The people's voice., 1940-11-20
ON THE
CAPITALS CUFF
Federated Press)
By HENRY ION

One of the current minor mysteries
around Washington is the role played
by Milton w. Harrison in the rela-
tions between business moguls and
the brains of the new deal
Harrison is the sponsor of confer
ences that have been and will be TAX
ing place in the swank Mayflower
hotel. At these conferences new deal
luminaries, banking officials, and a
smattering of labor officials have been
discussing the why's and wither of the
administration.
The last conference took place No
vember 13 at which time the role of
armament economics was discussed.
Another conference will take place
sometime in January and will deal
with labor
These conferences have been under
the sponsorship of Harrison who ar
ranges for the gathering and presum-
ably provides the dinner which pre-
cedes the discussion which is off the
record.
Harrison is no newcomer to Wash
ington. He figures prominently in
volume 23 of the hearings of the sem
ate interstate commerce subcommit-
ing companies.
tee which investigated railroad hold
Briefly, Harrison was a railroad
lobbyist He was president of an out
fit called the National Association of
,.p Dof s1y,
went through number of aliases and
is now known as the Security Owners
Association.
Harrison retired as president of the
Security Owners Association in 1885
but continued in an advisory capacity
at a retainer of $4,000 year.
The committee explored thoroughly
the financing and activities of these
various associations and indicated
that they were little more than fronts
for the various railroads, principally
those owned by the Van Sweringens
whose management policies were in
tune with the hilarious 1929 days of
Samuel insult.
Harrison's usefulness to the rail-
roads apparently came to an end when
it was discovered that he had ac-
cepted loans, amounting to $4,000,
from Van Sweringens subsidiaries.
This was discovered before a Major
Oliver. representing the old associa-
ton, went before a house interstate
commerce committee to oppose in its
entirety a holding company bill then
pending.
with the disclosures of the SpIawn
report in their minds regarding the
relations of Mr.. Harrison,
president of the old association, with
he Van Sweringen interests, can we
not as reasonable men conclude that
chairman Rayburn as his committee
members simply passed Major divers
statement by as that of the Van Swer-
ngen interests in very poor dis
guise?" Louis B. Wehle asked men,
bers of the associations steering COM
mittee.
During his testimony before the SEN
lte committee, Harrison was in the
embarrassing position of
tote he had written to the president
# the Association of American Rail-
oads declaring that he had "scotched
he investigation"
Harrison's technique seems to have
,een wide use Of the widows and
rphans gag which pictures a horrid
Id congress taking bread from the
MOUTHS of widows and orphans who
ave nothing to rely on but their
rusty old railroad and public utility
tocks.
Now the same Harrison bobs up as
he go-between in conferences be
ween business and the new deal, con-
erences held for the presumed pur-
ose of explaining to business men
he new deals point Of view on mat
ers and vice versa.
It's all very odd.