| Show r t NATIONAL NA AFFAIRS Reviewed J by CARTER FIELD FJELD Tafts Taft's Gridiron dinner speech didn't didn do much for his presidential ambitions Two schools o of f thought on the subject o of f a European Euro Euro- shake peon U war 1 Sabre shaking shak hak ing here might mig help io to keep peace there New Deal Dealt Dealers ers present another of 01 their brilliant ideas in the new job fixed for Edward J. J Noble It WASHINGTON It Is 11 not permitted permit permit- ted to repeat any anything thin said ald in a speech made at a Gridiron dinner though from time to time history has baa actually been made by speeches peeches at the gatherings of ot that ton tion on But there It is no ban on the 0 comments of ot guests following the dinner Consensus Is that Sen Robert A. A Taft Tart did not do his hi presidential ambitions ambitions am any good by his speech at atthe atthe the recent dinner As a matter of ot fact one diner actually congratulated ed Thomas E. E Dewey on TaWs Taft 1 speech Dewey Dewcy incidentally who spoke at atthe the December Gridiron dinner had hada a much better break all around than Taft In the first place President Roosevelt did not reply to Dewey f r He lie did not really make a speech at atall fr all all just a few pleasant remarks remark at atthe atthe the end of the dinner After Tans Tads t. t Y r speech however the President f l made a real speech which accordIng accord accord- II su Ing to comments of guests afterwards after afler i. i 7 wards was a very good one In the case of Dewey the club fc followed Its tta customary practice of ti having one speaker from each of Ii the major parties but the President not lIot wishing to make a regular talk 4 t James A A. A Farley Forley had to carry the load for the Democrats Farley was in Ir a tough spot He had to make moke a speech to which the President would listen which meant that he had to tobe l' l be very careful about what he saId sold f General opinion afterward was wasI wasa a I that Jim did not do himself justice 1 f which made Deweys Dewey's spot all the themore more attractive I A curious phase of ot all this is that fo the President actually feels r rather ther f friendly personally toward Taft J- J and dislikes Dewey Dewcy very much in indeed In f deed yet as' as asa a result of his own actions ac lions Dewey was helped and Taft 0 was hurt before gatherings of tremendous tre tret 1 political Importance Tafts Taft's Economic Views wS I Anathema to 10 New Dealers Dealer Roosevelt Is so politically minded t that it Is just possible he planned it 11 that way Taft may be personally person I J r i ally more agreeable to the New Newt Ir t J Dealers than Dewey but his economic economic eco eco- views are anathema It is L' L very obvious that most of the New Dealers have been moving heaven heaved Ii and nd earth to discredit the Ohio sen aen senator ator tor for months Taft in the White WhiteHouse House with a sympathetic congress is just the last thing the New Dealt Dealers Deal t of ers era would want to see It might as they see It it bring about a are re reaction reaction action In their favor which would sweep them back Into power four years rears later but they shiver at what he tie would do to their social and eco ceo economic reforms in the meantime Many of the tycoons present at atthe atthe atthe the Gridiron dinner were terribly disappointed They have been agreeing agreeIng agreeing agree agree- ing with so much that Taft has been saying in his speeches statements and radio talks that the Ohio senator senator sena lena tor ter had obtained a considerable following fol lowing for his candidacy in downtown down town New York and In the financial districts of most of the big cities of the country The not only liked his views but hit hIP magnificent cent showing In Ohio against New Deal Sen Robert J J. J Bulkley But since Ince the Gridiron dinner they are ate remembering Alfred Allred M. M Landon whose views also they agreed with 11 It r fact they remember sadly the points the Kansas governor made In his 1938 1936 speeches But they also remember member r the deadly dullness of his how how he drove away votes very every time the radio carried his voice Which is not so good at the moment for tor Mr Tafts Taft's chances Two Tu-o Schools Sc S of 01 o f Thought Thol At As io to a European roHan War President Roosevelt Is being sharply criticized for his warlike utterances ut even attacked for gambling gam hung bling on getting this nation involved in In casualty lists But there Is a of thought to which many friends and many opponents of the New Deal subscribe per percent percent cent tent that the more certain Mr Roosevelt can make liner Hitler and Mussolini Mussolini Mus that the United States will enter enter en ter the war-on war the side of Britain and France rance If It nd when war comes the less chance there will be of at a aUs ah I h II Us g European war Even more Important those hold hold- n r ng 2 thIs th's view believe that If It the opposite op polite Is done that done that Is If It Hitler lilUer and can be convinced that the United S States ates will remain neutral the probability of war Is Increased and the probability that the United States Stales will eventually be sucked Into r 0 it jl will become much muth greater f The theory behind the support that President Roosevelt gets on this is issue Is s sue e on In which he Is I. being opposed by tit mn mint Republican leaders leaden and by bya t a 4 a great many Democrats Democrat Is ver VU very simple We start with the assumption tion that war Is I. not absolutely ce crr tain tot that It may be that a sum stun dent clent number of factors factor can prevent it that It-that that Hitler and end Mussolini are no not absolutely determined to keep on until un ill til they force a