Evening star., 1945-01-23
WuIuce-Jones Issue
Held More ThonF Feud


Held More ThunFeu
1t Brings Question on Safeguards
For Public Money, Says Writer
By David Laurence
PRESIDENT Roosevelt has started of
his fourth term administration with
4 controversy between "left" and fright
wing" and between friends and foes oi
his regime on the domestic front For
the Wallace-Jones conflict is more than
just an issue Of personalities or feud
between officials. 1t goes deep into the
question Of safeguards in the spending
and lending Of public money.
For several years now since the New
Deal began, the "left-wingers" have
been cunning for Jesse Jones, head
of the Reconstruction Finance Corp.
They wanted to control the disburse-
ment and lending OF billions OF dollars.
Congress often gave blanket authority
to the RFC but only because Jesse
Jones, at the head of it, could be
trusted to safeguard the public in
terest. His record in the job is unex-
celled in efficiency and integrity.
Now suddenly, as if in difference to
the "left-wing" pressure, Mr.. Roose-
welt has yielded. The issue was not
whether Jesse Jones would have STEP
ped out of the Department of Com
otoi, toa hat I'D,
of the RFC. He probably would have
been glad to do this, but Henry WAL
lace wouldn't take such a compromise.
1t was all or none with him.
Conflicts Reopened.
Maybe Congress will pass a law now
separating the two jobs just as it once
combined them by special statute in
tribute to Jesse Jones' Maybe in the
end Mr.. Wallace will be confirmed as
Secretary Of Commerce and be given
no powers Of lending money. But the
retiring Vice President will have ac-
complished something for the "left
wing" that it has been trying to ac-
complish for a long time-to get q
businessman of Jesse Jones caliber
out so that a more flexible or pliable
individual responsive to 'left-wing"
schemes and projects can take charge.
This merely .reopens the conflicts
of last summers Democratic National
Convention at Chicago when Wallace
lost the nomination for Vice President
because the South ditIEt like his al
legged radicalism or his views on the
poll tax and his kinship with the
CIO-PAC.
Now the country must witness that
sort Of fight all over again. The South
ern Democrats and the Republicans in
the Senate could, If they liked, form
a majority to reject the nomination, Of
Wallace and also separate the RFC
job from the secretaryship of Com
merce. But even this doesn't solve the
problem-for another New Dealer is
likely to be chosen for RFC anyway.
There seems to be determination or
the part of the left wing" to control
Government funds and begin spending
cycle such as put the country deep into
debt long before the European war
brought full employment.
Mr.. Roosevelt's part in the latest con-
troversy is sorry one. Last summer he
miscalculated Henry Wallace's political
strength and sidetracked him by letter
that was called the kiss of death.
Wallace's friends called it a double
cross" After Wallace demonstrated his
11xy xrit l,>
'1eft wing" behind him, Mr.. Roosevelt
may have realized his error. He tried
then to make amends by promising WAL
lace big post of some kind. But Wal
lace wasn't to be satisfied with anything
but the secretaryship of Commerce and
RFC chairmanship
Torn Between Desires.
The President evidently has been torn
between conflicting desires. He hated
to hurt the feelings of Jesse Jones, for
after all, the latter has been member
of the $1,000 Club. and has contributed
plentifully in the past to Roosevelt cam
paign funds, to say nothing of the wires
he has pulled on Capitol Hill to get the
death sentence" utility holding COM
pany legislation and other New Deal
measures passed.
Now Mr., Roosevelt dismisses Mr. Jones
and says he has political debt to Mr.
Wallace which appears to the President
to be greater than any considerations oi
public service rendered by Mr.. Jones. II
is braZen statement. Presidents may
have traficked in high ONCE appoint.
ments to political henchmen but they
never admitted it on paper. Maybe Mr.
Roosevelt never thought his letter woulc
be made public. 1t reveals to the nakeo
eye a sordid chapter in Government,
which will 90 down in history as repre-
hensihle as the boast of Andrew jackson
that ito the victor belongs the spoils"
1t will hurt Mr.. Roosevelt's position in
Congress and undermine confidence in
his leadership at a moment when unity
is so much needed. The President seems
tired and harassed and maybe, seeing
that he couldn't resist the pressure oi
either the Jones or the Wallace view.
points, he simply decided to pass the
buck to Capitol Hill.
Congress cam save him considerable
embarrassment and the country much
worry by making new laws specifying
how public funds shall be loaned OF
disbursed and by setting forth the quail.
fications of the custodians of those fund.
SO there can be no question hereafter
about the public interest rather thar
! political rewards being primary.
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