Evening star., 1939-07-22
The Political Mill
Chances Of Roosevelt Domination Of Party
Convention Fades With Hatch Bill

Opponents of the Hatch bill in the
House, when they sought by amend
ments to emasculate 1t, removing
prohibitions against Federal officials
taking part in campaign manage
ment and becoming actively engaged
In political campaigns, charged that
the proposed law would be uncon-
stitutional.
Congress, they argued, had no
power to deprive these Federal Of
flee holders Of the right of being as
active as they desire in political cam
paigns. This contention. however, is
without foundation, for the laws
against political activity by those
Federal ONCE holders under the
classified civil service have already
been upheld by the courts. The par
ticipation Of United States attorneys,
postmasters, marshals, revenue COL
lectors in political campaigns, as
managers. delegates to conventions
ETC.. is no more sacrosanct than the
participation of the classified civil
service employees. They are all paid
out of the same Treasury-and there
is nothing to compel a United States
attorney, or any of the other Of
f1cials, to take and to keep that job
if he does not wish it and does not
wish to be guided by the laws of
Congress with relation to the job.
Could Apply Civil Service.
AS a matter of fact, Congress
could, If 1t so desired, put all these
attorneys, marshals, collectors of in
ternal revenue and what not under
the classified civil service il 1t de-
sired-and make them all amenable
to the civil service regulations. In
deed, there are members of Congress.
like Representative Ramspeck of
Georgia, who would like to have this
brought about, believing that it
would make for more efficient con-
duct OF the Government. So the ar
gument Of unconstitutionality ap-
pears to be "out"
President Roosevelt, 1t has been
urged, should say nothing about his
own political plans for the future, on
the ground that If he announced he
would not be candidate for re-elec-
tion he would lose influence with
Congress. In the light of what has
been going on the last few days, it
seems he has already lost it. He
lost his fight for amending the neu-
trality laws both in the House and
in the Senate. The administration
forces have been overrun again and
again in the House during the
present session, and the most recent
cases were the adoption on Thursday
Of the Smith resolution providing
for special House committee to in
vestigate the Wagner Labor Rela-
tions Act administration and the
passage of the Hatch bill.
Might Unite Democrats.
A declaration by the President
that he does not intend to be can
didate for denomination and re-elec-
t1on-and that he will not accept re-
nomination-would clear the atmos-
phere. 1t might bring a more united
front on the part of the Democrats.
Indeed, that is a probability.
The President has never publicly
admitted he would consider becom-
ing a candidate to succeed himself
in 1910. What he has said publicly
has all pointed in the opposite di-
rection. What he has said privately
to some of his cabinet officers and
others is that he does not wish to be
a candidate. He could help himself
and his party now by making a pub
lie statement of similar character.
The longer it is delayed, the more
deeply the wedge will be driven into
party ranks.