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Show National Topics Interpreted by William Bruckart Jfljffiffils National Prt Building Wuhlngton. D. C. SsSjMflr" Washington. Politics being inseparable insep-arable from governmental administration admin-istration under Build Campaign our system, it Battle Line becomes pertl-nent pertl-nent at this time to examine what has happened in the late session of congress. In a nation where a two-party political structure obtains, politics cannot be segregated from the administration in the larger sense. It is not with a critical attitude, therefore, that the magnifying glass is held over the doings of President Roosevelt, his cabinet and brain trust advisers ad-visers and the congress that has lately adjourned. I believe it will be agreed that politics has predominated In the management of our national affairs during the last eight months especially. espe-cially. The fervor and appeal that was held for recovery by all of us during the earlier days of the Roosevelt administration seems to have been largely dissipated. That is not to say that no one wants to see recovery accomplished. It is to say, however, that this fervor and thjs appeal has been somewhat subordinated. sub-ordinated. Thus, it can be summarized sum-marized in a brief sentence: The administration, looking to the election elec-tion of 1936, has been engaged in building campaign battle lines and forging campaign ammunition. The 1934 congressional elections presented to the country an issue based on the performances and future fu-ture program of President Roosevelt Roose-velt It was accorded a proposition where citizens were voting either to give the New Deal a future mandate man-date and the President authority to proceed as be thought best or to vote a mandate that would call a halt on those same performances and policies. The country supported support-ed Mr. Roosevelt, some of his advisers ad-visers since have told me, in a manner even more substantial than he had anticipated. He emerged from that campaign with a larger Democratic majority In the house than he had before. In addition he was accorded much more than a necessary two-thirds of the senate. The picture looked roseate. Though the congress that has just ended Its session gave the President Pres-ident many anxious hours, I think that on the whole It can be regarded regard-ed as having provided him with a record of rather arduous and faithful faith-ful response to his wishes. He did not obtain quite all that be wanted nor did he obtain that portion of his program exactly In the form be desired. But, again, politics in congress con-gress is almost a matter of general compromise anyway, so that the President can be said to have come out very well. Be can proceed now to any plans for that session of congress which convenes next January Jan-uary and which, In accordance with nearly all precedents, will adjourn i head of the national political conventions con-ventions next June. Politics being the game that it Is, because some folks are convinced It is confiscatory. If it Is, it is unconstitutional. un-constitutional. And so It is in the case of several sev-eral other pieces of legislation enacting en-acting the New Deal Ideas Into statutes. stat-utes. One by one, it appears they will get before courts for review. Thus, the line of cleavage Is marked. While the President has remained silent, neither denying nor confirming, the undercurrent of Information In-formation that I have reported here, one cannot fail to reach the conclusion conclu-sion that If many of the New Deal measures are held Invalid, the President Pres-ident and his New Deal supporters, of necessity, must go to the country in the next election seeking con-situtional con-situtional modification to permit the use of policies now Inimical to our form of government. That is the issue which the voters will be called upon to decide. Since we have examined the circumstances cir-cumstances from the New Deal side. let us likewise see As to the what the Repub- Opposition licani anJ other oppositionists are doing. Lately, I have talked with some of the recognized Republican wheel horses. Whether they speak the sentiment of the masses of Republican Re-publican voters or whether they voiced their own views Is not Important Im-portant here. Political straws do show which way the political winds are blowing. So when these veterans vet-erans of many political battles say that they welcome the creation by the New Dealers of an issue, they evidently see in the situation worthwhile worth-while opportunities. When they say that they are willing to go to the country in defense of the Constitution Constitu-tion as it stands and the traditions tradi-tions It represents, they evidently feel they are on firm ground. Much water can go over the dam between now and November, 1936, and much sentiment can be changed In that time. But the Republicans thus far have done very little in the way of building up their case. While they appear to be enthusiastic enthusias-tic about their chances against Mr. Roosevelt In 1936, they have thus far