AMERICA’S BRAIN TRUST

Hokitika Guardian, 24 June 1933, Page 3

AMERICA’S BRAIN TRUST

THE MOVING SPIRIT. The cable news announces that Professor liloley i 6 on his way to the London Conference. The following' message from Washington last month, indicates who and what the Professor is, and the proplteoy in 'the‘concluding sentence of Ah© message hap come true. Everywhere one goes in Washington, folks are discussing Roosevelt’s “Brain Trust” headed by Professor Raymond Moley (46), ' and nominally Assistaiit,Secretary of Strife. People who have business with the ■Government declare that lie is more Secretary of State than Senator Cordell Hull, and more Secretary of the Treasury than Mr Woodin. Everyone wants to know wliat the “Brain Trust” is doing arid Avliat it will do next. Whether it- is true that it is ruling the country behind the White House throne, and whether ii has really changed America’s Government to constitutional dictatorship, and especially - whether the professoriat’s objective is Fascism, Communism, or what.

These are not merely theoretical questions. They are questions about which people are demanding answers. Official Washington has been rent asunder by tire ’advent of ‘ the piofessoriat. Either one is for the “Brain Trust” cr against it. Either one points with pride to a new deal, sprang full-panoplied from the brain of the professoriat, or on© views with alarm the dictatorship.

The “Brain Trust ’ completely overshadows Cabinet. Newspaper reporters are quick, to, e.orisuft .<.t'he*.e„ knowing that each '.probably has on his hip to-day the draft c-f a hill’that' will become the Rocneveit programme, to-morrow.

Professor Moley is a square-shoulder-ed pinkish-cheeked man - with greying brown bair on a high-domed' head. He occupies a great suite of offices with a bevy of fine-looking women secretaries, including an honours student from ore of his' science classes in Barnard College, where he still goes weekly to lecture. A Moley is admittedly the Presidents closest adviser. He it was who conceived the Constitutional Dictatorship. He took America off the gold standard, and it is his plan Ito, /stabilise currencies at the London Conference. Mr Roosevelt will not attend London, but Professor Moley will.