The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1938-12-01
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10y JAMES Preston

ESTS"
y' JAMES PRESTON
Strategists in the Capital cit!
are quietly maneuvering toWart
a scrap to decide the future O.
Federal relief spending. It will
be an early issue in the New
Congress that convenes Janu'
airy 8.
On the offensive will be leg.
iSlatorS who want to return re.
lief administration to state
governments to make it more
efficient at less cost. On the de,
fensive will be the spenders
They are going to fight tx
retain control of this potent
portion of the public purse by
seeking to divert relief spending
to a new channel which they
can control-a program of Ma
tional defense.
Not even the spenders deny
that a change of relief spend
ing technique must be made
Public opinion against the pres
ent method has apparently i'm
pressed them, and, further, they
fear threatened Congressional
investigation of the WPA may
develop. Thus, they are willing
to submit their methods to
change. They are. however, def
initely unwilling to see the po-
wer that gotS with control OF
relief taken away from them
and returned to the states.
And speaking of battle man
euvers even the ghost of Poet
Joyce Kilmer has been recruited
to the ranks of Washington res
idents who are doing battle
with Federal officials to save
the famous Japanese cherry
blossoms. The officials have de-
cided to cut down many of the
cherry trees and build a three
million -dollar memorial to Tho
mas Jefferson on the site.
Kilmer'S poem, Trees" set to
music, was sung on the steps
of the White House last week by
Washington housewives seeking
to stop the. poised axe of WPA
Woodmen. Their formidable bat
tie appears lost, forever.
Some Washington correspond
ents are suggesting that if song
is to become a weapon around
Washington, the Brain Trust
thinker-uppers have one ready
made for them I've Got a
Pocket Full of Dreams"
The correspondents, incident
ally, have run into nothing but
blank expressions in their eff
forts to get confirmation Or de-
nial of a statement attribut-
ed, Just before the election, to
WPA Administrator Hopkins.
Several correspondents have
quoted him as saying, supposed
ly in an unguarded moment OF
anger: We'll spend and spend,
tax and tax and elect and ell
ect. Editors have asked other
correspondents to draw Mr.
Hopkins out further on this
subject, but their efforts have
been futile.
The AAA program for 1889
is ready, by the way. It will take
between five and ten million
acres more out of production,
combining planting next year to
about 100000, 900 acres.
Labor Department officials
are showing considerable in
terest in a laudable plan just
evolved by a large southern
manufacturer for the care OF
employees children. The man
ufacturer, employing about g.
600 women, is building a large
nursery annex to his factory
Children of women workers will
be cared for by trained nurses
during working hours, thus per-
hitting mothers who might
have to give up their jobs be-
cause of infant children al
home, opportunity to hold thell
jobs.
So enthusiastic are some labo,
officials over the industrial nur-
sery scheme they readily admit
they'd like to claim the idea
as their own.
The first batch of the new
five-cent pieces bearing the
likneSS of Thomas jefferson, ar.
rived from the Government!
minis with a decidedly pinkisl
hue. News wagS immediatel.
sought out treasury Officials
and inquired if the pink colo
reflected the Brain Trust in
fluence on the Government
Chargined treasury officials ha'
Stoned to explain that the pinl
color was caused by chemica
action on the new metal ant
would rapidly wear off.