Evening star., 1942-07-21
The Political Mill
Senator O'DonieI Faces Fight for Political
Life, With Possible Defect in Runoff

HIIIlS VI lSCW DCdiclS WIN Wouid
like to scalp, politically, Mr.. Dies.
They haven't a chance.
Now that the House has passed
the new revenue bill and gen.
orally cleared the legislative
decks, it's members are looking
longingly toward home. Unless
the President sends up to Con-
gress in the next day or two a
new batch of legislative proposals,
most Of the members will be
winging their way to their own
home districts very shortly,
leaving corporal's guard on
duty in Washington.
There have been many rumors,
some of them emanating from
the White House, that the Presi-
dent is about to tackle the in
fation problem and that he may
even propose a ceiling on wages
as we'll as farm products. If he
asks for a law dealing with
wages, it will be an amazing re-
versai. When the price control
law was first put through, the
President turned his back on
wage ceilings-and Congress went
along with him. although warned
by some of its more realistic and
frank members that it was futile
to try to control prices of COM
modities If the principal cost 60
ing into their manufacture was
not dealt with, too. The labor
unions saw red-and continue to
see red-if a wage ceiling, by
law, is suggested.
President May Clamp Down.
The President, when he laid
down his seven-point anti-infa-
ton program several months ago,
proposed wage Standardization
through the operation of the
War Labor Board. That pro-
posal hasn't worked-see, for ex-
ample, the recent A cents day
increase allowed by the board to
the employees of little steel"
1t isn't going to work, apparent
ly, and demands for wage in
creases are on the way in a big
way. 1t remains to be seen
whether the President will take
the bull by the horns and tell
organized labor that it must re-
main content with present wages,
and recommend to Congress it
put through legislation dealing
with wages.
The administration has given
labor what it wanted for years.
There is general belief, however,
that something must be done
about increases in wages and
other costs going into produc-
ton OF goods or else there will
be a great increase In the cost
Of living and hardship for all the
people. There is an election
coming on and the administra-
tion and members of Congress
hate to antagonize organized
labor at such a time.
Leon Henderson has both won
and lost in his fight with Con-
gress. He has retained the right
to make appointments as he sees
At. irrespective Of congressional
pull, without higher officials hav-
ing to run the gantlet of Sen
ate confirmation. On the other
hand, he has had his appropria-
ton clipped to $40, 900 900 when
he asked for $161 ,O0O, 900. He
probably will be able to get along
with the sum allowed. It Is not
small. He has the sympathy OF
the people generally, who want
prices controlled.
Representative Clevenger, Re
publican, of Ohio, on the floor of
the House, has demanded that
Attorney General Biddle prose-
cute, under the Corrupt Prac-
tices Act, the so-called con-
gressional purge" committees
now taking part in political cam
paigns for not filing financial
reports with the clerk of the
House. He says he will wait for
week and see If the Attorney
General moves in the matter.
If nothing is done, he plans to
call on the House for some
acfinY