Evening star., 1943-05-09
EIGHT PAGES.
New York, Under Dewey, Turns
From Federal Aid to Self>T1elp
Seeks to Meet Present Problems With Own
Resources While Planning for Critical
Period to Follow War
By Gould Lincoln.

Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt Charles
Evans Hughes, Alfred E. Smith and
Franklin D. Roosevelt - Thomas E.
vision similar to that of these predeces-
sors at major problems which confront
the Empire State today.
First-and he puts it first-is the prob
lem of seeing that the most populous
State in the Union makes its full contri-
button to the war effort.
Second-That New York make itself
ready to meet the emergency which will
follow victorious termination of the war,
an emergency which will grow out of re-
conversion to peace activities.
Third-The need for the State to stand
on it's own feet and not look primarily
to the Federal Government.
This last represents a movement back
to State esponsibility-which has been
sadly lacking in all sections of the coun-
try for the last decade. Gov. Dewey has
not waited for the Government in Wash
ington to deal with such problems as
food, the harvesting of the States crops,
the transportation and distribution of
fuel oil child welfare and unemployment
which still exists in the great city of
New York. He has acted himself and
set State agencies to work on them, in
c1uding some which he has created.
First G. O. P. Governor in Years.
The eyes of the country have been
focused on Gov. Dewey. since he took
IL ie 1,n
first Republican to serve as chief exec
utive Of New York in 20 years. Prior
to his entering the Governors Office,
Mr.. Dewey's reputation was based on
his record as assistant United States
attorney and as district attorney for
New York County-Manhattan His
fame as buster of rackets spread all
over the country. He put lot of the
country's leading crooks and some shady
politicians in Jail. But until he became
Governor he was known principally
as ruthless prosecuting attorney, as
an attorney for the people" He was
known, too, as a good campaigner. In
1898, when he was only 36 years old,
he became Republican candidate for
Governor. He missed out by a mere
$4,000 votes in his race against the
veteran Gov. Lehman, backed by Presi-
dent Roosevelt. Two years later, he
sought the presidential nomination.
His youth-he was 38-and the fact
ne had had no other experience in
government, did him in. Last year,
on rising Republican tide. he again
ran for Governor and swept the State.
He is Al now. He is demonstrating
his ability as an executive, and he
has his feet planted firmly on the
ground When he took Office he made
his recommendations to the State Legis-
lature-some of them of great inlpor-
tance. The Legislature, now adjourned,
gave him what he asked.
The men who have to work with Gov
Dewey testify to the fact that he is
cooperative. There is an atmosphere
of quiet assurance in Albany, feeling
that the Governor is moving surely and
with wisdom. When 1t comes to ap-
pointments to high State office. he has
moved slowly and with caution. This
lids llOD lJlCdScu VIC VI. " pun
ticians. The various State departments
and commissions are headed by so men,
All were Democrats when Mr. Dewey
took Office. Up to date he has appointed
just five Republicans to these places-and
the sitting Democrats have held on.
Seeks Right Men.
The trouble is-as the Governor him
self explains-to find the right men. He
wants S50000 man for $4,000 job.
The situation is further complicated by
the war. Men who otherwise might have
been available are either in Government
war jobs or the armed services or en-
gagged in running vital war industries.
His search for good men, however, still
goes on-and will be accelerated, now
that the legislative session is over.
In one respect Gov. Dewey is particu-
larly fortunate-he has announced fatty
he is not candidate for the presidential
nomination in 1914, that he intends to
give his whole time and energy to the
affairs of New York State His every act,
therefore, is not weighed as a move to
advance him toward another office. He
is not playing national politics. He is
looking after the affairs of New York.
This of itself does not keep Repub-
licans who are looking around for
candidate next year from considering
the New York Governor. If the Repub-
lican National Convention should take
the bit in its teeth and nominate him,
will loo t,o nh, i,, l,;c
seeks the man and not the man the job.
That would be something new in the
political history of the last quarter CEN
tury or longer.
After 20 years of one party rule in
Albany there have been plenty of cob
webs to sweep away, and a general re-
vitalizing of State government. Gov.
Dewey called on the State Legislature
to reform the tax laws, to bring about
the reapportionment of the Legislature
itself so as to give the people fair repre-
sentation, to increase the pay of State
employees so as to offset the rising living
costs. In none of his recommendations
did the Governor meet defeat.
He proposed that the State income tax
be made payable quarterly: that the tax
laws be modified to provide for deduc-
tions for life insurance premiums and
extraordinary medical expenses and for
dependency credit for the parents of
students over 1s years of age. This was
in recognition of the much heavier
burden the taxpayers are carrying be-
cause of the Federal taxes. All this has
been done
Under the State constitution, there
must be reapportionment of the legis-
latiYe seats every 10 years For o6