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Show ! THE LEW SUN. LEUh UTAH Bruchart Washington Digest Delegation of Authority to So Many Agencies Seen Dangerous j Clause in Act IlanJs Over to Unclcctc d Officials Right To Say What Congress Meant in Language of Law; Makes Many Little Dictators. By WILLIAM BRUCKART WNU Service, National Press Bid., Washington, D. C. WASHINGTON. Subcommittees .of the house committee on appropriations appropri-ations have started consideration of the various bills through which money is supplied each year for running run-ning the federal government Among the first measures was that appropriating money for the so-called so-called independent offices. These are the agencies that operate at loose ends, so to speak, run their own shows, make rules and regulations regula-tions which have the full force of regular laws and otherwise conduct themselves as they see fit. The head men of each of these units of government and there are 46 listed in the one appropriation bill are named by the President of the United States. They are not elected by the people. The nearest approach to direct responsibility to the citizens is that appointment of the head men must be confirmed by the senate. Senate consideration, considera-tion, however, is limited only to the .top executives. Scores of policymaking policy-making officials beneath the first rank are picked without taxpayers having any sort of say-so. It is well to recall Just here that each of these agencies was legally created by congress. That is, laws were passed which established the several boards, bureaus, commissions, commis-sions, administrations or whatever other names they have. Many of us believe there are too many of them, that the federal government la messing around in too many different dif-ferent fields. Yet, the fact remains that these agencies do exist and consideration of them and their powers pow-ers seems timely since the appropriations appro-priations to run them are being examined ex-amined now. The laws by which these agencies were created are, in general, suf-Aciently suf-Aciently specific to define their Jurisdiction. The thing that causes trouble for the country, however, is one little paragraph that was included in-cluded in each bill by which the particular agency was given life. That paragraph reads, in effect: authority is hereby given for the promulgation of such rules and regulations reg-ulations as the agency deems necessary neces-sary fur administration of this act Make i Many Little Dictators Instead of One Big One That is the rub. That one section of law gives to these arms of the federal government power that even the most highly trained lawyer can not fully calculate. On the surface it seems safe enough, since the law's terms are definite, but what the prevision pre-vision actually does is to hand over to groups of unelected officials the right to say what congress meant in the language written into law. And, moat important of all, when congress began to delegate such authority years and years ago, it began to build up within the federal government a form of dictatorship. The condition differs from the dictatorship dic-tatorship of Hitler and Stalin only In the fact that there are dozens of little dictators instead of one big dictator. In the one appropriations bill which I mentioned, there may be even a thousand little dictators if one considers all of the head men, the bureau chiefs, the division divi-sion officials, the hard boiled lawyers law-yers who think their Job is to persecute per-secute rather than enforce laws. I am quite sure that the above paragraph does not fully set forth all of the possibilities. The outline thus given, however, ought to be sufficient to awaken citizens to the dangers inherent in continued delegation dele-gation of authority to various branches of the government It calls attention to the sad fact that nothing at all has been done within the government to correct probably the most dangerous trend in official administration. Perhaps, I ought to qualify the statement that nothing at all has been done within the government There was a feeble attempt some years ago out of which it was hoped there would be some corrective program emerge. A committee was named and, as far as I have been able to run down the facts, it managed man-aged to hold a few meetings. The story is that the meetings became so earnest on one or two occasions that mention was made of the purposes pur-poses of the committee. But they were soon forgotten and the committee com-mittee gradually succumbed to creeping paralysis. Delegation of New Power to Executive Officers Goes On Through all of the years, therefore, there-fore, there has continued to be a delegation