Evening star., 1939-08-20
McNutt Tolls as Aides Lay Plans

Olu National Institute VI t1edlln bullQ-
ing sits an astute politician of 48 years
who is confident he will be the next
President of the United States-Paul
Worries McNutt of Indiana, the first Fed
eral Security Administrator by appoint
ment of President Roosevelt.
Few Washingtonians can tell the loca-
ton of the Institute of Health Build
ing Taxicab drivers confuse it with
the new Public Health Service Building
on Constitution avenue. The driveway
to it is SO tortuous that mirrors are
placed at sharp curves. At present the
building is undergoing minor repairs and
rearrangement to make it a fit place
for the administrator of $805 600, 900 Of
Federal funds.
At the door visitors are met by
husky fellow, apparently war veteran,
who asks the nature of their call He
shunts them to the appropriate Offices.
Administrator McNutt's rooms are on
the ground floor.
In his private Offices the blinds are
drawn to keep out the fierce sun. Con-
spicuous on the large desk is a profile
photograph of the President with the
inscription, TO my old friend Gov.
Paul McNutt, Franklin D. Roosevelt"
McNutt Fills the Eye.
Behind the desk is the handsomest
man in American politics. The Indianan
has what circus people call flash" He
Immediately attracts stares and comment
regardless of the size or composition of
the assembly.
Politically speaking, the man behind
the desk is sitting pretty" for the Demo-
cratic presidential nomination next year
if President Roosevelt does not seek
third term. Should Mr.. Roosevelt break
the great precedent, Mr.. McNutt is
among the first in line for the Vice
Presidential nomination. This possibility,
however, he naturally will not discuss.
While running for the first place one
does not admit that the second place
is worthy of consideration.
Since taking over the Federal Sc
curity Agency, Mr.. McNutt has been busy
finding quarters. assembling personnel
and calling on the subordinate divisions
for l94l budget estimates. 1t will be his
| job during the next II months to CO.
ordinate the work and reduce the ex-
| penditures of Social Security Board,
Civilian Conservation Corps, National
Youth Administration. Public Health
Service. Federal Employment Service,
| Office of Education, Federal Film Service
and the Radio Division.
No better opportunity for making a
! public service record could be given a
| presidential aspirant, and Mr.. McNutt
will make the most of it. He says that
he loves this work. that it is just the
sort of thing he wanted to do. None
realizes better than he its great political
possibilities.
Travel and Speech Opportunities.
The budget of the newly combined di-
visions for this year alone amounts 10
more than s8O5 100000. This agency has
close ties. fiscal and administrative. with
State and local governmental officials,
and its benefactions intimately affect
the lives of literally millions of voters.
Now that all the postmasters are under
civil service, the F. S. A. has the greatest
political possibilities of any setup in the
Government with the Department of
! Agriculture as its nearest rival The
opportunities for travel and speeches are
limited only by the physical endurance
and the political ambitions of it's admin
istrator, who for the next year is assured
a place in the public spotlight.
The betting odds in Washington are
that he will be spectacularly effective in
his new job. AS Governor of Indiana
he was called "Hoosier Hitler" "Fas-
cist' and man on horseback because
OF his purported dictatorial methods. DO
litical and governmental AS high COM
missioner to the Philippine Islands he
acted to perfection the role of an Amer
ican viceroy and left the impression that
he would be the next President of the
United States. AS commander of the
American Legion 10 years ago he let his
war comrades understand that he was
a young man on the make, and in COL
lege, Indiana University and the Har-
ward Law School, he graciouslv combined
school politics and scholarship Some
persons insist that he has a success
complex" but whatever the formula il
has served him we'll
When he returned to Washington from
the Philippines, many were prepared tc
jeer at his brazen quest for tile Demo
cratic nomination. He had been given
Hitlerian reception in Indiana all ar
ranged by his henchman, Fred Bays, ar
old-time circus ballyhoo artist, now
chairman OF the State Democratic Com.
mittee. 1t was so reminiscent of the
"debutante party" McNutt had arranged
for himself at the Mayfower Hotel mere
in 1898 that the cynical politicians were
positive he would continue to make MIN
self an object of ridicule.
The Roosevelt BombshelI.
But after one unsatisfactory press con-
ference at which he coyly refused tc
state definitely he was a candidate TO,
the Democratic nomination, despite al
the ballyhoo, Mr.. McNutt favoraoly i'm.
pressed many as regular fellow o1
much ability. a well-informed speaker
who could think fast on his feet anc
make his points. To others he ap.
peared to be sophisticated Huey Long
obviously ambitious, politically ruthles!
and IN opportunist Of no deduite gov.