| Show I 1 NEWS BEHIND HIND THE NEWS I Written ff n for The Telegram By R Ray Tucker e WASHINGTON WASHINGTON-p WASHINGTON Preside P r resident e S I d eat n t Roosevelt recently unburdened himself of the reasons for his personal prejudice against the Mellons especially the late secretary secretary secretary secre secre- tary of the treasury No family has been more thoroughly Investigated investigated investigated and prosecuted by an administration administration administration ad ad- ministration than the banking- banking aluminum dynasty Mr Mellon the president told his confidants dominated tax policies while in office and the chief executive plainly intimated that in his opinion the Pitts- Pitts burgher deliberately inspired re repeal repeal repeal re- re peal of the gift tax In the years when this levy was off Mr Roosevelt explained the financier distributed his vast fortune in inthe inthe inthe the form of trusts to relatives and institutions The result was that thata a estate paid only to Uncle Sam Mr Roosevelt contrasted this payment with that received from Hetty Greens Green's estate The usually usually usually ally canny neglected to consult lawyers about tax matters matters matters mat mat- and her sons son's estate has just paid a check the check the first installment only only to to the govern govern- ment voice shook with indignation when he cited this in incident incident incident in- in as evidence of or the need for more drastic laws against men and women of wealth The president has been as assailed assailed assailed as- as sailed by friendly liberals for his apparent indifference to the wage- wage hour bill he wanted so badly last year But actually he has resorted to subtle tactics to squeeze it through at this session session before before the congressional elections F. F D. D R. R recently summoned Representatives Mary Norton of New Jersey and Robert of Georgia to the White House urging them to report out a new measure When the latter expressed expressed expressed ex ex- ex- ex pressed doubt that any bill would pass the president replied Well report out something and well we'll see that its it's fixed up in conference The senate has already approved a fairly satisfactory plan and be behind behind behind be- be hind closed doors Mr Roosevelt believes a picked hand-picked conference committee will give him what he wants Mr responded with a scheme vesting control in the federal trade commission but it satisfied nobody Mrs Norton tried again with a plan for a 40 hour week and a hour cents minimum in the hope it would meet a more favorable reception It did But rules committee filibusterers filibusterers fili- fili who pigeonholed a similar similar simi simi- lar bill last year insist they wont won't be trapped by th Roosevelt- Roosevelt Norton cabal Prospects Prospects Pros Pros- for any action are dimmer than an Arctic night The governments government's housing experts ex ex- ex- ex not not the starry-eyed starry economists eco ceo are are chiefly responsible for the presidents president's drive to lower prices on building materials They have warned him that Uncle Sam stands to suffer a terrific loss under the government mortgage guarantee of 80 and 90 per cent unless costs are reduced pronto Privately the federal homebuilders homebuilders homebuilders home- home builders admit that such high underwriting underwriting un un- un- un leaves no margin for loss through depreciation defaults and the depressions depression's casualties among borrowers But should prices drop under presidential pressure the values of structures erected or mortgaged under this system will sink so low as to jeopardize the federal investment altogether A house guaranteed guaranteed guaranteed guar guar- to the extent of would be worth only or less The loss might run into the hundreds of millions Thus the government would be beholding beholding holding a bag no billionaire could carry comfortably It explains why the various agencies are re reluctant reluctant reo re- to undertake new business pending the reaction to Mr Roosevelt's Roosevelt's Roose Roose- velt's price lectures Back door Back door liberals at the White House are secretly fuming against James Roosevelt They blame the presidents president's son for the themore themore themore more moderate policies his father has pursued in recent months Jimmie doesn't blaze with the incandescent liberalism which Q lights up their lives and longings Unlike them he associates with congenial reactionaries a aft after I t e r l' working hours and exhibits a distinct pleasure in economic and political fleshpots They suspect that such associations tend to color the advice he pours into the presidential ear You cant can't eat with an economic royalist at night they mutter and indorse a tax bill aimed at your host the next morning Which shows that they dont don't know the or recall recent alliances between the first family and Liberty leaguers The brain are slightly unfair to son James Its It's true that at the moment he favors a recovery recovery ery cry rather than a fresh reform program but his general philosophy philosophy phy accords with F. F D. D Rs What the youngster seems to realize is that no new deal will work on millions million of empty stomachs This column recently quoted Jed Johnstons Johnston's colleagues as assaying assaying assaying saying that the Oklahoma Democrat Democrat Democrat Demo Demo- crat was not at the White House when the conference report on the farm bill was voted on Mr Johnson thus explained to the house his reason for not voting Investigation reveals that Mr Johnson was at the mansion The presidential schedule shows that F. F D. D R. R had an appointment with the Oklahoma member at 1230 o'clock and a a. luncheon with Secretary Secretary Sec See Hull at 1 I Indicating that skeptical colleagues knew what they were talking about since the vote was not announced until However the president kept Mr Hull waiting at least 20 minutes minutes min mm- utes while he discussed interior department appropriation matters matters matters mat mat- with Mr Johnson Besides being ranking member of the in interior interior in- in tenor appropriations subcommittee tee the Oklahoman is also chairman of the Democratic steering committee and of the congressional campaign commit committees committee's tees tee's speakers' speakers bureau Copyright 1938 for The Telegram |
