Evening star., 1940-03-29

Hatch law SAYS
Charles G. Ross. that Federal Of
flceholders, except those in policy
making positions, may not engage
actively in politics: hence Mr.. Milli-
gan leaves his Federal post.
This is all to the good.
The Missouri situation illustrates,
however, a certain inequality In the
effects of the Hatch law. In order
to prosecute legitimate ambition
to rise to the Senate, Mr.. Milligan
must give up his Federal salary and
divest himself of whatever influence
might accrue to him from the pos
session of Federal Office. This, to
repeat. is salutary result and the
law which brings it about ought not
to be disturbed. The inequality
consists in the fact that Mr.. Milli-
gan, running as a private citizen
and without benefit of such active
support as might come to him from
Federally paid allies, must 60 up
against candidate, in Gov Stark.
who heads and presumptively will
have the support of body of State
employees against whose political &C.
tivities no ban has been laid.
Shows Possibilities in Gap.
There is certainly no intention
here to take sides as between Mr..
Milligan and Gov. Stark. or to sug-
gest that the Governor is guilty OF
any political improperly. He sim.
ply happens to be the beneficiary Of
yawning gap in the Hatch Act.
1t may be that this fact will prove
to be of small importance in the
Missouri campaign. The point is
that the gap exists and that in other
contests. if not in this. it may have
determining effect. The Missouri
case shows the possibilities.
The omissions in the Hatch Act
cannot be wholly repaired by Con-
gress, for there is no constitutional
way in which the restrictions Of the
act can be extended to all State and
local employees They can. however,
be extended to very considerable
number-those employees, namely,
who receive part of their pay from
Federal funds. The pending Hatch
bill. now in the Judiciary Committee
of the House after passage by the
Senate, proposes to close the gap
to this extent.
The bill ought to be passed. BY
taking out of the active political
field the employees of such Federally
supported agencies as the State
highway and social security depart
ments. the bill would go long way
| toward overcoming the advantages
| enjoyed by the respective statehouse
machines under the law as it now
stands.
Battle Royal in Prospect.
Mr.. Milligan's entrance into the
senatorial primary contest will pro-
vide Missouri with a battle royal.
Already entered are Gov. Stark.
who has been mentioned as a pos
sibility for the Democratic presi-
Dental or vice presidential nomi-
nation. and Senator Harry S. Tru-
man, candidate for a second term.
AS far as the Hatch Law goes.
Senator Truman is under about
the same relative disability as Mr..
Milligan: he has, however, the ad-
vantage given him by his incum-
bency, and the fact that Congress
in passing the Hatch Act was care
full to exempt legislative employees.
He enjoys. too, the good will of
the administration. whose leglsla-
tive program he has consistently
supported, but it is hardly likely
that he will be singled out for
preferential nod by the President.
Benevolent neutrality by the ad-
ministration toward the three can
didates seems to be clearly indi-
Gated. Senator Truman could rea-
sonably hope. for a Federal ap-
pointment that would take him
out OF the race. but he has ex-
pressed a determination to stay
| in it.
Pendergast Issue Arises.
Judging by all the reports that
come to Washington. the race lies
between Gov. Stark and Mr.. Mill
gan. The favor Senator Truman
has won in his party by his sup
port OF the New Deal and his good
record in the Wheeler railroad In
vestigation has apparently not out
weighed the fact that he was elect
ed to the Senate in 1884 as the
candidate Of the now thoroughly
discredited Pendergast machine.
Both his opponents will assert that
the denomination Of Truman would
give the senatorship to the Re-
publicans, on the Pendergast issue,
In November.
The fight between Gov. Stark and
| Mr.. Milligan, the two heroes of the
crusade that wrecked the Pender-
gast machine and sent the boss and
an assortment of his political hench-
men to the penitentiary, is one of
the ironies of politics. Stark In the
governorship. proving himself his
own man after he had been nomi.
mated with the aid of Pendergast:
Milligan as district attorney, the
Tom Dewey Of Missouri-these two
oficials collaborated to render a
service of inestimable value not
alone to Missouri but to the cause
Of clean politics throughout the
Nation. Now they are about to 70
after each other, and Senator Tru-
man is encouraged to hope that the
break In the old anti-boss united
front will give him the victory. It
doesn't seem possible, so down and
out is the Pendergast organization,
but odder things have happened In
politics.
The fight promises. in any case.
to be exciting, and the preliminaries
are being watched here with keen
interest.