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Show onal Topics Interpreted by William Bruckart JmW 7 Washington, P. c- SJJRUUI National Press Building Washlngton.-Mueh ado Is being made around Washington again over lobbyists, it Lobbyists Is true that there Aft; are now PernaPs Actwe more lobbyists in Washington than at any time In the last fifteen years. It is true they are Influencing legislation, and I think It can be said without fear of contradiction that lobbyists are responsible re-sponsible for a portion of the balking balk-ing tactics in congress. Existence of this unusual condition condi-tion in Washington carries more significance, however, than just the fact that special Interests or individual indi-vidual interests are trying to protect pro-tect themselves. From a good many sources I gather the opinion that the condition means the President's power has weakened. It is to be remembered that when Mr. Roosevelt carried his New Deal into the White House and led the largest Democratic majority major-ity ever to control the national legislative leg-islative body, that very fact thwarted thwart-ed lobbying. Very few .of the so-called so-called special interests had the courage to button hole Individual representatives or senators to plead their cause. These representatives repre-sentatives and senators were looking look-ing to White House leadership; their fate rested on the New Deal, and they were unable accurately to gauge what public sentiment would be if they openly disagreed with Presidential orders. In those days, the corridors of the Capitol and the house and senate office buildings were virtually deserted of petition- move he may make to press for ac-"on ac-"on on what Is generally regarded Is a ridiculous piece of legls a-tlon. a-tlon. It is a thirty-year-old pro posal, anyway. It all goes to show that, at leas among those with the courage their convictions, president Roosevelt Roose-velt is not as powerful as he was in the first year of his reign. Balking Balk-ing tactics in congress over he public works relief bill was but the outward sign of courage underneath. under-neath. I have reported to you heretofore that there were mutter-ings mutter-ings and expressions of discontent within the President's vast majority major-ity in the house and senate. While the malcontents are not openly criticizing the President, they are able to accomplish their purpose by delay and disagreement over what ordinarily would be very minor details. de-tails. I believe It is the consensus also that the activities of petitioners for their rights are responsible to a large extent for the creation of numerous blocs in congress. It has been observed by numerous publicists that if there Is danger dan-ger of Fascism in the United States, it lies in this rise of blocs in congress. The natural result Is to replace and break up the two old-established parties. Thus far In this session there has been evidence evi-dence time after time of bloc activities, ac-tivities, one against another. This condition results in legislative trades, not all of which result in good or even well-written legislation. ers for that Is what a lobbyist is. To the extent that lobbyists, operated oper-ated In the early days of the Roosevelt administration, they sought to influence Presidential decision de-cision and the activities of the brain trust and underlings who drafted the Presidential programs. Once these programs had been submitted to congress, the opposition to the.o1 largely ..subsded and members jumped to the crack of the Presidential Presi-dential whip. As stated above, individual indi-vidual members were afraid to go against White House orders and lobbyists were afraid to combat the President's popularity. But a year ago, various Interests throughout the country began to sense a feeling that they could again talk with members of congress con-gress safely. They began organizing organiz-ing their representations here as they formerly had enjoyed, and little lit-tle by little broadened the scope of their activities. A singular part about the present condition Is the mushroom growth of the lobbyists.' Supplementing their growth has been an unusual fearlessness. They are busy pushing all kinds of causes, good and bad. Some forces estimate there are close to five hundred different groups and organizations actively petitioning congress to do this or that according to their lights. There are such gigantic lobbies as that of organized labor, agriculture and the American Legion. There are lob- htpi fnr rplln-innsj find rnetnf crnnno Now that President Roosevelt has title to $4,SSO,000,000 to spend pretty much as he How Will It pleases, the ques- Be Spent? tlon Is heard around Washington Washing-ton more and more frequently, what is he going to do v The truth ip t'iut administration plans for utilizing this vast sum of money are so nebulous that no one can tell, even the officials themselves, to what uses it will be put. One hears about attacking the problem of soil erosion so that the destruction destruc-tion by dust storms will occur no more, and there is talk of many public works projects. When one tries to find out details of these, however, he is promptly confronted confront-ed by a stone wall, either of silence si-lence or of a frank statement that only the outlines have thus far been considered. Conversations over luncheon tables ta-bles In Washington seem to Indicate Indi-cate that actual spending of this money in any appreciable sum will not get under way for some months. In fact, there seems to be ground for belief that nothing of substantial substan-tial character will take place In a spending way before next winter. And, If that Is true the comment suggests, the great appropriation will be effective only In a political way next spring and summer. It should be remembered that the amount voted the President In this one resolution which Is to be spent The power Interests at the moment bulk large with their lobbying activities. ac-tivities. Individual lines of industry indus-try have, their representatives here In numbers. The railroads, for example, ex-ample, have headquarters here for their Association of American Railroads Rail-roads and it is also the headquarters headquar-ters for the Shortline Railroad association. as-sociation. The bankers maintain a legislative committee of the American Amer-ican Bankers' association here, and even scientific groups have their people treading water in the halls of congress, watching and waiting to be sure that nothing detrimental to their interests is done by the legislators. It will be recalled that several weeks ago Mr. Roosevelt let loose c n one of the bitter- ees Power est messages he Waning has ever sent to congress in denunciation de-nunciation of the activities of the power lobby. At that time, the vicious vi-cious character of his accusations against the power Interests was attributed at-tributed by many observers to his Intense feeling that public utility holding companies should be abol ished. He felt that cliques of financiers finan-ciers were taking advantage of in. nocent investors and he wanted to tell the country about it. Now, however, it develops that he was shooting not only at the power group but at all so-called special in-terests in-terests which were seeking to pro tect themselves from what thev r garded as flagrant violations of P'operty rights of the established business practices, it must be said that for a few days, the President's "essage did have the effect of slow! ng down lobbying activities but the lobbyists had tasted of their own power. They were not to be r.ghtened by any Presidential at tack nor by the threat of Self of Alabama to tt 5 ogis ation compelling lobby,.' V nslungton to register. 4 ' , - of cold fact. ,t is n,y , at Senator P.lack will find himself Uiorougluy circumvented ln any practically at his direction is greater great-er than the total expenditure of the federal government for any year from 1922 to 1931. With further references to lobbying lobby-ing activities, It Is made to appear . that two .organi-tlfectwe .organi-tlfectwe zations have done Lobbying an especially good job. I refer to the operations of the American Legion Le-gion office in Washington and its fight for the veterans' bonus, and the activity of the various agricultural agricul-tural and farm organizations who have been fighting off certain phases of railroad legislation. The farmers, according to the best Information I can get, are op. posed to federal regulation of interstate in-terstate bus and truck business because be-cause they feel the proposed lols-lation lols-lation will hamper farm-to-mnrkct hauling, i suspect that the bus and truck group have persuaded the farm representatives to oppose regulatory reg-ulatory measures for busses and rucks on the basis of misuser, landing. I have made numerous Inquiries of legislative drafting ex perts and of house and senate "lend ers respecting the point at ss, P and all have assured me tha Z proposed federal regulation w ,1 -way PI)ly t0 farm,0.mark While the point made here Is not at al impoptant nnJ operators of trucks understand they will doubtless shv . . " fe Position thoThatft ustrates how one organlza Ion v its Joh that there 1 ,PRl,,n (,"no """' at the tiHmien t "'-V outcon.e. tC . rT'',,nf: ,,la Nation passed v '""ma '"K- or vetoed by i... ' , 1 ,(! RK"d |