failed to develop even a nucleus of an organization. It may be their strategy not to start their cannonading too early. Indeed, I have heard the thought expressed that it would be unwise to use ammunition too far in advance. ad-vance. At any rate, there have been only a scattered few direct attacks on what certainly must be the issue is-sue of 1936. the question of revision or retention of our Constitution. It Is to be noted In this connection that those Republicans who have let go with a few shots have been of the ultraconservative type. I think It Is generally agreed that the Republican Repub-lican set-up next year will be managed man-aged not by the old ultraconserva-tlves ultraconserva-tlves but by those who have pulled away to some extent and who are willing to admit that tfmes have changed conditions. one must look into the future to discover the ultl- Looking to mate goal. So. the Future looking into the future, one discerns dis-cerns several objects or objectives if decided, as well as important interest to the individual voters. In the first place, the consensus urely is that Mr. Roosevelt has lullt a legislative and administrative administra-tive structure In our government :hat presents a concrete and un-lualified un-lualified Issue to the American peo-ile, peo-ile, namely, to proceed along New Deal lines and make the necessary .'hanges in the Constitution to permit per-mit execution of those policies or to throw the whole thing overboard. There can be no equivocation. As the structure stands at this time and as It will stand until the next session of congress is under way, many New Deal propositions are of doubtful constitutionality. If they are so held by the Supreme court of the United States, then Mr. Roosevelt Is believed certain to turn to the country and request Constitutional Con-stitutional revision. Bis latest and perhaps his most definite move in this direction was In connection with the so-called Guffey Guf-fey coal bill. It will be recalled 'that In placing that piece of legislation legis-lation nn tha "mi, of" llet nf mooo. One argument advanced why Republican Re-publican leadership has not been more active is CO. P. Bides that if a start is Its Time mao"e too early, the Roosevelt administration ad-ministration will have an opportunity opportu-nity to answer ail of the criticism. Said one Republican leader: 'We would be utterly foolish to permit the New Dealers to know all of our arguments too far In advance. I, for one, am content to let them proceed with their socialistic regimentation, regi-mentation, because I know that every time a calf Is given too much rope. It chokes itself to death." Then there Is another factor which I understand Is responsible for the delay in Republican attacks. at-tacks. A good many Republicans have a hope, at least, that a campaign cam-paign based on a plea for the maintenance main-tenance of our Constitution and the traditions and modes of living which it represents will draw to the Republican Re-publican candidate a certain segment seg-ment of Democrats who are unsympathetic unsym-pathetic with the New Deal. There has been plenty of evidence in the session of congress Just adjourned that at heart numerous Democrats lean to the conservative as distinguished distin-guished from the New Deal method meth-od of government The closing hours of the congressional session seemed to belie this. But anyone who mingled among old time Democrats Demo-crats in the house could not fail to have observed existence of a doubt as to the wisdom of many New Deal policies. Those men were forced to line up behind the Presidential Presi-dential program not because they believed In It fully but for two other reasons. These reasons were: first they still entertained some fear that if they broke with the President It might mean their political po-litical defeat for renomlnation and re-election, and second, they were harassed and physically and mentally men-tally tired and wanted to go home. The late summer and fall months during which these representatives and senators naturally will be among their constituents Is rather likely to provide thera with a better knowledge of where they stand. Western Newspaper Union. ures to be acted on before congress adjourned, Mr. Roosevelt advised house leaders that he wanted it passed and he did not care particularly particu-larly whether some members of congress con-gress had "reasonable doubts" about Its constitutionality. In effect therefore, there-fore, the President commanded passage pas-sage of legislation that must place before the Supreme court a vital question for determination. It will be tested. Of that there Is no doubt. If the law Is held unconstitutional, it merely means that Its provisions form another part of the campaign battleground observed to be shaping. shap-ing. Mr. Roosevelt also succeeded In forcing through congress the lesris-latlon lesris-latlon destroying the public utility holding companies. It was a tough fight but the President was victorious. vic-torious. Now, I hear from many sources that court examination of the legislation likewise will come |