Evening star., 1938-07-19
The Political Mill
New Deal Is Found Aiming at Complete
Reconstruction of the Government.

AAoAAy Va WIG DNIlOSl aIS 12l VA ukllld,
however, this is Just another instance
OF the administrators reaching out
for political power. William E. Dodd,
jr., who is making the New Deal run
ming against Smith, is son Of Prof
William E. Dodd, former American
Ambassador to Germany.
Opponents Of young Dodd In Vir-
ginia say that he lived much OF his
life in Illinois and the North, that
he is a comparative neWcomer-a
carpet bagger to them. Furthermore,
he makes no hit with the politicians
because he has not begun at the
bottom and sought to work his way
up. Following the advice of New
Deal friends in Washington, they say,
Dodd is attempting to gain seat in
the House when he is not entitled to
1t, and merely because he announces
himself 100 per cent Roosevelt man.
Many Other Cases.
These are merely two cases where
the New Dealers-and the President
are seeking to dominate" in local
affairs. They could be multiplied
many times. Wrapped up in these
efforts to dominate is the whole issue
of independence of the legislative
branch of the Government. The new
critics say that If the White House
is to dictate on large scale-as now
contemplated - the nomination OF
members of Congress, the recon
ctf1Iptinru G. of ,,{u
have become complete.
Representative Pettengill OF In
diana, Democrat and an outspoken
critic Of the Roosevelt administration,
insists that the issue of centralized
government in the hands Of the Presi-
dent in Washington has become the
most important issue of the day "A
new issue confronts the Nation" he
says. 1T is the independence of
Congress. This issue is as great as
the independence of the courts. In
a sense it is greater and of more i'm
mediate Importance. For if Congress
is made the rubber stamp Of the
Executive the courts cannot be saved
"As the only purpose of the Con-
stitution is to control government
itself, and as the courts are the one
non-political agency intended to pro-
tect the citizen against the abuse OF
governmental power, it is plain that
what is contemplated is a profound
change in the Constitution if not its
practical abandonment And this
without submitting the issue straight
forwardly to the people"
Issue Cuts Party Lines.
In the opinion of Mr.. Pettengill the
issue OF preserving the independence
Of Congress goes beyond party lines
and deeper than personal loyalties
Men and women like myself" he
adds, who have generously supported
many of the professed objectives of
the New Deal know that this new
program tthe purge of all members
Of Congress who oppose administra-
ton measures) must be defeated or
it will corrode and destroy those very
objectiveS. Others who have been
critical of the administration know
that this ruthless political vendetta,
if successful will rot the foundations
of the Republic"
This is strong language. coming
from a member of the Presidents
own political party. 1t is the kind
of thing, however, which Democrats
all over the country are saying when
the demand is made-from Washing
ton-for the nomination of candidates
for Congress who will agree to go
along" 100 per cent. Just as never
before in the history Of the country
has there been such concentration
Of governmental power in Washing
ton as today, SO there has never be-
fore been such a drive on to compel
the nomination of members of Con-
gress who will do what they are told
to do by the White House.
1t is true that special interests"
in the past have interested themselves
in candidates. for congressional nomi-
nation and election, and some of
them have been successful. That has
happened whether the special inter-
est involved was labor or capital
But the drive from Washington is
something new,