Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-07

WIN Roosevelt In 1887, ne was put on the
House Banking and Currency Committee
In 1888. probably because he is president
Of the First National Bank Of ST. Ignace.
This committee drafted the legislation
for the banking crisis Of 1888. and Mr..
Brown helped with the Home Owners
1888 and 1885. He felt so strongly about
Federal deposit insurance that he COL
lected enough signatures in the House to
an agreement to adjourn until the SEN
ate included these provisions In the
Banking Act OF 1885. He was also active
in creating the Federal Housing Admin
istration, the Rural Identification Ad-
ministration, the Civilian Conservation
Corps and several farm credit agencies
under the jurisdiction OF the committee.
Succeeded Senator Couzens.
Elected to the Senate In 1886, and ap-
pointed by Gov. Fitzgerald to fill the I'M
expired term Of the late Senator Couzens,
Mr.. Brown sought committees with au-
thorlty over business and banking affairs
At the time of his defeat he was chair
man OF the Claims Committee and
merce, finance, manufactures and spe-
cial committee to investigate executive
agencies Of the Government. From 1898
to 1910, he was chairman OF a special
committee on taxation of governmental
securities and salaries, and in that Ca
pacity he sponsored successfully legisla-
ton making Federal and State employees
subject to the same taxation as the rest
OF the people. He was unsuccessful in
his attempt to subject income from future
issues of State. local and municipal
bonds to Federal taxes. In 1941, he was
elected to the powerful Democratic Steer
ing Committee.
Like many influential legislators, Mr..
Brown was as effective in committees
as on the chamber floor AS administra-
ton spokesman for the original price,
control law he made few enemies in
Congress, although he brought the So
called farm leaders down on his neck.
He felt their full weight in the autumn
of last year when he and Senator Wagner
Of New York sought to implement Presi-
dent Roosevelt's Labor Day speech,
which threatened the use of the war
powers If Congress did not act on price
and wage control by October.
Accused Farm Leaders.
Although he was coming up for re-
election in State that is agricultural
as we'll as industrial, Mr.. Brown singled
out the farm bloc leaders by name, Mr..
O'Neal OF the Farm Bureau Federation,
Af
and Charles Holman OF the Milk Pro-
ducers Association as representatives OF
self-seeking groups.
In this speech Mr.. Brown recalled that
he had decided right after Pearl Harbor
that he would follow the President as
commander in chief even when he dis
agreed with him
Although usually ranked as New
Dealer, Mr.. Brown frequently broke with
the President on important legislation.
In February, 1887. he told the President
he would vote for the Supreme Court
reorganization plan but as time went
on and popular sentiment mounted
against 1t, he joined the Young Turks"
a group of f1rst-termers who agreed to
oPpooc ~. nc tcle tile TicSlueIlt lie IdO
changed his mind and he was one of a
delegation which carried word to the
President that the plan should be with
drawn.
He also opposed the original Govern
ment reorganization BILL claiming that
1t gave the President too much power
over rapidly centralizing government.
And he opposed the Presidents order
placing the Civil Aeronautics Authority
under the Commerce Department and he
voted against the original Selective
Service Act and the bill to extend draft
service beyond the one year limitation.
Even though Mr.. Brown declines to
discuss his plans for publication, his
record and his general background indi-
cate the course he is likely to follow. He
Is essentially lawyer with a business
and political mind. He will probably
think In terms of popular reaction and
will demand simple, understandable reg
ulations with the least possible amount
OF legal verbiage and red tape.
He realizes that he has "thankless
task To prevent initiation, he must be
against higher wages for labor. against
higher prices for farmers, manufacturers.
wholesalers and retailers. and at the
same time indorse higher taxes and I'M
popular rationing.
He has announced, however, that he