Patronage Squabbles

James Roosevelt, "closest by blood and affection to the man who makes the appointments," last week continued to keep the Massachusetts patronage pot boiling. Thanks to the President's eldest son, a 28-year-old Haverhill drug clerk named John E. Donahue was made receiver for Essex National Bank at $4,000 per year. Receiver Donahue spent three years at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, later mixed prescriptions in his father's drug store. He was ardently "For-Roosevelt-Before-Chicago." Last year he was elected State Representative from a district that had not sent a Democrat to Boston since he was born. Son James wangled his appointment out of the Treasury after Essex National's conservator, an experienced banking man, had been dismissed.

The Donahue selection caused a Massachusetts uproar. Depositors, fearful lest they lose by the receiver's lack of training, considered formally protesting his appointment. Haverhill's Democratic City Committee increased its political flavor by warmly endorsing it. Appeals to the State's Democratic bosses--Senator Walsh and Governor Ely--were met with the retort that it was impossible to interfere with the President's son.

James Roosevelt's assumption of political power has severely galled State leaders. There has even been talk of a bitter feud between Son James and Senator Walsh. Last week young Mr. Roosevelt attempted to spike such gossip as follows: ''I have a personal genuine affection for Senator Walsh. ... I recognize him as the leader ... in Massachusetts. . . . No effort ... to strain the relations between us will be successful and I am looking forward with keen anticipation to the pleasure of supporting him . . . for reelection in 1934."

Other patronage news of the week:

P: At the Capitol Democratic Senators were secretly circulating a round-robin to the President protesting their failure to land jobs for friends. Particularly under fire for failing to appoint deserving Democrats were Secretary of the Interior Ickes, Secretary of Agriculture Wallace, Secretary of Labor Perkins. Nevada's Pittman, Foreign Relations Committee chairman and president protem of the Senate, was credited with a letter to the President which declared: "It is a strange thing that if a Democrat recommends an appointee, it is political coercion. If a Republican recommends one, it is entirely unselfish. If a Democrat is named ... it involves political corruption. If a Republican is named it is an indication of high-minded non-partisanship."

P: Returning to Washington, Speaker Rainey flayed the Farm Credit Administration for not doing more to relieve the farm mortgage situation, charged that Republicans were still in charge of its policies. Said he: "Every key man in the old Republican organization has been retained. In the last election the whole farm population revolted and voted for a change but no change has resulted. I am not insisting upon a Democratic set-up but I am protesting against Republican control."

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