The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-08-24

income since rents are high in Wash
ington, political campaigning is ex-
pensive and entertainment is fire.
quent. By and large, | think they do
an honest job of representing the po-
litical intelligence of America, (be-
lieve it or not).
Ohio Delegation Lag
AS for Ohio itself, our delegations
have tended to lag behind other states
for outstanding brilliance and leader
ship. Today you will look in vain to
find men of the stature of Borah, Nor
ris, Glass, Bankhead, Fish, Tinkham,
Vandenberg and Lafollette.
Senator Taft, of course, has gain
ed considerable attention in this 10th
Session, his first term. He came to
Washington with the advantage of
famous American political name plus
the additional prestige of Ohio, al
ways a pivotal state in Presidential
campaigns. | think | can honestly
say that he is not rated as genuine
presidential timber by the most acute
observers of Washington.
Senator Vandenberg is generally
conceded to be the most able Repub-
lican, if not the most able Senator of
either party, definitely overshadowing
Taft, in addition to being more salts
factory on both foreign and domestic
questions. Personally, | was greatly
impressed by the debating of Vanden-
berg on the Senate floor.
Jones of Fourth Ohio
AS for Congressman Jones of the
Fourth Congressional District, it is
difficult to make any objective judg-
ment since first-termer Congressman
are seldom heard though frequently
seen.
1t is also a fact that real work of
Congress takes place in the various
committees such as Agriculture, Ways
and Means or Foreign Relations. As
rule first termer men are placed on
minor committees and, because of Sc
niority, have less influence even on
those minor committees.
1t is a fact that the Republican
party regards Jones very highly in
the field of foreign relations and he
will probably be heard more frequent
ly in the important neutrality debates
of next January. Don't forget that
there are 435 Representatives and
only 96 Senators, making it more diff
fcuIt to gain immediate influence in
the former body.
Impressed by Clark
On the other side | was impressed
with Senator Bennett Champ Clark,
son of the famous Missouri Demo-
crat speaker by that name. A found
er of the American Legion, Clark is
one of the strongest peace advocates
in the Senate, standing for strict neu-
trality. He was parliamentarian of
the House for four years and knows
the rules of procedure with uncanny
skill
The most effective New Dealer in
my judgment is Senator Lafollette,
son of "Fightn' Bob," the late Senator
from Wisconsin. He carries the pro-
gressive flavor of Wisconsin and has
been a very able proponent of liberal
measures and social legislation. On
foreign policy, however, he opposes
the President very vigorously, taking
his cue from his father who was one of
the eight Senators to vote against our
entry into the World War.
Battle on Foreign Policy
The big battle next January will be
on the question of foreign policy. On
this question there are three groups
(D Supporters of Roosevelt-and
this includes Republicans as well as
Democrats, who believe that America
should become an arsenal for France
and England, freely supplying NUM-
tions of war to them. They believe in
direct Intervention, military "if ne
cessary," to stop Hitler.
t2) The strict neutrality bloc
which does not want to subsidize the
war of any European power, pointing
to the revelations of the Nye Muni-
tions Investigating Committee which
proved that our previous munitions
credits to France and England suck
ed us into the last war. This group
has the most able men of the Senate:
Borah, Johnson of Calf, Nye, Clark,
Walsh, Bone, Vandenberg, Lundeen,
Shipstead and many others. 1t will
be bitter battle and these men will
never give an inch.
(3) International law group, Con-
gresham Jones being one of them,
who do not want any neutrality legis-
lation, seeking dependence on what is
left of international law. They point
out that the Executive should admins
ter foreign affairs, subject to demo-
cratic checks. Those who dislike
administration of foreign
affairs will, on the other hand, vote
for neutrality legislation as next
best" substitute.
Vast Quantity of Mail
On this subject Senators and Rep
receive vast quantities of
mail, most of it favoring the tradi-