Evening star., 1939-01-04

sometimes undereStimated, and
that's the President himself. OBJ
servers will differ with him on
the political wisdom of certain
moves and at times Mr.. Roose-
velt has gone ahead despite the
advice of friends and supporters,
but his political batting average
is still very high. 1t is significant
that he has made little comment
since the November elections, which
means that the strategy OF the
present session will not be hastily
or arbitrarily developed.
The President has not had time to
reveal his plan of action, but little
by little it is bound to unfold.
Some signs of it have come already
with the discussion of possible
withdrawal of the reappointment
OF Donald Wakefield Smith of the
National Labor Relations Board.
Mr.. Roosevelt doesn't share the view
that Mr.. Smith has been a preju-
diced commissioner. He knows that
the effort to punish Mr.. Smith for
his decisions-which did not ma
terially differ from those of his
colleagues-is nothing less than an
attempt to force new personnel on
the board and perhaps create a situ-
alton in which the Wagner law
itself might be weakened.
But Mr.. Roosevelt knows also the
tremendous power of publicity which
q congressional investigation brings
out. 1t takes only a majority of
the votes of the Senate to order
an inquiry into the Labor Board
operations and only a majority to
refuse to confirm the reappoint-
ment of Mr.. Smith. But 1t takes a
two-thirds vote of both the Senate
and House to change the Wagner
law over Mr.. Roosevelt's possible
and probable veto of any drastic
change in the law.
Perhaps Another Appointment?
So. strategically, Mr.. Roosevelt
could avoid the risks of possible
defeat as well as a lot of adverse
publicity on the Labor Board by
making another appointment. Every
body knows he could force the Smith
appointment through if labor itself
were not divided-if, indeed, the
A. F. of L. were not opposing Mr..
Smith. He may yet decide to insist
on Mr.. Smiths confirmation. BY
eliminating controversy and COM
pelling the opponents Of the Wagner
act to concentrate on amendments
to the law itself, the President,
however, would have the whip hand
politically. For there is no two
thirds vote in both houses for
any reversal of policy on the Wag-
ner Act. There will, of course, be
some supplementary amendments
which the administration itself may
accept. This will tend to narrow
the issues on the labor law or else
to put the opponents in the position
Of seeking to frustrate the whole law
something that Mr.. Roosevelt feels
would make an excellent issue for
1910 either for himself or the candi-
date who is nominated to succeed
him.
Mr.. Roosevelt's adroitness in han
ding the political scandals over the
relief problem is another example
Of political strategy. First he moves
Harry Hopkins and his associates
out OF the w. P. A. and puts an
Army officer in charge. This is
q good move because the public
feels Army officers are bipartisan
and non-political. Next, the Presi-
dent lets 1t be known he likes the
idea of local non-partisan boards
to administer relief. Finally he
dumps the problem on the lap of
Congress and Vice President Garner,
recalling perhaps that it was the
Senate which really started politics
In relief by insisting on Senate con-
hrmation of State w. P. A. admins
traitors.
Concessions Expected.
But while the President is mani
resting great care in, how he han
dies Congress, he exacts conces-
sion here and there himself. He
will get confirmation for Mr.. Hop
kins as Secretary of Commerce and
Gov. Murphy as Attorney General,
The opposition press is severely
criticizing these appointments, but
they are attributing to the cabinet
an Importance it does not have.
Both Mr.. Hopkins and Mr.. Murphy
will execute the wishes of the Presi-
dent in their respective departments.
Both are trusted Roosevelt men
trusted in loyalty sense and in an
administrative capacity. If the
President wanted to bring about a
policy Of conciliation toward busi-
ness, he would be the last man to
appoint conservatives. He would ap-
point his own New Dealers and let
them work out the cooperation