The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-09-29
. Clapper
Congress Apparently Too
Veal 10 Resist Lobby
Farm Bloc Brings Fear
To National Solons
Senators Resentful OF
Part Played by Lobbyists
BY RAYMOND CI-aPPER

WASHINGTON lis Congress
strong enough TO break the chains
that make It slave of the farm
lobby
I believe Congress would leap at
the chance to become free again
II members were sure the voters
would support them.
Members must be acutely un-
happy over their slavery. Most Of
them must realize what a vicious
thing it is that a handful of lob
byists call them out into the cor
ridor and give them orders and
then sit up in the gallery to watch
the orders carried out. That's
what's been going on in Congress
during this initiation fight.
Congress is slave to fear. II
was like that when the Anti-Sa-
loon league was cracking the
whip. Senators and Representa-
tives jumped under the lash Of
the late Wayne B. Wheeler. He
gave them their orders and then
sat up in the gallery behind the
clock TO see that the orders were
carried out. For years Congress
crawled around under the threat
of the Anti-Saloon league whip.
Finally one day everybody woke
up and discovered that these pro-
hibitionist dictators were not re-
presenting public sentiment. Con-
gress broke its chains. recovered
its freedom, and the 18th amend
ment went out like a light.
The farm lobby has overplayed
its hand. Senators are resentful.
A number of them are trying to
get released from their commit
ments to support the Thomas
amendment. which was dictated by
the farm lobby. They tried to
fix up a compromise. Senator Nc
Nary, the Republican leader,
pleaded with the farm leaders to
relent for the sake of national
unity and to avert the danger
that would result from creating
situation in which President
Roosevelt might attempt TO defy
the laws of Congress. But would
the farm lobbyists relent? Not
on your life. Ed. O'Neal of the
Farm Bureau Federation and his
allies stood pat.
Then Senator Barley, the DEM
ocratic leader, brought in the text
of a compromise which represent
ed a large concession to the lob
byists. He said a majority of
Senators favored il. He tried to
get it up. but unanimous consent
of the Senate was required. At
that point Senator Elmer Thomas
of Oklahoma. the chief Senate
stooge OF the farm lobby, objected.
He said his own amendment,
which President Roosevelt has
made clear he will veto. is be-
fore the Senate at the request of
the great farm organizations Of
this nation the farm
lobbyists. He insisted that it be
voted on before any compromise
should be considered. His masters,
sitting in the gallery, were still
in command.
Congress probably would break
itself loose from these clutches
IL members were sure the voters
would support them. The trouble
in politics il that your enemies
60 out to get you while your
friends are apt to go fishing on
election day and forget you. 1t
takes a dozen friends 10 overcome
the work OF one enemy in politics.
So men who must run for office
are afraid they will lose their jobs
IL they show too much independ-
enee.
But II enough members Of the
Senate and House could get up
their nerve to do what they think
is best in this matter and would
stick together and go through with
il, the tyranny Of the farm lob
byists which has been a curse
around Congress for years might
be broken just as the tyrannicsl
prohibitionists were busted over
night once enough members were
willing TO take the risk OF defy
ing them.
Democratic government today
woefully needs the tonic Of some
thing like this 1t is suffering
from nervous prostrstion. Presi-
dent Roosevelt holds back IN some
things and it il hard to see any
reason for it except the Noyem-
Der elections. Congress certainly
has been covering under the lob
byists in the last few days. How
long can Democracy stand the
strain Of this kind Of thing with
out cracking up? Exactly this
kind OF nervous pfostration killed
Democracy in some other eoun-
tries