Evening star., 1945-01-27
Abuses in Government
Seen Upsettine Morale
Promotion of Elliott Roosevelt
Calls for Study, Says Observer
By David Laurence

By David Laurence
The promotion of Elliott Roosevelt
to be a brigadier general is not in itself
matter of grave concern, nor is the
question Of whether somebody in a
minor capacity wrongfully gave a pri-
ority to dog and forced some service
men to lose their places on a plane.
but what is important is whether Gov
ernment by special favor or privilege is
being countenanced by the present
administration
Ever since the words New Deal" were
uttered by Franklin Roosevelt before
the convention at Chicago in 1882 that
first nominated him for the presidency,
the country has been interpreting
New DeaP as something that means
better attitude by the Government to-
ward the average man. Social legisla-
:, ton has been passed with that objective
In mind.
But the New Deal" In the last IL
years has also introduced some un-
fortunate concomitants. 1t has revived
an abuse that has been harmful to
the cause of good government for many
years, and that is the bestowal of
favors and special privileges on those
who supply the votes or the support
for the party or it's candidates.
Inside Circle Theory.
The theory that it is right to bribe
large groups of voters with promises OF
financial benefits-either Government
loans or subsidies-is not bit less
brazen than the schemes whereby in
the old days manufacturers contributed
big sums to campaign funds in order
to elect Republicans favorable to the
protective tariff. 1t is not less brazen
either than the system of graft which
has become known from one end of the
country to the other as the curse of
ernments.
The idea that the inside circle" may
profit personally from governmental &C
ton has long been denounced as cor
rupt. But today there are instances
in which men who have been in Gov
ernment, leave their posts, go out and
sell their influence, just as there are
instances in which, in order to curry
favor with large blocs of influential
voters-whether labor unions or war
ontractors-policies are advocated or
pursued by Government that benefit
financially those constituent groups.
What is important today is not who
is head of the Federal Loan Agency
or who Is Secretary of Commerce but
what programs or promises are being
made to groups who expect to profit by
the new policies and hence come to
position wherein they may reward by
campaign funds or votes the govern
mental officials when they run for Office.
In the last campaign the One Thou
sand Club was formed by the Demo-
Gratis with total of $50 members. They
were promised certain courtesies. Many
of them are war contractors. 1t may
be that not single abuse will occur,
but the manner of collecting the cam
paign contributions is strangely remi-
niscent of the old Republican methods
which came to a climax in the Hard
ing regime.
"This currying favor and obtaining
something extra for oneself has unfor-
tunately produced in too many quarters
a spirit of selfshness and greed as well
as some arrogance. Thus the minor Of
f1cer who may have granted the pri-
ority to Elliott Roosevelt's dog may or
fa
The deg incident isn't important unless
| it represents an attitude inside the War
Department which is reprehensible in
any administration, particularly in
| wartime.
Fair DeaP' Demanded.
Whether Col. Elliott Roosevelt de-
serves his promotion to brigadier gen.
eral should be decided on the basis of
the military facts as if he were not the
Presidents son. But the converse is
also true-to send the nomination for
promotion OF Presidents son calls for
circumspection and study to make sure
the public sense of fairness is not out
| ragged.
These incidents may seem trivial to
some citizens who believe in "the king
can-do-no-wrong" theory of govern
ment and who at heart would prefer
the totalitarian type of approach where
all criticism is hushed and no criti-
cism of the monarch is permitted. But
in democracy morale is important
especially in wartime and when the
people read of special. privileges either
to Army officers or to war contractors
or labor unions, their sense of indigna-
ton rises and they demand a fair
deal"
If. ever slogan typifies the demand
of the American people at this time, it
is the one written by Thomas. Jeffer-
son-"Equal rights for all and special
privileges for none" Translated into
the vernacular of today, that means a
fair deal for everybody"
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