"Locusts"

The President of the U. S. last week told the country that the halls of Congress were "haunted by a locust swarm of lobbyists" (see p. 15). This was news to no newspaper in the U. S. General descriptions of the locust-swarm were wired out of Washington by correspondents, but without naming names.

Active and successful lobbies which pay their legislative agents $10,000 or so per year to secure Congressional favors include the following:

Veterans. Dapper, aggressive John Thomas Taylor of the American Legion and dark, stocky L. S. ("Ted") Ray of the Veterans of Foreign Wars pushed the War widows pension bill through the House last week. But Lobbyist Ray failed to get the Bonus out of committee.

Government Clerks. Luther Stewart and Gertrude McNally lobby for the National Federation of Federal Employes. They managed to beat a real pay cut in the House omnibus economy bill.

Motorists. The American Automobile Association, whose special pleader is Alexander E. Johnson, failed to block a Senate increase in the automobile tax.

Oil. Flashy with diamonds is Lobbyist Wirt Franklin of the Independent Petroleum Association. He got his tariff in the tax bill.

Farmers. Chester Grey, lobbyist for the American Farm Federation, Joseph Simpson, for the Farmers Union. Last week they were inactive.

Railroads. Alfred Pembroke Thorn, counsel for the Association of Railway Executives, takes care of his client before Congress.

Wets. Lawyer Levi Cooke lobbies for brewers. As a sideline last week he fought off a tax on cosmetics.

Drys. Most famed of lobbyists are Dr. Clarence True Wilson of the Methodist Board of Temperance and Francis Scott McBride of the Anti-Saloon League.

Peace. Against all military expenditures lobbies Frederick Libby of the National Council for Prevention of War.

Women. Margaret Sanger lobbies for Birth Control. Dorothy Detzler, young and fair, represents the International League of Women Voters. Elizabeth Eastman works for a combination of other women's organizations.

Labor. Lobbyist for the American Federation of Labor is shrewd, able Edward Francis McGrady.

Free Lance. Ready to take on any lobby client is Frank Wheeler Mondell who, because he was once Republican Floor Leader in the House, does a thriving trade "contacting" his erstwhile colleagues.

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