Evening star., 1941-12-18

branches Of the David Lawrence.
Government left the Government
service and made lots of money by
means which Senators on the
Committee describe as selling in
fluence and drag"
Thomas G. Corcoran, who is cred
tied with having Influenced the ap-
pointment of many high officials Of
the Government, admitted on the
stand to have made upwards CT
100000 recently and Charles West
who was liaison man between the
President and Congress for a while,
testifies to the large fees he sought
In connection with work for firms on
the defense contract list.
There is no statute forbidding this
sort of thing. Nor is it particularly
novel Many men who have left
public Office have gone into law or
other business with their principal
asset an intimate knowledge of
Government red tape and the
friendly acquaintanceship Of impor-
tant persons in the Government.
Certainly there is no reason why
either Mr.. Corcoran or Mr.. West
shouldn't earn any fees that they
can earn lawfully.
Business Somewhat Gullible.
What is shocking, however, is
that Mr.. Corcoran has suddenly be-
come so much in demand that he
says he doesn't take a case for less
than a $4,000 fee and that he has so
much business offered him he can
not attend to it all. What is there
about Mr.. Corcoran that makes him
so valuable? He declares 1t Is his
knowledge of the Government and
how to give advice about the Gov
ernment
Maybe some businesses are assum-
ing too much when they hire some
one who knows the ropes in WASH
ington. 1t has always been mat
ter of gossip that businessmen put
too much faith in political pull as
a means of influencing Govern
mental action or awards.
If it should appear on investiga-
ton that some of these former New
Dealers got special privileges from
Government officials whose appoint
ments they originally Influenced, the
subject might become an interesting |
one for legislation. But If this de-
velops the fault will lie rather in the
President of the United States, who
chose as his advisers persons who
after leaving the Government serv-
ice would not hesitate to ask favors
from former associates in the Gov
ernment.
The real root of the difficulty,
however. is not in what Mr.. Cor
coran did or In what those in the
Government service may have done
for him. 1t Is rather in the New
Deal system which builds up dis
cretionary power in administrative
officials to the point where large
sized fortunes may be made through
decisions that can be tweedledee or
tweedledum.
Many point in a governmental
decision can as readily be decided
one way as another. Thanks to the
New Deal Supreme Court, the ad-
ministrative tribunals are almost
absolute in their power and their
decisions cannot even be reviewed
In many instances. The Supreme
Court has gradually narrowed the
area of review so that administrative
officials are virtual dictators in eco
nomic affairs. Such a situation in
variably introduces the lawyer with
pull and the politician with drag.
Introduces Dollar Motive.
Tommy Corcoran was the man
who helped write the public utility
holding company law That's the
law which has caused millions of
dollars Of losses to investors through
an arbitrary dissolution of holding
company properties. Mr.. Corcoran
was technician who was able to in
fluence the President and the Con-
gress. He was heralded far and wide
as a real reformer. At the same
time the New Deal was held up as
paragon of disinterestedness. New
Dealers were reputed to be influ-