general conflict If this assumption Is not correct then nothing matters very much There will be war and eventually eventual the United States will wID be drawn Into int It In that case nothing said at this time by President Roosevelt or anybody anybody any body else Is I. Important Only what whai Is done by way of preparation Is it Important But if the assumption is correct then it would seem obvious that th the themore themore more strength Hitler and Mussolini know Is going gain to be thrown to their theli enemies the more chance there Is li that they may decide not to risk the consequences of war Sabre Rattling in U. U S S. S Might Help Keep the tle Peace There are several theories which seem to reinforce the argument For example It is believed by most army officers here that It If war comes the power of Hitler HIUer will at once be become come very much curtailed The German German Ger Ger- man army does not recognize Hitler lilt Hit ler ter as a military genius It has hu been backing him right along because be cause of his demonstrated hold on the people and because of his demonstrated demonstrated dem demo power as 81 a bluffer In International In negotiations But with the coming of war It Is held he would be sidetracked end nd Ignored The prestige resulting from the early early ear ear- ly victories most moat army officers think the early conflicts would be beGerman beGerman beGerman German victories would victories would go to themen the themen themen men who directed the troop move ments Pretty soon a o new Hindenburg or ora ora a II new Ludendorf would be the popular popular popular pop pop- ular hero of Germany The thought is that Hitler must know this and would be scarcely human If It he relished rel rei shed the idea Hence the longer he can win victories by sabre ubre rattling rat instead of actual military encounters encounters en en- counters the longer he remains No 1 man In Germany and retains practically practically dictatorial powers Nobles Noble's New Nero Job Another Bright New Nw Deal Idea No one Is ever going to say lay that the New Dealers do not have ideas They reek with them One of the most interesting involves the reasons rea rea- reasons sons for the sudden elevation of Edward Edward Ed Ed- ward J. J Noble administrator of the civil aeronautics authority to assist assist as as- In administrations administration's program for tor forthe forthe the promotion of business recovery as undersecretary of the department pf of commerce a new position which congress will be asked to create The answer it is explained can be found in a public statement made by Mr Noble the day before his appointment In brief Mr Noble In the eyes of President Roosevelt and Secretary of Commerce Harry harryL L L. Hopkins has made a huge success success suc cess in applying government regulation regulation regu lation to one Industry the Industry the air lines which are highly competitive and alive alve with Individual initiative So the theory is that Mr Noble having accomplished this with air airlines tines lines can spread out over all lines of Df business his supervision and coordination coordination co co- co ordination and bring about the Ideal economic state visualised ed by Roosevelt Roosevelt Roose velt and Hopkins no Hopkins no monopoly plenty of competition plenty of individual indi vidual victual initiative and yet complete regulation and control by a benefi- benefi clent cleat government In the public sta statement In question ques ques- lion tion Mr Noble dwelt at length on the record made by the air lines during the last winter The lines he pointed out flew more than passenger miles mUes for tor each passenger pas fatality between December 21 last and March 20 There was but one Fatal accident in that period during which the lines flew plane miles The statement also pointed out Dut that the three transcontinental lines and the principal south north-south line flew passenger miles this winter without a single forced landing After recounting this record Mr Noble said Turns It Into Boost for or Government Regulation These figures present a striking example of the way a highly competitive com corn business In a stage tage of highly high high- ly Iy individual initiative can ran cooperate co opera ate with government regulation and get results Much further down in the same lame statement Mr Noble said It seems to me that the lesson Is obvious us Sane and wise application of our regulatory laws not only protects the public but at the same time en en- lances the profit pro t of the business Long experience has shown shown and and itIs itIs it itis is shown strikingly in the air transport trans port industry that Industry that only through the operative o-operative services of the government govern ment can this kind of regulation pro pro- duce luce a result that protects every every- body both the enterprise and the citizen I 1 wish other business men In this new day might learn that the theair theair theair air transport Industry has learned so to well and applied so well on the record it present presents here today A critical examination of all this might produce just a little clam cism In the first place It Is pointed out out the railroads railroad also can ean make a magnificent cent showing so far as passenger pas pas- lenger miles per fatality are con con- But this proof that gov government government ov regulation of highly competitive competitive com com- om enterprises Is not calculated t. t ed to appeal to Investors The financial financial finan finan- nan cial situation of the railroads to put it mildly is i. not bright Also critics are are Inclined to think that fate had more marc to do with the small number of fatalities in the air service this winter than government regulation n. n 9 C Bell BeU Service |