of new power to executive execu-tive officers of the federal government govern-ment It is nearly as bad in the state governments. Moreover, through all of the years, officials of these agencies being human have continued to reach for and obtain, more power than was ever intended to be in their hands. There is no mushroom that can grow faster than a federal agency, once it gets in proper soil and temperature. It is well to remember, also, that there are many types of mushrooms that are poisonous. All of this brings us to what the American Bar association is trying to do. It brings to the front seat efforts made by a special committee commit-tee of the association by way of getting get-ting legislation through congress to fence in these boys and girls on public pub-lic payrolls so that the rank and file of citizens have a chance. The special committee is headed by Col. O. R. McGulre, who lately resigned as an attorney in the General Gen-eral Accounting office. Colonel Mc-Guire Mc-Guire saw the black death approach ing, and he believes the disease of granting more and more power to executive offices of the government is surely going to reach the vitals of our republican form of government govern-ment unless drastic medicine is given. I am not prepared to say that the bill which Colonel McGuire almost single-handedly pressed before congressional con-gressional committees is the proper corrective measure. There have been loopholes found In it, plenty of them. There has been opposition to it from among members of the national na-tional lawyers' group. Doubtless, other weak spots will be found. But it must not be said that the principle of checking the vicious trend is wrong; and it seems to bo an opportune op-portune time for real work to be done. The American Bar association associa-tion Is big enough, its members have brains enough, its membership has power enough, to force something through congress. Whether it is the McGulre bill as it stands, a modification modifica-tion of that or a completely rewritten rewrit-ten measure, the bar association had better assert itself in the interest of the public. Lawyers Objects of Barbed Darts From the President The American Bar association and lawyers generally have been sub jected to barbed darts from President Presi-dent Roosevelt On one pretext or another, Mr. Roosevelt has put tacks in the seats of lawyers' pants ever since he entered the White House. Fundamentally, that criticism al ways has been based in the President's Presi-dent's belief that lawyers were not working in the public Interest. Here, then, it seems to me, Is a fine opportunity. op-portunity. Inasmuch as the asso ciation's governing body meets early in 19-10 and inasmuch as 1940 is a year of national elections, why,' I ask, does not the bar association get busy? Why not demand of the candidates can-didates for the house of representatives representa-tives and the senate a pledge that they act on some legislation that will partially restore a representative representa-tive form of government as distinguished distin-guished from the thousand little dictators dic-tators now running our federal machinery? ma-chinery? And In connection with what may be done In seeking a solution for the problem, I want to suggest a rather simple method. Let congress create a Joint committee of representatives and senators who would be empowered empow-ered to pass upon all of these rules and regulations that are issued in the countless offices of government Not only the 46 Independent teachers' teach-ers' pets, but all arms of the federal fed-eral government having the right to set up enforcement powecs. It long has been regarded as a prerogative of congress to Inquire into the operations of the executive branch of the government Congress Con-gress has been Jealous of that prerogative, pre-rogative, as it should be. If it would create such a committee as I have suggested, therefore, it would be a means of preventing the evils of a million rules about which congress now has nothing to say and it would restore to congress, as the elected representatives of the people, the authority which It has foolishly given away. And if there needs to be face-saving on badly drawn laws, congress would be able to do that without having to admit that it is, cr has been, wrong. Even Lawyers Stumped at Meaning of Many Documents An exposition of all of the phases of such a problem as government rules and regulations is extremely difficult. Comparatively few lawyers law-yers in Washington can understand all of the intricate language and purposes of the piles of printed documents that emerge every day from federal agencies, and these lawyers, or many of them, have devoted lives to constant study of such