| Show 1 National Topics Interpreted b by William Bruckart after time Washington Time Time since President Roosevelt entered the White House Again at many observers Crossroads have ha Insisted that he had bad reached n a crossroads and that on those occasions occa sloes he necessarily had to choose between the rl right ht and the left They contended with considerable Justification justification cation that he either had to be conservative conservative con con- e or radical But nut somehow the President arranged to follow both roads at once At least that conclusion has been reached by those who classify themselves s as liberals Now observers ers are saying again ngan that the President has hns reached the crossroads and must choose between the right and the left With the convening convening con con- of ot congress there has come forward the usual number number perhaps perhaps I should say more than the usual number number of of proposals for radical or conservative legislation as the case mn may be There are dozens almost hundreds of bills advocating nostrums nos nos- nostrums and crackpot Ideas which cannot cannot can can- not possibly do more than take uptime uptime up uptime time and keep the government go printing print print- printing ing office busy at the expense of the taxpayers In printing the bills themselves There are In all nil of this mess as well many pieces of worthwhile worthwhile worth worth- while legislation as well as the proposals proposals proposals pro pro- bearing earmarks of drafting under White House guidance In addition there are close to six dozen presidential appointments upon upon upon up up- on which the senate must act Some of these names are of Individuals of known radical tendencies Some others others oth oth- ers are recognized as ns equally con con- As a n corollary for this confused state there are the growing differences differences differ differ- of opinion based on presidential presidential presidential policy proposals as to whether the government should attempt attempt at nt- tempt to provide pro relief through work as Mr Roosevelt desires or should turn to a plain unadulterated unadulterated dole There Is the demand from the White House Honse for legislation leg putting putting putting put put- ting the fe federal eral government further Into competition with business by expansion of publicly owned power facilities and the question of liquid liquid- acing or continuing to expand such programs as ns that of loans to home homeowners homeowners homeowners owners and extension of NIIA NHA Summed up It would would appear superficially at least that Mr l Roosevelt Is definitely at nt the cross cross- roads I am told by legislative leaders leaders lead lead- ers ers however that the administration tion program thus far advanced again does docs not commit Mr Ro Roose Roosevelt Roose- Roose Roosevelt sevelt se- se velt definitely to follow either the radical or conservative conser pathways They point out that there Is an unusual unusual un un- un- un usual admixture of ot two schools of economic thought represented In legislation bearing presidential approval approval ap ap- ap and their thought seemed to be hp that Mr Roosevelt elt will avoid old be be be- ing ng g forced Into either camp at this time S Ss It has been most Interesting to observe the fluctuation of temperature temperature tempera tempera- ture among the More Action various a r Iou s New Than Results Dealers DenIers Prior to the lats election they were very low In spirit Many of them were saying In private at nt least that Mr Roosevelt was getting getting get get- ting out of band hand as far as ns they were concerned and was turning certainly toward the conservative school of thought At the same time among the conservative members of ot the administration and in congress and to a considerable extent extent extent ex ex- tent among business leaders there was wag a growing feeling that th they y bad had witnessed the phenomena of ln having their own ears pinned back hack just when they thought they were on the upgrade Following this chan change e of trends along comes the mass of White House legislation some of which pleases the New Dealers and some of which pleases the conservatives Each finds fault with that portion of or the program that Is reasonably satisfactory to the other This contrariety con con- of opinion extends Into the i ranks of members of the house and senate Consequently the question question question ques ques- tion to which the observers are now seeking an answer Is whether Majority Ma Leader Lender Robinson In the senate senate senate sen sen- ate and the Democratic wheel wheel- horses In the house are going to heable he be beable heable able to keep their tremendous numbers number's numbers numbers num num- bers ber's In line Thus far there has hns been no word from the majority leaders either elther in the house bouse of th-j th senate Indicating any doubt douht on their part that the administration whip will fall tall to drive recalcitrant members mem mem- bers into the proper alleys s Unbiased ased observers ers are taking the fJon however howe that time alone will tell teU An And It may be added with some emphasis that If the wile wild horses break loose from the hitching hitch hitch- Ing post once the current session of congress may provide much more action than titan results Present plans of the Republican leadership If It there are enough Ue- Ue publicans left Soldiers c tj 9 to hake their pros pres Lobby Strong ence once felt indicate indi- indi cate that the need not expect expect ex ex- poet any help hell from that quarter In j pulling hot chestnuts out of th the e fire For example I understand that the he soldiers' soldiers bonus question will be used by the Republicans as ns a n sort of prod with which to disturb the majority