The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-02-22
Eckes May Continue Feud
F He Takes Political Job
maltera Notes This IA che second
e eWa DISPATCHES on che historic
baAllaa 81 Harold L. lckes,


~ DOUGLAS LARSEN
MA stan Correspondent
washington, FEB. % since
alofmlng out OF the Cabinet IN =
rage over President TrumAn's nom.
lnAtlon Of I'D Pauley for Undersec-
Rotary Of Navy, Harold l.. ickes has
been swamped with offers OF other
aoha. And practically all OF them
oller salaries az least double that
which he received as Secretary OF
interior, which was $4,000 a year,
He hasn't vet made up his mind
which OF the offers he viii take put
nc promises that whatever he de-
eldes 10 do, Il viii be loud and II
viii be political
Before he officially left the Cab
mrt rumorS Of his resignation
brought him offers TO become a
newspaper columnist radio COM
mentator and chances to become
head Of several liberal political
groups. Since his resignation has
become a fact, additional offers have
flooded IN on him plus some from
several large magazines and big
business corporations, It is believed
likely he will take the job which
gives him the best opportunity to
eSpouse the cause Of liberalism and
also give him the widest freedom of
the expression Of his own opinion on
politics.
rckes' announcement that his next
assignment will be both loud and
political is the cause OF plenty OF
worry among Democratic party
leaders including President Tru-
man. They know too well the furore
he Is able 70 cause in an adnlinistra-
ton and his lack Of respect for the
size Of an opponent
There were few men as close TO
former President Roosevelt as the
late Harry Hopkins. But in the
carly part of Rooseyelt'S admini-
stration IcSes didn't hesitate to
tear into Hopkins when he and
Hopkins claShed on the method OF
spending emergency relief funds,
This feud, which ended in a draw
as far as keeping face went. but
With Ickes eventually winning his
point, was one OF the bittereSt
behind the scenes scraps in Roose-
velt's program for getting the
country out of the depression.
ARGUED WITH HOPKINS
Hopkins wanted 10 start getting
Federal funds 10 unemployed per-
sons Just as fast as possible. The
result was the spectacle Of thou
sands OF men literally shaking
trees and then Taking Up the
leaves for something 10 do His
plan was to get men working as
fast as possible even II 1t meant
creating worthless Jobs
Ickes violently disagreed with this
procedure. He thought that Federal
funds should be spent for carefully
planned. worthwhile projects. such
as public buildings. bridges, etc.
Hopkins as head of the Works
Progress Administration went his
way and TckeS as head Of Public
Works Administration went his
way, but with both continually trad
ing punches. fckes gradually got
more OF the money for his program,
while the Hopkins plan was tapered
of. But the whole thing was settled
amicably when the pair took long
fishing trip through the Everglades
in 1897. Ickes' program is still run
ming.
RooSevelt's flrst Budget Director,
Lewis Douglas, became one Of Ickes'
first victims in an administration
scrap. Douglas had persuaded
Roosevelt to give him the right to
veto emergency funds Ickes didn't
like this and liked even less Doug
lass tendency TO be too conserva-
tive in handing out funds. After
harsh words were exchanged both
men had long conferences with
Roosevelt on the same day. Short
ly thereafter. Douglas resigned.
One of the secrets of Ickes' sue
cess in the field of political feud-
ing is the implicit faith he has in
his own convictions and the way
he practices what he breaches. His
hate Of waste was the basis Of his
feud with Hopkins. For instance.
his agencies sold billions Of kilo-
watt hours Of electricity. Yet he
invariably snapped out his desk
lamp in his Office each time he
would leave for even a few min
utes. While comforting with the
Army over the billions OF barrels
Of gasoline he had to provide, as
Petroleum Administrator. he bawled
out a general for wasting a pint OF
gas by going two blocks IN an Army
car to get some documents.
NO SPEEDING FOR ICKES
When driving during the war,
Ickes always had his car throttled
down 10 the exact speed limit. He
would get the license numbers OF
cars which passed him and the next
day the owners Of those cars would
get personal notes from Ickes on the
relationship Of speed and gas con-
sumption.
In al his political fights Ickes
never let a man who worked for
him ever take a rap for something
fckes was embroiled IN. And as
an administrator he Won the UNI
yielding loyalty and support Of his
THIS CURIOUS WORLD