The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-08-02

The Senate Labor Committee, which has jurisdiction over wage- hour bills, is one of the most lib- eral bodies on Capitol Hill. Among its members are Ebert Thomas of Utah, chairman, Murray of Montana, Pepper of Florida, Lee of Oklahoma, Hill of Alabama. Borah and LaFollette, all strong labor partisans.
 The committee so far has given no consideration to the wage-hour issue and has no intention of do- ing so. As the senate has no rules committee to force action on legislation or block 1t as 1t sees fit, there is no way of bringing up wage-hour amendments except in the form of rider to some other bill or by discharging the labor committee.
 There is no likelihood of either strategy succeeding, since the senate frowns on discharging com- mittees and the threat of fili- buster would be enough to put an end to rider.
 NOTE-The powerful fake "farm" lobby that was behind the mascula ting amendments in the House, has been under se- cret surveillance by members of the Senate Labor committee. If the lobby starts cutting up in the senate next session it is likely to run head-on into sizzling investigation. One member of the committee al- ready has a resolution drawn for that purpose.
 NEW UTILITY MOGUL
 Pat Hurley statuesque Hoover secretary of war is quitely sound- ing out the Securities and Ex- change commission on its attitude toward him as new head of the giant Associated Gas and Electric company.
 Howard Hopson, much investi- gated, pudgy ruler of the great utility system, is i'll. Also, the con- cern has been secretly negotiating for REC financing.
 Hurley, who represented Hopson during one congressional probe, is a good friend of Jesse Jones, Fed eral Lending Director, and has intimated to SEC officials that if he accepts the A. c. & E. offer he would have free hand to re- organize its vast pyramid of hold- ing companies and internal af- fairs. Hurley is reported to have been offered a $l00,000 salary to take the job.
 Hurley has been told that the SEC had no power to pass on the selection of utility executives and was taking no stand regarding him.
 TWO RESOLUTIONS
 The resolution as published by the Texas congressional delegation defending Vice President Jack Garner from the scathiig blast hurled at him by John L. Lewis was quite different from its origin al form.
 The first draft proposed by the leaders of the Lone Star group ac- claimed Garner as a friend of la- bor as follows: MT. Garner has always been absolutely fair, im- partial and just in dealing with labor and all legislation for the betterment of humanity. MT. Gar ner's fine. patriotic and outstand- ing record needs no defense '" But as the resolution was fin- ally agreed on. this language was deleted at the insistence of younger members of the delega- ton.
 They raised no objection to a state endorsing Garner. The entire delegation was unanimous on that - even the New Deal members. But praise of his labor record was sharply challenged on the ground that some of the group were not acquainted with 1t and could not say anything about 1t.
 So to avoid dissension. which would be sure to leak out. the leaders, old cronies of Garner, dropped the protested language and the resolution as unanimously