Show Round Merry By fly DREW PEARSON and end ROBERT ALLEN Trade Trad Mark PHILADELPHIA A little drama enacted during the closing hours of congress is causing causing caus- caus caus caus- ing the the scenes boys of this convention convention convention conven conven- tion more secret agony than any debate over two-thirds two rule or platform Rue Ruefully ul y they admit that this dramatic play by may lose Penn Pennsylvania sylvania for Roosevelt may also swing Ohio and West Virginia away from him It happened while the senate was racing toward the windup Seated in the gallery were John L. L Lewis powerful Roosevelt pro chief of the United Mine Workers and William Gr en quavering head of the American Federation Federation Federation Fed Fed- of Labor who bitterly oppose each other in the conflict between craft and industrial industrial industrial indus indus- trial unionization Both were sponsoring bills vital to their in in- in in- in Green was backing the Walsh Healey bill applying N R A code standards to government government govern govern- government ment m-ent contracts Lewis was backing the new Guffey coal bill permitting price fixing and thereby union wages in the coal industry Suddenly with no warning Senator Pittman Pittman Pittman Pitt- Pitt man president pro tern called up the Walsh Walsh- Healey bill and without half the senate knowing knowing knowing know know- ing what he was doing yelled Without objection objection objection ob ob- ob- ob the bill is passed The ayes have it Senator Hale Maine Republican called for the ayes and nays but Pittman overruled him Thus Bill Greens Green's bill was made law Si Simultaneously Simultaneously Simultaneously Si- Si Bill Hushing chief lobbyist of the A. A F. F of L. L was busy lobbying against John Lewis' Lewis bill New deal politicos who knew what the Guff Guf Gui f fey y bill meant to the coal miner vote threw duck White House Appeal John L. L Lewis is the staunchest labor supporter supporter sup sup- porter Roosevelt has His mine workers are counted upon by Jim Farley Parley to swing Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Penn Penn- Pennsylvania sylvania Ohio and West Virginia So during the closing hours of congress Jim Farley Parley called the White House from Philadelphia Philadelphia Philadelphia Philadel Philadel- phia told Presidential Secretary Marvin McIntyre Mc- Mc Intyre that the Guffey bill must be passed If necessary hold congress in recess until the convention is over Jim urged Otherwise we lose the state of Pennsylvania Other master minds in Philadelphia also called caned the White House emphasized how serious would be the miners' miners political reaction In the end Senator Joe Robinson the man whom Roosevelt went all the way to Arkansas to bless got the floor at 10 minutes of midnight midnight midnight mid mid- night and moved the thc concurrent resolution adjourning adjourning ad ad- the senate The Guffey bill did not pass Instead a spokesman for Roosevelt telephoned telephoned tele tele- telephoned phoned Lewis to say that the Democratic platform platform plat plat- form would include a plank favoring the Guffey Guf Gui fey bill k mere lip service Lewis replied It will take eight months or a year to pass a new bill and during all that time what becomes of my men A few minutes later another phone call came from Philadelphia One of Farleys Farley's assistants informed Lewis th that t Norman Thomas and Gardner Gardner Gardner Gard Gard- ner Jackson Ja were planning to picket the convention con con- with striking share-croppers share from Ar Ar- kansas He wanted Lewis who has given en encouragement encouragement en- en to the share-croppers' share strike to call off the picketing Why should I pull your chestnuts out of the fire Lewis growled in reply What have you fellows done for me Well it isn't going to help you and it will only hurt us Farleys Farley's man replied He also promised that Jackson and Thomas could have havea a conference with Joe Robinson czar of Arkansas Arkansas Ar Ar- kansas in n Philadelphia in order to adjust the share share cropper cropper dispute This message when relayed to Norman Thomas by long distance telephone received this response Well that may be very nice for the Democrats Democrats Democrats Demo Demo- but Im I'm running for president of the United United United Unit Unit- ed States on the Socialist ticket and Im I'm going ahead with this Meanwhile leaders leader of the share-cropper share movement are drafting a plank for the Coughlin- Coughlin Lemke third party which would put it categorically categorically cate cate- on record for the emancipation of the thc tenant farmer No wonder that between coal miners and share-croppers share new deal master minds who know Roosevelt must get the labor-farm labor vote to win arc are worried Copyright 1936 by United Feature Syndicate ate inc |