The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1939-02-02
A Queer Way To Encourage


Whether Mr.. Roosevelt purposelvI
mlsleads the few conservative aides in
his Administration and enjoys making
them look foolish, or whether he
means what he says at the time he
says it and later yields to the pressure
OF the Left-Wing Liberals and his own
lncllnations, is a matter of opinion.
***
1t is not possible to be certain about
that but it is possible to be certain
that once more he has followed def
nltely reassuring statements with an
act completely upsetting to those who,
apparently inspired by him, had fore
cast White House policy of toler-
ance and encouragement toward bust
ness. From that standpoint his ap-
pointment of former Congressman
Thomas R. Amlie, of Wisconsin, as
Interstate Commerce Commissioner
is indefensible and unexplainable.
49,
Less than ten days ago Under Sec
rotary of the Treasury John w. Hanes,
supposed to know what he is talking
about and believed by some in bust
ness circles to reflect White House
views, publicly proclaimed the Presi-
dents desire to encourage business
and enthusiastically declared that
from now on "the full energies of the
Government will be applied to the
inauguration of the processes of re-
covery." And then Mr.. Roosevelt ap-
points to a great commission which
deals with a sick industry whose reha-
Utilization is more vital to recovery
than any other, as weird a radical as
ever sat in the House of Representa-
tives, a man who makes the La Fol- |
lettes appear conservative and John
L. Lewis look like Tory, one against
whom the Legislature of his State
now makes formal protest on the
ground that he is Red"
***
Though he comes from Wisconsin
Senator La Toilette not only did/not
| indorse him, but says he was not con-
suited about his selection which, con-
sidering his long support of Mr.. Roose-
welt, is strange indeed. Last year Mr..
Amlie, a candidate for the Senate, was
defeated in the Wisconsin primaries,
which makes him a 'lame duck" but
not La Toilette man. If there is any
thing in his whole career to qualify
him for so important a post as Inter
state Commerce Commissioner it has
not been advanced even by his friends.
On Tuesday when at his press confer
ence Mr.. Roosevelt was asked what
were his qualifications he became
greatly irritated and denounced the
question as SILLY"
The best idea of Mr.. Amlie's mind
can be had from the extraordinary
bill he introduced in the House pro-
posing a constitutional amendment to
be known as the "human rights"
amendment. 1t would give Congress
power to pass laws providing for Gov
eminent ownership, management and
operation of industry, business, manu-
featuring, commerce and banking. 1t
also authorized a direct capital levy,
and provided for condemnation pro-
ceedings by the Government against
manufacturing and industrial plants
for the purpose of acquiring them. He
is the proud author of other bills along
similar lines and in the 1886 campaign
was one of the leading advocates of
the Tugwellian plan of a great polit-
ical alliance between labor and the
farmer with view Of putting business
in its place.
Altogether he is the most extreme
Left Winger Washington has seen in a
long time and his selection as men,
Der of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission with it's life and death power
over the railroads, is so bad as to leave
those with any trace of a sense of fit
here with Mr.. and Mrs. VIM. F. Fra
zee.
Mr.. and Mrs. Earl Hinebaugh and
children and Mrs. Bertha Friend, of
Sand Spring, and Mrs. Donald Fra