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Show P NEWS BEHIND THE NEWS I I WrHen for The Telegram By Ray Tucker J. WASHINGTON SECs Ineur- ' ance Investigators are trying te safeguard their prise aecret and sensation, but it la slowly leaking leak-ing out Withla a few daya they Intend te sideswipe two distinguished distin-guished foes of the new deal-former deal-former President Hoover and Alfred Emanuel Smith. The acheme may not be ataged, because some of the government's govern-ment's smarter publicist figure it might be risky to involve men of such stature. The evidence doe not reflect on them personally, per-sonally, but it happens that they are directors of a New York company com-pany now under scrutiny. The, group, in the opinion of the inquisitors, in-quisitors, hsa been guilty ef "corporate "cor-porate nepotism" In that it extended ex-tended financial favora to corporation corpo-ration in which some of the directors di-rectors had a friendly interest. Ths owner of one concern alleged to be beneficiary figured in the news recently in a kidnaping case, and is understood to be a personal Intimate of the former president. The auppoaed Irresponsibility of ballyhooed directora of corporations corpora-tions Is a fetish with SEC Chairman Chair-man Douglas, who Insists that they take a more active part in handling a company'a affairs. So far he has csptured comparatively compara-tively few headlines for hla crusade. cru-sade. But if be can lasso a former for-mer president and a former presidential pres-idential nominee, he may spark publie Interest. Names make newa. Federal employes delinquent on their installment payments for last year'a SUM Jackson Day dinner din-ner recently received a aharp warning from party headquarters. headquar-ters. In a letter from Oliver A. Quayle Jr.. Democratic dunner, they were warned that their namea would be written down on a White House blacklist unlesa they paid up. "In a conference with National Chairman Farley yesterday." wrote Mr. Quayle. "wherein it waa decided to aubmit to President Presi-dent Roosevelt a financial report re-port I thought it best to ask you committee, we noticed thst you have not as yet completed your pledge made at the time of the 193 Jackson day dinnar. "Before submitting the final report, re-port, Ithought it best to ask you once again if you do not want to liquidate your Indebtedness. Will you plcaas let me have your prompt reply?" Party financea must be In bad ahape. for this is the first time that the namea of the president and national chairman have been Invoked as 1 an aid to kill collecting. The administration's new radio ra-dio bill providing for a three-man three-man commission haa provoked tremendous protest with Communications Com-munications Chairman McNinch and Senator Wheeler, who Introduced Intro-duced the measure at the request re-quest of the White House. When radio'a representatives stampeded Into Mr. McNInch'a room, they got ths shock of their lives. For more than three houra they listened while ha tried te sell them ths idea that a smaller body would be able to handle their problems more efficiently and speedily than the existing commission. They leaped into taxicabs to try to impress Mr. Wheeler that ths proposal pointed point-ed directly to political control of radio. Their two-hour argument argu-ment simmered down to the contention con-tention that it would be easier for an administration any administrationto ad-ministrationto manipulate three men rather than seven. Mr. Wheeler listened and appeared ap-peared to be impressed. Despite indications that be seeks peace with the White House, he informed in-formed them thst he wss not completely sold on the proposed revision, and had sponsored it only because of a presidential request. re-quest. He reserves the liberty to oppose It both In committee end on the floor, and he probably will. It was the coal-and-oll bloc a group operating ao quietly that its existence is hardly known which forced the house cut of 118 000 000 in TVA's appropriationa appropria-tiona reduction which will block almost all new construction. construc-tion. Belatedly, the producera of rival fuels sense that the Roosevelt power program may rob them of their Jobs. The agreement for government purchase of Commonwealth and Southern's properties was announced an-nounced early one Saturday afternoon, aft-ernoon, and Immediately the coal-and-oil people swung into aotion. They spent the week end in marshaling mar-shaling statistics showing the displacement of coal that would result in this area from the substitution sub-stitution of power driven from steam plants. They deposited their week-end' studies in the msll or on the desk of every member from oil-or-coal-produc-ing atates. When ths house voted en ths 1940 appropriation the next Wednesday, Wed-nesday, the results of the lobby's pressure were reflected in the ballot. Democratic or Republi can, the members whose constituents con-stituents would be damaged by expansion of the administration's power program lined up almost solidly against it Now the coal-and-oll clique ia working en ths senate, which restored some of these appropriation last year after the house eliminated them. The Democrat, old deal and new deal, have begun to close ranks in the face of Republican solidarity and enthusiasm on and off Capitol hill. The atrategy explains the president's unusually unusu-ally early flight from Washington, Washing-ton, the crack-down caucus and cabinet members' premeditated evasion of the limelight and head-linea. head-linea. Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Gamer agrees with him 1 for ence believes be-lieves that there have been too much turbulence and threats and talking: hs thinks thst it would be healthy if party members made or read no newa for the next few weeks. Therefore, on bis trip to the Caribbean, he vetoed ve-toed his original plan to let three press association reporters accompany ac-company him on a warship. They will have to remain in Florida and live off the scanty aketches doled out to them from the presidential presi-dential vessel. Both house and senate, as previously pre-viously reported in these columns, will recess frequently to stave off a hostile attack on domestic or foreign policies. So far the acheme appears to be working. Congressional and White House msll shows a falling-off In interest in-terest or resentment with respect to foreign policy and ths sale of planes to France. The political motto is let all be quiet along the Potomac! Jim Fancy has a naive but satisfactory explanation for his numerous absences from Washington Wash-ington In the last few months. The nstional chairman haa been on the road almost constantly aince the November election, and it has aroused considerable suspicion. sus-picion. In view of the party battles bat-tles and the dissension between White House end Capitol hill, his apparent indifference prompted suggestions thst he was running out taking a walk, ao to apeak. But Jim aays It's not so. "Ths only place I can get a rest," be says, "is on train or plane. Nobody can get you on the phone, you can't receive any mall and it'a bard for them to buttonhole you for a Job. Therefore, There-fore, I travel whenever I can." Copyright, 1939, for The Telegram |
