Evening star., 1951-02-24
The Political Mil
Trumon's S Relations With
Congress Hit New Low
President Apparently Is Toking
RetoIiotory Steps in RFC Case
The Political Mil

President Apparently Is Toking
RetuIiotory Steps in RFC Case
By Gould Lincoln
The revelation that President Truman
has called for and obtained TOO to 900
letters written by members of Congress
to the Reconstruction Finance Corp. re-
garding loan applications has created a
new low in the relations between the
White House and the Capitol. What.
demand irate members, does the Presi-
dent intend to do with their letters?
The President, greatly incensed be-
cause Of charges made by Senate
committee that White House influence
has been used to persuade the RFC to
make loans, appears to have taken steps
to retaliate. According to testimony
before the Fulbright committee. the
White House evinced particular interest
in letters that might have been addressed
to the RFC by Senator Fulbright of
Arkansas and Senator Douglas of Illinois,
two Democratic members of the commit
tee which has been delving into the
operations of the loan agency. The
immediate reaction of both Senators,
when the news of the Presidents action
leaked out, was to charge that the White
House was seeking to intimidate them
and to make them call halt to their
investigation.
Does the White House really have
something to conceal? Or Is the Presi-
dent merely intent on calling the at
tention Of the public to the fact that
members Of Congress may and do seek
to influence the great lending agency
Of the Government? If the President
was planning public statement, naming
names and describing the efforts Of
members of Congress, including members
OF the investigating committee, as an
Offset to the damaging evidence which
the Senate committee has and Is bring
ing out. the premature explosion by the
committee itself has placed the burden
on Mr.. Truman himself. No matter what
the White House may say now, there
will be detractors who will insist
the gathering Of these letters-for some
nefarious use-was entirely improper.
When the Senate committee made its
report recently, charging that political
influence and favoritism had been ram
pant In the operations of the RFC, Presi-
A few days later. he reappointed the
members Of the RFC board-whose ap-
pointments have been pigeonholed by
the Senate ommittee-although at least
three Of the board members were directly
implicated by the committee report This
was taken by the Senators as a direct
slap in the face. The committee an
nounced that 1t intended to go right
re
tually said that If its report was so
Judge it after all the facts had been
disclosed.
The next move was by the White
House. The President sent to Congress
proposed reorganization plan for the
RFC which fitted almost exactly with
the recommendations made by the Senate
committee, abolishing the board of five
directors and placing a single admins
tration at the head of the agency. Sena-
tor Fulbright. Senator Douglas and other
members of the committee were gratified
even If surprised. They failed, how
ever, to halt their investigation and the
hearings were begun again.
Whether the President intended to
lower the boom-at the exact point when
the Senators seemed to have the White
House on the run in regard to the RFC
operationS-may never be known Mr.,
Truman could have come forward with
a statement regarding letters which
Senators Fulbright and Douglas and
many other members of the Senate and
House had written to the RFC, and de-
manded, who's using influence now?"
But the Senators seem to have FORE
stalled that line of attack. Senator
Douglas turned over to the committee
copies of letters he himself had written
to the RFC. Senator. Fulbright and
others Immediately announced that
letters they might have written brought
no improper influence on the RFC They
are perfectly willing to have their letters
published.
The letters written by members Of
Congress to the RFC are not private
letters-they were on public business.
But his unprecedented demand for them
leaves an impression that the Chief
Executive is willing to go the limit
with any kind of move-to prevent or
to minimize attacks on his administra-
ton. and particularly his immediate and
personal advisers employed at the White
House.
"Asinine" reports are apparently about
to take their place alongside red her.
rings" in the White House lexicon.