The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-04-13

Capital Hill. Jim- my Byrnes had been Congressman and Senator himself. He was the great compromiser. He, if anyone could get along with Congress and lead the lawmakers safely through the mine fields and booby traps of a legislative war-plan essential for victory, yet the sad fact remains that almost simultaneously with Justice Byrnes' resignation, the Ad- ministration took one of its worst legislative lickings of the war in the Senate's defeat of the Work or Fight Bill. What that makes of Justice Byrnes reputation as get- ter along with Congress, anyone can figure out for himself. One lit tie word from Byrnes-that man. power controls of the Work or Fight Bill would be necessary in the reconversion period was all it took to convert the National Serv- ice legislation idea into dead duck. WILSON'S PLANS
 UNDISCLOSED
 How much of the Byrnes program will be picked up and carried for ward by his successor, Judge Fred M. Vinson, has yet to be disclosed. The very fact that Byrnes resigned lessens the importance of his recommendation to Congress for continued high taxes, price and ra- tioning controls, restrictions on pro- duction of civilian consumers goods.
 Judge Vinsons appointment will put another test on the idea that it takes a congressman to get along with Congress, for he too has served in the House. The big Kentuckian was confirmed without opposition. But now his troubles with Congress begin.
 Running down the list of war time cabinet heads and administra- tors. all have had their difficulties with Congress, though some have had better luck than others Even Secretary of State Cordell Hull res- pected though he was as an eX-Sen- ator and Congressman, had hard sledding for his pet reciprocal trade agreements. And ex-Senator Prem tiSs M Brown of Michigan, though he successfully managed the origin al price control legislation through Congress, couldn't satisfy his col leagues when he became OPA ad. miniStrator
 Ex-Congressman Marvin Jones is great behind-the-scenes worker with congressman and he has kept a great deal of the congressional heat of the War Food Administra- tion. EX-Congressman Frank Han cock has done nearly as well as Farm Security administrator, once sore spot with Congress.
 Ex-Congressman Maury Maverick has lasted longer than any of his predecessors as head of the Smaller War Plants Corporation.
 NON- -CONGRESSMEN
 GET ALONG FINE
 Strangely enough, the admins trators who seem to have had the best records in getting along with Congress weren't congressman at all. Jesse Jones for one. Chester Bowles for another, Nelson Rocke- feller for a third. The power that Congress handed to Jesse Jones in his 12 years and more at the head Of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation is almost unbelievable.
 The millions Rockefeller got for South America are astounding. Bowles had been in hot water with many, but with the renewal of the Price Control Act, he got his bill through the Senate without change and he got his appropriation in- creased = the most any administra- tor ever asked for
 What Jones and Bowles and Rockefeller have that inspired con- fldence in congressman is an intan- gible attribute well worth isolating and inoculating into the blood stream of some of the other depart ment heads as the Administration moves into a critical period requir- ing congressional approval for many of its pet projects.
 Stettinius has the San Francisco Conference results coming up for ratification. Morgenthau has Bret ton Woods. Wallace his 60 million jobs program, and expansion of for eign trade. War and Navy have postwar unification and compul- sory service problems of their own. Ickes has ambitions on bossing public works and the valley plans.
 Anyone having recipe for love potion to drop in the congressional bean soup will have no trouble ped- ding it in Washington.