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Show NEWS BEHIND THE NEWS Written for The Telegram By Ray Tucker WASHINGTON Tht propensity propen-sity of topnotch new dealers for uttering prosperity pronouncements pronounce-ments deprived the Roosevelt administration of a reputation for economic frankneaa that would have been unmatched In American Amer-ican political history. It also aggravated ag-gravated tht recent crash in Wall street. In mid-September several government gov-ernment economists warned their chiefs that tht month would ahow a business receaainn over August an unprecedented seasonal phenomenon. phe-nomenon. Kvery private report from conscientious and nonpo-luteal nonpo-luteal experta suggested that it might be a bright idea to prepare the public for bad news. Propa-gandawiat Propa-gandawiat folks urged that the prospect of a larger deficit than expected be permitted to leak out alowly. Previous tatimates placed It at 1400.000.000-p I ua instead of tht t8M.000.000 finally admitted. But tha official Interlocutors discarded both tht tips and tha atatistica. Secretary Roper announced an-nounced that fall business would continue tht summer upswing. Treasury tipaters refused to divulge di-vulge thtlr budget figurts. Likt Herbert Hoover, they passed out optimistic statements. And the published pronouncements were no mora correct than his "around tht corner" predictions. Republicans will headline President Presi-dent Roosevelt's dictatorial and defiant attitude toward the legislative legis-lative branch of the government when tht special session assembles assem-bles next month. The attacks will cite numerous Instances in which Mr. Roosevelt has not carried out a congressional congres-sional mandate. His refusal to invoke tht neutrality act in the Sino-Japanese conflict is their most sensational exhibit, but there art others thst may excite tht boys more violently. Although congress established a three-man commission to handle alcohol control It months ago. F. D. R. has ignored its demand because Secretary Morgenthau wanta to keep thia problem In tht trtasury. Nor haa tht president named a controller general, although congress con-gress deliberately declared that the occupant of thia office acted as its agent in checking executive expenditures. He has also failed to fill tha post of budget director another congressional watchdog over funds. G. O. P.-ers rount on their Democratic frienda to resent thia neglect, for ths neutrality act and the alcohol commission were aponsored and enacted by Influ- ential members nf the president's own party. In fact, an impeachment impeach-ment resolution based on these grounds may be proposed, but it will get about as far as would a motion to fire Mr. Hitler or Mr. Mussolini In their shadow boxing parliaments. Communications Chairman Mc-Ninch's Mc-Ninch's move to rehabilitate his agency amounta to a race against timt with tht aenate. Unless ha cleans up the radio mess before congress reassembles, a senate Investigating committee may wash an awful lot of dirty linen in the political front yard. Whispers of favoritism and manipulation in handing out valuable val-uable radio grants reached Capitol Hill during the last aession. Senator Sen-ator White of Maine, a Republican, Repub-lican, Introduced a resolution of Investigation and it was favorably reported by Democrats on the in-, terstate commerce committee. That amounted to proof that ths majority smelled several radio rata. Next step was for the resolution resolu-tion to proceed to tht senate audit committee, which decides whether a proposed Inquiry merits an appropriation. ap-propriation. It'a a neat, non-political non-political method (both partiea use it when in power) of amothering an unwanted and embarrassing Investigation. National Chairman Farley persuaded Audit Chairman Byrnes to defer action until after adjournment ao as to give F. D. R. a chance to handle the problem prob-lem himself. The McNinch appointment ap-pointment waa the White House retort to opposition criticism, and so far ha seems to be the perfect answer. Even Senator Wheeler anti-Roosevelt chairman of interstate in-terstate trusta tha North Carolinian. Caro-linian. A seemingly spontaneous movement move-ment to nominate Corded Hull as President Roosevelt's 1940 heir has sprung up In important circles. cir-cles. Politicoa who ought to know aay It has provoked more popular response than trial balloons hoisted for other Rooseveltian aids Ickes. Farley, Wallace, Hopkins. Hop-kins. Mr. Hull Is generally admitted to be the only cabinet member who haa gained rather than lost stature since tht advent of F. D. R. In 193.1 His integrity and preachmenta of peace appear to have impressed Tom, Dick and Harry and their wives. Foreign developments both economic and military cast him in the role of a true prophet. Should hia policies poli-cies serve to stave off a world war between now and 1940 or e contribute to maintenance of the present armed truce he would be a "natural" for the majority party. Not even his age could atop him, provided F. D. R did not intervene inter-vene to bar him from the honor. The mild, level headed secretary secre-tary of state haa another asset. His nomination might prevent tht threatened split between old fashioned conservatives and Roosevelt radicals. He's almost the only member of the cabinet whom the more violent fellows on each aide trust. ! The prospect that President I Roosevelt may mix in the New York mayoralty battle on behalf of Jeremiah T. Mahoney ia fading fast. The reasons are both practical prac-tical and aentimental. The more astute politiros In the new deal predict that Mayor La-Guardia La-Guardia will win by a tremendous majority over the new deal candidate. candi-date. Therefcre it would be foolish for F. I). R. to tempt popular repudiation in his home town New York City. It was that consideration con-sideration which prevented his openly backing McKee In the three cornered 19.13 fight, and the man who talked F. D. R. out of public participation was Senator Robert F. Wagner. Ironically, Mr. Wagner now back's I.a-Guardia'a I.a-Guardia'a opponent, hut it's attributed at-tributed mainly to the lifelong personal and legal friendship between be-tween the senator and Mr. Mahoney. Ma-honey. Many new denlers are anxious for LaGuardia to win, and have so informed the president without invoking his anger. They figure that Democratic municipal ma-chinea ma-chinea in Boston, New York. Philadelphia. Chicago. Kansas City will eventually give the national na-tional new deal a black eye. They're willing for the LaGuar-diss LaGuar-diss and the Republicans to handle han-dle those "headaches." Not even the national labor relations board can change human nature even ita own. A high official on this prolabor agency recently built a home, and Instructed his builder that all work must be performed by union labor. Their bids, however, exceeded ex-ceeded tht construction estimates by many thousands of dollars. When ths N. L. R. B. man was informed that he could keep within the estimates only If he gave the job to nonunion contractors, con-tractors, he replied: "Go ahead, but don't advertise adver-tise It." (Copyright. 1937, for The Telegram) |