seven Democratic
members of the House from Tennessee
and probably any one of them would
like to have the senatorial nomination.
Representative McReynolds. veteran of
the House and chairman of the Foreign
Affairs Committee, has been mentioned
number of times. There are other
possible candidates outside of Congress,
among them John O'Connor, former
Mayor of Knoxville; Leon Jourolmon of
Knoxville. Public Utilities Commissioner;
Judge A. w. Chambliss of Chattanooga
and former Governor A. H. Roberts OF
Nashville.
1t looks very much as though Senator
Berry is to join lenthening list of
Democratic Senators who supported the
Presidents court bill and who will have
tough time succeeding themselves. 1t
is true that Berry was not expected to
be elected to the Office he now holds in
ha F1-
son or another he is not likely to be found
in the Senate in the next Congress.
When Senator Guffey of Pennsylvania,
just before Congress adjourned last Au-
gust. delivered an address declaring that
all Democratic Senators who had turned
against the Presidents court bill ought
to be defeated for denomination and re-
election, there was a great deal of talk
about reprisals against these gentlemen.
From the present appearances, the Pres
ident's opponents may not have as much
trouble in the coming congressional
campaign as will his supporters in that
fight.
There is a growing belief that the
present session of Congress will be
wound up as soon as possible, leaving
some of the administrations major legis-
lative recommendations for considera-
tion in the Congress which assemblies
next January-unless the President
again asks for special session of the
present Congress in the fall. The tax
bill is on its way through the House, and,
it is expected, will become law, though
its final form is still matter of con-
lecture. But there is reason to believe
that the wages and hours bill, one of the
major measures demanded by the Pres
ident, will be sidetracked. Furthermore,
legislation dealing with the antitrust
laws and monopoly is to be postponed
and left to a study by special COM
mission or some other governmental
body, according to informed sources.
The appropriation bills are already we'll
on their way to passage, some OF them
having been passed. AS soon as they have
been disposed of the demand for an
early adjournment of Congress will make
itself felt. The members are anxious
to get away. They have their political
fences to rebuild, and the primaries will
come along during the spring and sum-
mer months all too rapidly.
It is for the President to decide-with
his leaders in the Senate and House
Just how much legislation shall be at
tempted at this session. The wages and
,.z,re }1;11 &c bord mt m cronk deSpite