stuff. Imagine for yourself, therefore, what a fix you. untrained in law. would be in if you attempted to fight your own battles with an arrogant, self-appointed interpreter of federal policy. One of the many reasons why I am stressing the necessity for cor rection of this condition at once Is that our government has expanded so rapidly in the last six years Where there were rules and rrgula tions affecting only business a te years ago. there are now great vrl umes of ruTcs and regulations af fecting you and me. as individuals WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS BY JOSEPH W. LaBlNE U. S. Scorns Neutrality Policy In Sympathizing With Finland; Russia Moves Against Rumania (EDITOR'S NOTE Whea pinions are expressed In the.se columns, they are those ef the aewi analyst and not necessarily ef this newspaper.) Released br Western Newspaper Union. - INTERNATIONAL: Tears for Finland This month the Communist party's par-ty's magazine in Moscow, Agitator's Companion, pointed out that "President "Pres-ident Roosevelt is more and more siding with the Incendiaries of war," that "American imperialists are dreaming of world mastery," and that American business is "sparing no effort ... to save European capitalism," This didn't Jibe with the Republican Repub-lican party's Ideas or with those of America's President though each was fighting the other over an International In-ternational red herring, namely, the jrW- fmi- i .f : " : IWItltum iih-tmM iiniii"1ii'..K'."'.'iM. THE SPLITUP? Map circulating in Europe shows this to be the division oj Baltic and Scandinavian Scan-dinavian nations planned by Russia and Germany, giving tin Reich half of Sweden. correct U. S. attitude concerning Russia's invasion of Finland. The G. O. P. was obviously making a political issue of Mr. Roosevelt's refusal re-fusal to recall Laurence Steinhardt, ambassador to Moscow. White House spokesmen argued plausibly that this wouldn't be neutral, but it made little difference: Everybody from the President down was already al-ready unneutral, siding with little Finland so boldly that what few Iso lationists remained were alarmed. The President publicly condemned Russia' aggression, but indicated nothing would be gained by sever ing relations. He next talked about a Joint Fan-American declaration rebuffing the Soviet which was merely a political move to offset Republican criticism. Finally, he decided Finland's December 15 war debt payment of $234,693 ought to be turned over to RFC and expended through the American Red Cross to purchase'U. S. surplus commodities for Finland. Unabashed Soviet Russia was undoubtedly Europe's most generally disliked power, but it mattered little to the Bolsheviks. Having refused to attend at-tend a League of Nations meeting called by Finland In protest over her Invasion, the Soviet apparently could choose between quitting the league or being thrown out Swe r den mobilized against the menace. In Denmark a parliament, all members walked out when a lone Communist got up to speak, and a few minutes later a prominent prom-inent Nazi ; -.- s 1 ' V , SANDLER A sign member suggested sug-gested that diplomatic relations with the Soviet be broken. Italian planes were rushed to the Finns while Fascist crowds hooted the reds But 200.000 troops In the seventh Russian army continued to fight unabashed, un-abashed, puzzled, as was all the world, at how little Finland could stage such a terrific defense. Meanwhile the diplomatic forecasters fore-casters were busy. Sweden's Foreign For-eign Minister R. J. Sandler, who called the other Scandinavian for- NAMES i .. in the news1 Joseph P. Kennedy, U. S. ambassador am-bassador to Great Britain, arrived ar-rived via transatlantic clipper for conferences which may help determine de-termine parts of the U. S. foreign for-eign policy. AI Capone, former Chicago gang lojd recently released from Alcatras. was placed under the care of Dr. Manfred S. Guttmach-er, Guttmach-er, prominent psychiatrist Frits Rnhn, German-American "bundsfuehrer" convicted of stealing his organization's funds, was given 24 to S years at Sing Sing prison. Irene Castle McLaughlin, or.ee an international dancing star, dropped her suit to divorce her sportsman husband, MaJ. Frederic Fred-eric McLaughlin. I'll eign ministers for a defense talk, hrd that Nazi Germany was de-mwidmg de-mwidmg his resignation. This gave credence to reports that the Reich and Russia planned to conquer both Finland -and Sweden and divide them as shown on a map being circulated cir-culated around eastern Europe. (See map.) It this was far fetched, there was nothing unlikely about a Russian drive into the Balkans. A knowing world (which remembers how Soviet So-viet "mutual defense" treaties