Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-12-14
BEHIND
THE NEWS
BY Paul
Malon

lltAt iloo hNNh iNliAoA ~
ably little unlocking of dental
work or stealing of the ball
here by the New Dealers and
radicals since the election.
OF course the Dies commit
tee ball was stolen and thrown
away harshly and Immediately.
Chairman Dies and his aides
were one day recently copying
some committee records con-
corning the radicals and Com
munistS largely, in their two
rooms in the House office build
ing, which they occupied for
years past.
Without notice, House en-
ploye appeared with orders
from Sam Rayburn" the
speaker. announcing he wanted
those rooms Immediately.
A crew came in, bundled and
tied all the records, removed
them to a storehouse in the
basement where Dies cannot
get 10 them.
Dies did not complain and
there was nothing in the papers.
Then again. chairman Theo-
dore Francis Green, Democrat.
is rather uppishly investigating
Republican election victories in
Ohio and Indiana, not any
Democratic victories. of course.
But this reflects the unusual
personal inclination of Senator
Green, rather than a political
movement.
He thinks that If the Re-
publicans won anywhere. there
must have been something
crooked about it. These are
exceptions.
THE broader undertaking gen.
Il eral tone is illustrated by an
inner inc ent involving the
White House and Senator Byrd.
Mr.. r. thought he had a little
humorous irony in store for the
Nirginian, whose solid demo-
cratic state had developed many
unexpected Dewey counties in
the election, and who. somewhat
ironically had been appointed
Instrumentation
committee. which was to handle
the expenses for Mr.. Roosevelt's
fourth assumption OF Office.
Mr.. Roosevelt smilingly, at a
press conference after election,
said he was economizing on the
Inauguration. would hold il at
the White House for the first
time TO save building the usual
stands at the capitol.
He would not need the S25. 900
which had been appropriated,
would spend only $1,000.
Mr.. r. handled the matter in
such way AS TO ruffle and re-
flute Byrd, the economiZer. who
had so often accused the PreSi-
dent Of being a spendthrift. and
the papers played il that way.
But a few days later there
came from the White House a
statement which sounded almost
like an apology.
II said BYrd's committee had
not known the President planned
10 save money on the Inaugural
ton when il appropriated S25.-
600 No one had asked for such
a gratuitouS statement of minor
fact. What could it mean?
WELL, It seems the literal
w minded Byrd had taken the
President at his word on the
50 900 limit. He had told his
clerks to spend that much and
no more.
The President was only kid
ding, or made a bad estimate, or
something.
The White House found its
simple Inauguration could not be
held for $1,000 or anything like
that.
To get Byrd To loosen up more
money 1t issued practically an
apology.
Advance notices Of the Presi-
dents new program to be SUBJ
mitted in January do not Justify
either the widespread suspicion
that Go and its radical asSoci-
ates will move in Immediately
to a k @ over the government
and run IL that way.
Perhaps they are being clever
and holding back until the alert
fears in the country die down,
and intend 10 work gradually
and quietly through the coming
four years toward their ends.
but then again, they may realize
they did not win the election,
but Mr.. Roosevelt did.
AT any rate Mr.. Roosevelt
seems 10 be going so far on the
assumption that he won il, and
of course no new radical or par
ticularly Go ventures were pro-
posed by him in his campaign
speeches and promises. although
some wre hidden in the plat
form.
Congress thinks he will plump
on Inauguration day for an eX-
tension Of social security, better
unem ployment compensation,
lay down a more inspiring pro-
gram for the $4,000, 900 promised
Jobs. perhaps even advocate IAN
annual wage guarantee tCIO
auto workers are primarily in
tereSted in this but il cannot be
done) yet will hardly go as far