The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1941-04-17
THE GREAT
GAME OF
POLITICS .
By FRANK R. KENT
Copyright by The Baltimore Sun and
reprinted in The Republican by per-
mission.
By FRANK R. KENT
No Check These DAYS.

washington, April II.
Almost totally obscured by war de-
velopments abroad the election last
Wednesday of Mr. Edward Clayton
Eicher, of Iowa, as chairman of the
Securities and Exchange Commission
passed almost completely unnoticed
Yet it is major Administration post,
of real power and significance.
That in none of the metropolitan
newspapers was there either front
page space or editorial comment on
Mr.. Eicher's selection is indicative of
the extent to which the normal func-
lions of government have shrunk in
the public eye and mind in recent
months. Last year, for example, a new
chairman of the SEC would have
seemed of great Importance. The
qualifications and record of the new
man would have been exhaustively
discussed. Now they get practically no
notice at all.
= ! y
While perhaps this shrinkage of
interest in domestic matters is a nat
ural product of war in which we
are, at least partially. participating,
it will be most unfortunate if it is
permitted to go unchecked. Because
that would mean rapid degeneration
and deterioration in administrative
personnel, policy and management
which only vibrant public interest.
plus a vigilant and critical opposition,
is able to prevent in normal times.
Remove those two checks and low
ering of the level is inevitable. Re
move them and there remains nothing
to prod public officials into making
their deeds conform to their words;
nothing to prevent them from ignor-
ing their public promises and evad-
ing their obligations. Anyone who
thinks that public officials do not
need that kind Of prodding knows
little about the facts of political life.
=: IS s.
We have had one fine recent ex-
ample of this easy evasion, made pos
sible by the defense psychology, in
the almost complete impunity with
which Mr.. Roosevelt has nullified his
own solemn warning to the people
last January, that because of the vast
; defense expenditures every govern
mental expense not directly connected
with defense must be pared to the
bone" In the fact of that unequivocal
statement he presented a budget
which increases, rather than reduces,
the normal governmental costs. In ad-
dition, he personally endorsed the
| hundred per cent increase in his APP
preparation demanded by one of his
aides, Mr.. Mellett, for his propaganda
bureau, and followed that up by per-
hitting, without a word of disap-
proval, the most gigantic farm grab
in history to go through Congress.
And now he has promoted to the
| SEC Craftsmanship man whose selec-
ton under normal conditions would
have evoked very loud protest in
deed The fact is that, beginning with
Mr. Kennedy, whose qualifications
were conceded, the President seems to
have progressed steadily downward in
his selections for this craftsmanship.
While it is true the commission elects
its chairman, it elects the man Mr.
Roosevelt says he wants. In seven
years there have been five chairmen
of this commission, which in itself in
dicates an instability not consistent
with good administration. The fact is,
the job seems to have been consistent
ly used as a steppingstone or spring
board.
Mr.. Kennedy went from it to his
Ambassadorship; Mr.. Douglas went
to the Supreme Court; Mr.. Lands be-
came dean of the Harvard Law
School, and Mr.. Frank was named to
the Federal judgeship he had been
promised. Mr.. Eicher, the new chair
man, is personally decent, amiable,
though rather Intellectual, individual,
who early lined himself up with the
radical element of the New Deal. AS
member of Congress, absorbing the
views of Mr.. Corcoran and Mr.. Cohen,
he made a manful fight, under their
direction, for the death-sentence
clause in the Public Utility Act and
was rewarded by appointment to the
SEC.
:: 81 4
His friends say that as chairman he
probably will reflect the views of Mr..
Leon Henderson, who could have had
p1,ccio,, frOptia1, PoOcaualt on