Explosion

The House last week gave Franklin Roosevelt one of the sharpest rebukes ever dealt a U.S. President. The Disney rider passed, 268-to-129, repealing Franklin Roosevelt's directive of Oct. 3, 1942, which clamped a $25,000-net limit on salaries.

Month ago, Oklahoma's squarejawed, square-shooting Wesley E. Disney set the fuse. Disney, 59, a Kansas-born onetime trial lawyer, widely popular in the House, is an old hand at political fireworks. Back in 1923 he directed the successful impeachment of an Oklahoma Governor. Last year, almost singlehanded, he upset the Treasury's attempt to cut the tax allowances of oil-well operators (Oklahoma's chief industry). In many another tax revolt Oklahoma's Disney has been well up front.

On this bill he headed the Congressional revolt against the Administration. He wanted to repeal the $25,000 salary ceiling in such a way that Franklin Roosevelt could not veto the measure. His problem was solved when the Administration asked legislation lifting the statutory debt limit to $210,000,000,000. To the Administration's bill, Disney tacked on his rider.

Last week Wesley Disney's fuse burned down, exploded. The House vote against Franklin Roosevelt's order was more than an ominous reprimand to a President; for Congress, it was an action without modern precedent. Congressional historians could not recall when any other Congress in American history had voted to revoke an executive order.

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