The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-11-01
Michigan in
Washington
BY Esther Van Wagner Tufty

Two Michigan men in Congress
must again concern themselves
with the Florida Barge Canal issue.
In the Senate. Senator Arthur II.
Vandenberg has opposed first, the
Florida Ship Canal, and, later, the
Florida Barge Canal.
Congressman George Dondero, of
Royal Oak, only Michigan member
OF the Rivers and Harbors Commit
tee, did the same job in the House.
The canal fight which was killed
by one vote in Congress last year
has begun all over again with the
introduction of bill to approve a.
million dollars for the already-auth-
orized canal.
This will put Harold Ickes again
on the same spot. As administra-
tor OF the Petroleum Administra
ton for War, Mr.. Ickes warns
there's no relief in sight to the
acute gasoline and foel oil short
ages with existing transportation
facilities. But he is confronted with
the statement of Eugene Reybold,
chief OF engineers, L. S. Army. that
the completed waterway would be
capable OF transporting all the pet
roleum supplies needed in the East.
Congress is thought TO be in a
more receptive mood. The East
ern congressman have not received
the relief hoped for by more strict
rationing II. the Middle West. The
Midwest bloc. who objected to
cut in their supplies for other than
war purposes. is likely 10 warm
up to any relief proposal.
Neither Michigan member has
shown any signs of changing their
minds although they have not as
yet. reaffirmed their objections.
A favorite peeve of the "a Re
publican governors against Wash
ington is the influx OF federal en-
ployes into their respective states.
They fear voters, who receive a
paycheck from Uncle Sam. may
feel obligated to mark their ballots
for the Administration.
These fears were aired at con-
ference OF governors at Columbus,
O., in June. Again. at Mackinac
Island with Governor Bricker, a
presidential hopeful, leading the
cry. It's stressed that there's no
warehouse. The majority OF Tn
Gle Sam workers do not even have
war.connected jobs.
So the other day, while lunching
with Harry Mitchell, president Of
the Civil Service Commission, |
set about to find out how many
federal employees had invaded
Michigan. The president was coop
erative. Not only did he dig up
the total figures, but the break into
classifcations showing that the
majority OF the Jobs are war-caused.
Between March and June, 1913, in
Michigan, the total number OF Fed
eral employees was $4,000 Thirty
one thousand and one hundred OF
these were employed by the War
Department; 1900 by the Navy De-
partment.
Other departments were: Office
Of Emergency Management, 200;
Commerce, 200; Veterans Admin
istration, 700; National Housing,
500; General Accounting Office.
100. Post Office Department, TO-
200: Treasury Department, 1900;
Agriculture Department, 1000; and
others 1900.
Mitchell and other government
officials scoff at the governors
charge that civil service employees
will vote Democratic because ap-
pointed during the Roosevelt
regime.
Unfortunately, Il just isn't true"
said one ultra-honest spokesman,
who added with equal candor, Why
are the Republican governors so
inconsistent they ask for de-
Capitalization from Washington
and when they get II, they don't
like that either"
This reminds me OF one OF the
best stories on decentralization go
ing the Washington rounds.
Bascom Timmons, head OF the
largest news bureau in Washing
ton. has jokingly been asked to run
arain for vice president. (All those
who attended the 1882 convention
in Chicago remember with glee his
brief and hilarious fame as a can
didate.)
Bascom, who has a Will Roger
ish humor, says, with a straight
face, he Is considering running for
vice president again. In fact, he
has a plank ready for his platform.
Hes coming out for 'decentraliza-
ton" and promises the voters that
II elected he's never going
10 set foot in Washington,