Evening star., 1938-08-10
FARLEY CONTENDS
PRESIDENT EASY
Article B|ames Leniency in
Part to Many Troubles
of New Deal.

Many of the troubles OF the new
Deal are traceable to President Roose-
velt's easy-going way with his sub
ordinates, Postmaster General James
A. Farley says today in the second OF
4 series Of articles on the Roosevelt
administration in the American Mag
azine.
The cabinet officer also deals with
the custer of DR.. Arthur E. Morgan,
former chairman of the Tennessee
Valley Authority. whose difficulties,
he said, grew out Of DR.. Morgans in
ability to get along with people.
In treating the subject of the Presi-
dents attitude toward his aides, Mr..
Farley said "he permits them to take
in too much territory and even when
they assume the functions Of other
officials he is inclined to look on the
situation with amused tolerance. He
will overlook mistakes and short
comings if he likes man.
Inspires Conflict RumorS.
From this tendency to ieniency the
public often gets the impression that
the administration is torn and ripped
by conflicting factions. He hates to
really likes and hence he is inclined
to keep an incompetent in office until
the time finally arrives when he has
to get rid of him.
To the contrary, he said. few people
realize how the President loves a
fight Il am frank to confess that
there have been times when l have
felt that the President from sheer Joy
of fight battled too hard. when COM
promising attitude might have ac-
Complished more than a direct line
drive" he writes.
The T. V. A. Act prescribes political
preferment in appointments, but the
Postmaster General, who as chairman
Of the Democratic National Committee
has large part in the distribution of
patronage. gives as his belief that
Senators we're unwilling to come to
DR.. Morgan's assistance when his
trouble started was because he had
not consulted them in stating the
agency.
At the time of DR.. Morgan's appoint
ment, he explains, the T. V. A. head
came to see him at the suggestion of
the White House to talk over appoint
ments.
Patronage Hint Given.
Mr.. Farley said he made no sug-
eestion. but limited" it would be wise
to consult members of Congress.
DIR. Morgan promptly replied in
what seemed to me discourteous
fashion that he would appoint whom
he liked and that he had no interest
whatever in politics" he recalls The
upshot was that relations of the two
men were strained.
Men like DR.. Morgan. who think
they are pursuing the only pure course
by refusing to accept recommendations
from Senators and Congressman
usually end up by appointing only
their own friends and confdants And
that is far worse kind of spokesman
ship than any other" he comments.
Says Patronage &ecessary.
Mr.. Farley defends patronage as a
necessary adjunct to government. bu
declares that when political organ.
izations begin to think about jobs
and nothing else, when they forget
that public business should come first
then they have commenced their own
death chant" He further qualities his
own defense of patronage by asserting
that with time. patience and hard
work could construct a major po-
litical party in the United States
without holding out single Job to de-
serving partisans."
The Postmaster General discounts
stories of the influence that once
was attributed to the brain trust,
which included in its ranks Raymond
Moley. Rexford Guy Tugwell, Lewis
W. Douglas and others.
He also deprecates third party
moves.