| Show Between You and Me MeHarry Harry Hopkins Hopkins' Wild Pitch Crack at t Landon Is Puzzle K Kansans Kansans' ns ns' ns Aid Ad to New Deal By RAYMOND CLAPPER WASHINGTON The curved ball which Harry Hopkins threw throw at Governor Landon of Kansas over the states state's relief contributions contributions contributions turned out to be a wild pitch and is being scored as such The works progress administrator tor when asked at a press conference conference conference con con- ference about aboul the relief contributions of Kansas took opportunity to crack down on Landon's economy economy economy my efforts b by snapping out the tricky answer that the state of Kansas had not put up one thin dime for tor relief and that the budget-balancing budget governor had never neer made an effort to raise any money I Hopkins was able to make this statement with a technically cle clear r conscience because of the fact that under the Kansas constitution constitution tion relief funds are distributed not by the state government a as such but by the counties Mr Hopkins however was too busy trying to spike a rising Republican can presidential possibility to be fair about the matter and to explain explain ex ex- plain plain- the real meL fact The real fact fact act as distinguished from rom Hotspur Harrys Harry's off hand trick Is statement statement is that relief contributions from tram Kansas counties counties counties coun coun- ties and other subdivisions are arc within 1 or 2 per cent of the national national na na- na- na average Thirty-one Thirty other states have contributed in smaller ratio That's the situation regarding the thin dime charge The more interesting thing is what reasoning reasoning-if if there was any prompted Mr Hopkins in tossing this curved ball Nobody gets very much excited any more about loose statements from rom administration officials and this instance would have attracted attract attract- ed no attention except that the wild pitch was aimed straight at atthe atthe the head of one of the most prominent Republican presidential possibilities It is as if the excitement of oc the approaching presidential campaign had upset the poise of some administration officials The fact i is that the Democratic strategists have their eye on London London London Lon Lon- don and are ready to take him on But they were preparing to bear down on the prohibition issue and to put the Kansas governor in an unfavorable light in eastern wet states They are not very happy about the volunteer intervention of Mr Hopkins especially when the charge falls fails to stand up Inside the Roosevelt administration administration adminis adminis- many expect that Landon Landon Landon Lan Lan- don will vili be the Republican candi candi- date Recently when President Roosevelt was crossing the countr country country coun coun- tr try he told middle western political political cal leaders that Landon looked like Jike the Republican candidate to him Harry H Hopkins was along on that trip Whether orders went out to crack down on Landon or whether Mr Hopkins saw an openIng opening opening open open- ing and acted on impulse doesn't matter much The curious thing is that administration administration administration ad ad- ministration officials are willing willingto to misinterpret the Republican presidential prospect who of all allin allin in in hi the field has Indicated the most sympathy with the principles principles ples pIes of the new deal and who has refused to join In the venom venom- ous campaign of misrepresentation tion which many other Republicans cans have waged against the tho ad ad- ministration on Throughout his two administrations Governor Landon has cooperated cooperated coop coop- crated with the administration putting up whatever funds were requested and retaining as state slate relief administrator the man who was originally appointed by his Democratic predecessor Governor Gover nor Woodring This administrator tor John Stutz has wired Hopkins Hopkins Hopkins Hop Hop- kins setting him straight about the Kansas record on relief Hopkins Hopkins Hop Hop- kins was hesitant about revealing the telegram and an attempt to discount it itin in advance was made with the remark that Stutz is a job holder under Landon Landon was reelected on a Republican Republican Republican Re Re- publican state platform last year which contained the following plank We Wo heartily commend Governor Gover Cover nor Landon and the legislature of ot Kansas for their active and effective effective ef ef- ef- ef cooperation with the national national national na na- na- na administration in relief and recovery programs The Republicans cans of oC Kansas are arc proud of the tho record made We Ve pledge a continuance continuance continuance con con- of that cooperation durIng durIng during dur dur- ing this emergency in the interest interest inter inter- est eat of the people of oC Kansas and of oC the Ule nation S Some time ago when crit criticism cism of relief expenditures was wa especially especially especially espe espe- rough Hopkins retorted Some people just cant can't stand seeIng seeing seeing see see- ing others making a decent liv liv- ing tag It isn't possible is it that the Happy Spenders in the administration administration administration adminis adminis- just cant can't stand seeing a public official l run his affairs on ona ona ona a like business-like basis Copyright 1935 by the Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington Post |