have made Estonia. Latvia and Lithuania subservient to the Kremlin, and how Finland found herself at war for refusing such a treaty) was not surprised sur-prised when Moscow's Communist International suggested a similar treaty be consummated with Rumania Ru-mania I AGRICULTURE: Self-Sufficiency This winter, to cut the federal deficit defi-cit and still provide $500,000,000 more for defense, congress must save elsewhere. Early to see handwriting hand-writing on the wall is the department depart-ment of agriculture, which promptly announced a 50 per cent slash in cotton export subsidies But Secretary Secre-tary Henry A. Wallace will not stand idle and Watch congress wreck his expensive farm program. Meeting at Chicago, the Farm Bureau federation fed-eration heard Mr. Wallace drop a few hints of what he has in mind. The general plan: To make the farm program self-supporting to assure as-sure its permanency. Possible means Include re-enactment of processing proc-essing taxes (voided by the Supreme Su-preme court in 1936), the domestic allotment certificate plan, and earmarking ear-marking all custom receipts (instead (in-stead of only 30 per cent) for payment pay-ment of farm benefits. Most broadly broad-ly hinted plan is a general manu- V FEDERATION'S O'NEAL Not so certain . . . facturers' sales tax, which he termed "simply the farmer's tariff." Groups like the Millers' National federation fed-eration promptly called it a "consumers' "con-sumers' sales tax on an essential food," but that didn't solve the problem, prob-lem, either. At least one major agricultural figure, the Farm Bureau's President Presi-dent Edward O'Neal, agreed with Mr. Wallace in principal. Said he: The farm program must be made self-supporting "because national prosperity is directly dependent on the welfare of the farmers." Farmer O'Neal was less certain of his constituents' support on another an-other point the reciprocal trade program pro-gram which comes up for congressional congres-sional renewal next term. Though he called it "the best approach yet made" to solve the foreign trade problem, thereby agreeing with Seo-retary Seo-retary of State Cordell Hull, Mr. O'Neal thereby got many a dirty look from farmers who believe the program is undermining America's agricultural independence. THE WAR: Squeeze Play So dull was western front warfare war-fare that both Britain and Germany were reported shipping planes to aid the beleaguered Finns (see Interne-tional). Interne-tional). Meanwhile Britain, France and other anti-Russian members of the League of Nations sought that nation's expulsion when the League met to hear why Finland doesn't like to be invaded. For a time it seemed that Neville Chamberlain's battle against Hitler-ism Hitler-ism was being held in abeyance pending outcome of Finnish hostilities, hostili-ties, a possibility that became more plausible when older classes of both French and German troops were demobilized. de-mobilized. But this was only part of the plan: The allies were fighting an economic war, and their most potent weapon was only then being sharpened. The weapon had two edges. French-British fleet were ordered to seize all German exports wherever wher-ever they might be found, thus cutting cut-ting off the Reich's supply of foreign for-eign exchange. The other edge: A plan for allied purchase of all exportable ex-portable surpluses ef Germany's neighbors, at prices the Reich was unable to pay. After a few days of this, German economists were not ashamed to admit the blockade was beginning to pinch. Only Rumania, under sudden pressure from Russia, refused to cut her sales to the Reich. UUJli'"J' I I i Pledge After two days of denouncing the New Deal In convention speeches, the National Association of Manu-facturers Manu-facturers adopted a "platform of American industry" which was nota-ble nota-ble first because It was a consensus of U. S. industrial leadership, and second, because it was only mildly critical of the New DeaL Points: (1) to labor, the association pledged the highest income possible, a healthful environment security, sickness sick-ness and accident protection; (2) on collective bargaining, a defense of the worker'! right to choose his own union, smattered with mild criticism of the national labor act; (3) to consumers, con-sumers, a pledge to seek greater value of products; (4) to investors, clear reports of stockholders and maintenance of a sufficiently strong capital structure. POLITICS: Detvey Sendoff Overnight America learned it had a potential presidential candidate to oppose Franklin Roosevelt should he seek a third term next year. At Princeton, N. J., a Gallup poll was released showing New York's District Dis-trict Attorney Tom Dewey trailing 46 per cent