Show I Shades o of Statecraft of-Statecraft t I Br By I Y RICHARD WOOTTON As S THE administration tion stretches forth its hand to test the pulse of the nation it Inn may feel only the pulse of those interested enough to volu volunteer for the test and it may inay mistake the false front of pressure groups for the genuine desires of the naI na na- na- na I tion After the election is over informal I political participation lobbying carries i Ion on oil the presentation of interests where here the I electorate left off of But whose interests I dare are carried is often cause for co concern Defenders of the Ute existing representative I system with its third its f f third house composed of pressure gr groups claim that such lab lab- T I bles bies are desirable that desirable that they put within the reach of hc legislator information that he lie himself could not gather and that they represent various sectional and amid occupational occupational occupational interests to which the representative senta- senta tive might mint noti otherwise not otherwise be responsive ve The rhe objectionable feature of political participation participation by by by lobbies is that the interests interests interests in in- well veIl represented are those well yell financed and and anci organized rather than those with concern concern l for foj the general welfare SpecificallY it is is he lie interests interests' of the utility utility utility ty monopolies lies rather th than n the rate payers payers pay pay- ers rs the the large large corporations and wealthy attempting attempt to cut their direct t taxation a rather Ahan the average man pleading to tolIa lIa have ye his indirect taxI tax burden lifted and strikebreaking strike breaking employers rather than the laborers Although though the Republican party is th the p party pty ty of capital its defeat does not pre pie c ude the extreme pressure of economic power mower Jower in ill congress during the coming term Those interests which the people voted overwhelmingly ag against will vill hold a large majority i in l the third house I A legislator has in the past been someI somewhat somewhat some some- I what unable to distinguish between group opinions as presented by lobbyists and genuine public opinion However with the development and perfection of straw T poll 1011 tech techniques l ques means I dare are arc afforded for ascertaining group opinions opinions I 1 ions without thou t considering the claims of lobbies s. s TIm Thus straw l u straw stra polls properly cone con- con e dieted may materially weaken the influence influence ence of pressure groups upon congress Which leaves leaves- on only the problem of f how to o oI properly conduct a straw poll I h h T |