party It seems definite that the house and senate will pass legislation for Immediate payment of the bonus It may not be a program pro pro- program gram for for- full payment of the sum that hat Is not due until 1045 1945 but the pressure presure Is so strong that some action ac- ac tIon lon will be forth forthcoming If Mr Roosevelt sticks to his guns and vetoes any bonus legislation legislation legis- legis lation atlon excepting that proposing to care are for or the destitute soldiers ex-soldiers sailors and marines there Is enough strength In con congress to pass the leg legislation over o his veto The soldIers soldIers' soldiers soldiers' soldiers soldiers' sol sol- diers' diers lobby Is stron strong of that theres there Is s no doubt The members will bethinking be bo thinking of their political future not Mr Ir e Roosevelt's when the question question ques- ques tion ion Is put before them Then Is when the Republican minority could be of distinct help hep to the administration administration adminis- adminis ration but apparently that Is just lust the he thing the Republican minority is a not going to do doe The administration is now v examining exam exam- ining various arlous avenues n of a possible compromise on the bonus payments and It Is through ugh this course that thata a hope exists on the part of adminIstratIon admin admin- leaders lenders to avoid old the showdown showdown show show- showdown down me mentioned above e Knowing that hat It cannot count on the lean Bean minority for tor nn any help to carry through Its plans the administration lon tion may make some concessions to the he bonus advocates These most certainly will be made unless n a count of noses noses by the leadership shows hows a n little HUle later that the supporters supporters supporters sup sup- porters of a n full bonus payment can cane be e whipped Here again the views of or radicals and conservatives clash There will willbe be ic some radicals supporting the bonus onus payment In order to force the President Into a position where he must Inflate the currency further That group thinks Inflation of the currency curr ncy wI will boost prices and pro- pro provide vide Ie the necessary hypodermic In In- injection to get us out of the depres depres- sion Opposed to these are a considerable considerable considerable con con- number of house and senate senate sen sen- ate members who fear Inflation and Its ts results m like e they fear the poison polson fangs S of a n rattlesnake So when the he bonus Is joined as an nn Issue It seems to me we will see an nn interesting exposition of at how politics makes strange bedfellows President Roosevelt Is about to open up the federal treasury for loans to cities clUes to Federal provide pro funds for Cor loans to Cities construction of ot municipal light and power plants He Lie has announced announced an an- definitely that he favors this procedure and antl therefore in n effect has Invited cities clUes to join the march on for more f fed fed- d. d eral loans The The est nc newest development in the administration program program m of loaning mone money here and nd there seems to have resulted In repercussions of a n more mor Important nature than objections voiced to other types of federal loans Here in Washington considerable consid consid- considerable erable discussion has developed asto as asto asto to the wisdom of this policy and this has been heen followed ved by speculation specula specula- speculation tion as to the ultimate end of a n program pro pro- program gram of this kind Opinion throughout through through- out the country apparently has hns not bec ben been n definitely cr crystallized yet but from all Indications it appears we weare weare weare are due to hear much debate on the newest New Deal Idea Objectors to the program of ot providing pro pro- viding loans to cities for construction construe construction tion of municipal light and power plants Insist that Mr Roosevelt Roose has hastal tal taken en the longest step toward state socialism thus far for to be made a part of his New Deal They contend that Mr Roosevelt Roose has gone beyond his recovery reco program and has upon a plan representing part and parcel of his scheme for public ownership ownership own own- of all Industries Impressed with a public Interest through service service servo ice of a monopolistic character Opponents also argue that the President Is placing privately tel owned Industries under er a severe ere handicap mn b by forcing them to compete with what should be private Industry but what actually Is their own government govern govern- men ment mentIn L LIn In some quarters also I hear expressions expressions ex ex- of u a fear that If any substantial substantial sub sub- number of cities borrow federal money to build their own light and power plants the federal government will have ha e expanded to that extent Its domination over those cities Through cities Through loans to banks to a agriculture and to many ninny other lines federal Influence dally daily Is being beIns being be be- ing Ins exerted upon the private life of the country until sonic some observers declare states counties and municipalities ore are gradually sinking Into oblivion Insofar Insofar- as their own self self- government Is concerned On the other hand such advocates advocates cates of public ownership as Senator Sena Senne tor Norris of Nebraska are elated over oyer Mr Roosevelt's decision to proceed proceed proceed pro pro- along public ownership lines Senator NorrIs believes belle Mr Ir Roosevelt Roose Hoose veil velt has authority now under public public public pub pub- lic works and recovery ery act net provi provi- provisions lions to promote publicly owned light ana nna power plants about any anyplace anyplace place he pleases Q eo Western New evat cr Union Unton |