to 54 per cent in a mythical race with the President Significantly, most Rooseveltian support sup-port came from low income and relief re-lief classes, but it was equally significant sig-nificant that the Fresident had more strength than in a similar "trial heat" last May. Carefully avoiding premature commitments, the Gallup summary warned that anything can happen between now and election. Not too enthusiastic was the national na-tional reception to Tom Dewey's opening campaign speech at Minneapolis. Minne-apolis. Hinging his entire argument on a forgotten and unimportant Rooseveltian comment that "our Industrial In-dustrial plant is built" Candidate Dewey challenged: "Shall it be said that new America is matured and completed and overbuilt and Incapable Incap-able of further expansion and new achievements? ... I say no, with resentment and anger." Wisely, he left unsaid any opinions opin-ions en how he would solve problems prob-lems of agriculture, labor, business, finance and unemployment. But observers ob-servers hoped he would not be silent si-lent too long. ASIA: Blunder and Pressure Busily scattering diplomatic onslaughts on-slaughts in every direction the Japanese Jap-anese government found its "new order" program for the Orient obstructed ob-structed by two Chinamen: (1) Wang Ching-Wei, popular candidate for puppet Chinese ruler, who blunderingly blunder-ingly blasted peace talks with the U. S. by printing four anti-American articles in his newspaper; (2) old Marshal Wu Pei-fu, "China's only honest war lord" and probably the Japanese government's real candidate can-didate for puppet Marshal Wu upset up-set Tokyo's plan the most: He died. Evidently deciding to make the most of Wang's blunder, Tokyo forfeited for-feited the American friendship she had made by agreeing to pay U. S. claims for property damage in China. Using pressure tactics, the foreign office indicated displeasure over increased American naval strength in the Pacific, indicating that Japan may wax friendly with Russia unless the U. S. changes its tune. RELIEF: Hunger in Ohio Toledo's schools were closed and 20,000 reliefers lived on limited rations. ra-tions. Dayton and Akron also felt the pinch. In Cleveland, where 16,-000 16,-000 were even deprived of the white flour and apples formerly given them, somebody noticed that garbage gar-bage collections were smaller. Part MAYOR BURTON Ohio's unhappiest man, of this problem was dumped In the lap of Gov. John W. Bricker, who promptly dumped it right back. When New York's Mayor Fiorella LaGuardia asked him to take care of the "starving people," the governor gov-ernor suggested that he clean up his own back yard. In Washington. WPA Administrator F. C. Harrington Harring-ton denied the governor's accusation accusa-tion that Cleveland's acute problem "is due at least in part to political manipulation of WPA." The most unhappy man in Ohio was Cleveland's Mayor Harold H. Burton, who got a blunt refusal when he asked the governor to call a special legislative session to deal with the relief problem. The final blow came when his city council demanded de-manded that he restore "full relief' re-lief' Immediately to single persons and childless counloe h-k, . "tmv nue cut off "so that children might eat" Moaned the mayor: "If anyon- o .FT - - .i WHO'S NEWS THIS m WEEK By LEMUEL F. PARTON NEW YORK. In the light of continuing con-tinuing difficulties In establishing establish-ing a safe and comfortable world order, it is interesting to recall that Rousseau Union of Europe, "coppered the Then of World, bet" after he r- d l J f had set up his Force Behind it BOcial con. tract" and his nicely behaved "natural "nat-ural man." When he considered his paragon in the light of International relations, he counseled for the world "a general league, fully armed," the last two significant words implying imply-ing quite a considerable qualification of all he had written before. Lord David Davies, president of the University of Wales, out for a federated Europe, makes a similar concession to eternal cussedness, having first given his heart to the hawks In bis advocacy of a league of nations staked mainly on human brotherhood. broth-erhood. Now he calls for the police. His views are relayed to this country In a letter to Rep. Harold Knutson of Minnesota. Minne-sota. They are new only in that he is now narrowing them to a European federation rather than a world state. Now, as for several years past, he insists that the most urgently needed need-ed arrangement is for a world police po-lice force, in the form of an international inter-national navy, and land forces if necessary. The lack of power to enforce decrees is what he thinks killed the league. Last year, he formed the new