Evening star., 1942-04-06


ity, not timidity,
Henry MeLemors. that I moved
from the Di Maggios, the Conns, the
Budges and the Harmons to the
Ickes. the Peppers, the Wallaces and
the Roosevelts. No one could have
told me that I would not be able TO
grasp the psychology Of a frock-
coated politician as well as I had
that of coatleSs prize fight pro-
moter.
AS a matter of fact. I thought it
would be easier, and theoretically 1t
should be. The politician Is pub
lie servant, to begin with. He has
to bare his soul during elections,
and his life is supposed to be an
open book once he gets seat on
the gravy train. And don't overlook
this: When he is out for election or
reelection he spends half his time
believing about how he represents
nothing but the people. and that he
hopes and prays that his people will
guide him during his term of ofaee.
He implies that nothing could make
him happier than to have every
voter give him the benefit Of his
opinion so that he, the servant Of
the people, will be better able TO
labor in their behalf. NJ
ic
But once the votes are counted,
and he makes his reservations for
Washington, he changes Ike
chameleon on a yard of plaid. He
wants no advice from any one, un-
less it be the State chairman of his
party.
During these trying times our
politicians are getting a pretty good
going-over from the people and the
press, and do you think they like it9
No, they don't. They are dismayed
and many Of them are brazen
enough to question the patriotism Of
men and women who question their
deeds. past and present, or criticize
the way they are running the coun-
try in very grave hour.
1t seems to me that a good half
Of the politicians In Washington
should be downright anxious for
advice. Take the boys who voted
against fortifying Guam. well,
take them anyway, even II you don't
want them0 Now, these boys should
be shouting for advice from the top
Of the Washington Monument. They
should hire another secretary or
two to root through the mail to
make certain that not one shred Of
suggestion from the outside has
missed their attention.
The same Is true Of those far
seeing politicians who maintained
that Japan was a round -heeled
pushover and that our shores were
as safe from attack as Hollywood is
from golden wedding. These men
should spend an hour each day at
the dead-letter Office opening any,
thing in sight, including post cards.
on the chance that they might run
across little bit Of free advice.
And, what about those inspired
public servants who, not many
months ago, fought against the
arming Of our merchant ships? They
should band together with those
deathless statesmen who came
within vote or two Of killing the
extension Of the draft and beat the
highways and the byways for some
one to counsel them. No matter
what counsel they got. it couldn't be
any worse than If they depended
on their own.
Baseball umpires have long had
the reputation Of having the worlds
softest job. AS one once said, THE
pay isn't bad and you can't beat the
hours"
am beginning to believe that
politicians have it even easier than
what Ring Lardner termed the men
in blue" Politics is the only career
man can follow without having to
fear that his mistakes will cost him
his job. Let banker make bad in
vestmentS and he is not only
through. he is branded as a crook.
Let a doctor make a few wrong
diagnoses and he can throw away
his thermometer. But, politicians
apparently can get by with any
thing. They can make mistakes
concerning the very life Of their
country and what happens? Moth
ing. They still stay In Office and go
right ahead directing the policy Of
the Government.
Whenever a politician complains
about criticism, he should take a
look around and ask himself how in
the world the worlds richest Ma
ton, the worlds greatest industrial
Nation, ever got into the shape it is
in 1912.
TOD hx NeNau1ht