commonwealth society, so-ciety, with Winston Churchill heading head-ing it in England. He says it is established and progressing in 14 countries. A federated Europe would be the first step toward a federated world. Lord Davies Is not only a University Uni-versity president, but an industrialist, indus-trialist, a director of the Great Western railway and the Midland Mid-land bank and chairman of most of the great colliery enterprises of Great Britain. He was in parliament for more than 20 years. He was a leader in the early campaign for a league of nations union and is now a trustee. His proposal, like the several other oth-er plans for continental unity, is sharply at variance with Clarence Streifs "Union now." In Lord Davies' Da-vies' plan, the state, backed by force, would be the unit in the cooperative co-operative endeavor; in Mr. Streit's plan, the individual is the unit and force is repudiated. ANOTHER possible defection from the prevailing European power complex appears in the apparent ap-parent political drift of handsome M. Homtort J-J, l. Nucleus of New bert of Italy. Power in Italy H hfs f sharply aloof from the Fascist political regime, and there are persistent reports from many observers, Journalistic and others, that he and the king are taking the play away from Mussolini. Mus-solini. With the powerful Marshal Badoglio, also a hold-out against the Fascists, he has been somewhat some-what less than lukewarm about the axis and overtly opposed to Joining Germany In the war. He Is 35 years old, personable and popular, the master of five languages, lan-guages, trained In the arm- since he was nine years old, with m strong army following behind him. His wife was Princess Prin-cess Marie Jose of Belgium. They have a small son and daughter. "THE Important assignment of de-liverini? de-liverini? ami thm..). " vulfrlillGli w UUUJ this country to Europe is handed to a man who Is somewhat of a spe- Cet War Goods f lalis ta, at wua line. He is Sir Across the Sea, Ashley Sparks Sparks' Task a E- who . .. , was director of the British ministry of shipping to the World war. Then as now. "V, C5laeni director of the Cun-ard Cun-ard line for thA ttm;j ; toS taken this post in 1916, after 19 ' ' '. v. devious resiaence here. His new responsibility, as head of the United States branch of the British ministry of shipping, ship-ping, will be to get the war materials ma-terials across, in co-operation with Arthur B. Purvis, head ef the British purchasing commission commis-sion In this country. Sir Ashley was first here in 1897 to an office Job with the shipping firm of Shewan. Tomes & Co.. of Hongkong. An outpost of empire, ready when needed, he is m all else a New Yorker, entertaining lavishly at his beautiful estate near Syosset Long Island. K (Consolidated Featuri-WNU ServlcO YOU CAN MAKE YOU FLY yot go home for ft, holidays this year? Y0Bcil mak t if you fly. Yo reach any point hm, sPenJ several day, wifing and return inside f a week. Inquire, low round trip fares. HOUSEHOLD TO QUESTIONS Icings will not run off take the cakes are first sprinkled -Jy with cornstarch. . . ; Bulbs Need Moistnre-Most the failures of winter flowe-bulbs flowe-bulbs is due to imperfect root -velopment because of lack moisture. A little sand placed der hyacinth, tulin and ,.;." bulbs whea planting them irj gmmenaea. Follow these 3 steps as pictured 1 For sora throat 1 " WW. iIW R 4 PH 1 f To relievs hesdiclis. L-r discomfort and 5 2. To relieve heatetw, bodydlscpmiimii"- Aspirin iaDleI Repeal in 3.ChckS2S ..... If WW Pi issrfJE ture oo" down-"11 dociw Tlnth ar.hett and raw throat lieved this convenient way.H hours of discomfort. At the first sicn of sore throatN a cold follow the directions n 4 pictures above the simplest a among the most euetuve mn-known mn-known to modern science to f fast relief. . The Bayer gargle win f-you f-you easing throat rawness hurry. And the Bayer tem internally quicKiy reiievo u-painful u-painful cold symptoms. Try this way. You will say J unequalled. But when you m sura you get the fast- j acting Bayer product,, you want. Ask for Bayer rt w Aspirin by its full name. GENUINE BAYER Tyrants Need Fear vr u ,,rant have any - ness to be afraid.-Hardoui Perefixe. Here Is Amazing z,t Conditions Due to Siuggis" bo niid. tHorouA. refresh" XadabU relit from c 7 a)l0J tired fceiioc wben "-.7N!jI Without Risk icvq Sf bo delighted, retura nrniX the purcnua rice. Tbat'e X NR Tablet today. WNU W Culture's Effect The value of culture a on character.-waug- WHEN kidneys wk?V you suffer . fll. with diixinc, """"'-tyS ' frequent urination r night, when y pX fith dininca.ow 'Lty, working kidneys. are used every ye- A mended the counr neighbor! -yy J i ! BILIOU. 9 Sadir Um smni . i J |
