Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-27
TRADE DEPRESSION |
WORRIES LEADERS,
Major Parties BeWiIdered by
Economic Situation as it
Relates to Poll Verdict.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Whatever else the politicians of both
major parties may be saying as to per-
sonalities, achievements, or errors OF
omission as we'll as commission, the fact
remains that the leaders and masters
Of strategy are somewhat bewildered
about the economic situation in the
country as 1t relates to the verdict at
the polls in November.
lowering about the political groups
Is the oppressive weight OF trade de-
preston unprecedented in the sense
that it comes on the very eve of ma
! tional election.
The business adversely of 1921 came
shortly after President Harding was
inaugurated. The panic of 1907 had
passed into history and recovery had
been accomplished when the 1903 cleo
ton was held. The panic of 1898 was
q whole year before the 1894 election
for Congress and three years before
presidential election.
on the last occasion when Repub-
licans were turned out Of power on an
economic issue-namely, in the Autumn
of 1910-there was hue and cry about
the cost of living in consequence OF the
tariff.
The spectacle of congressional cleo
ton throughout the country in the mid
ole of a period of industrial as well as
agricultural depression is something so
unusual that all sorts of extreme pre-
dictions are being made, ranging all the
way from a claim that both Houses of
Congress will go Democratic to a con-
cession on the part of Republicans that
the Democrats will make some gains In
both Houses, but will not achieve con-
troll of either branch of the National
Legislature.
Experience in politics teaches that the
unemployed have plenty OF time to vote,
and while the latest figures show more
unemployed, this is only a portion of
the people affected, when the members
of a family and their relatives and
friends are counted.
The arguments that political parties
know they will have to make will be
directed to this large group of discon-
tented and unhappy individuals. The
Republicans of course have already
sensed the situation by starting their
speakers out with the contention that
the administration was not responsible
for economic laws or speculation. The
Democrats, of course, merely point 70
previous political utterances of the Re-
publicans, especially in the 1923 cam
paign, in which promises of continued
prosperity were almost the slogans of
that battle.
The usual objection to the Demo-
cratic party's control of the National
Government has been that it would
bring on an economic depression. The
Democrats have never been able to
overcome this criticism simply by point
ing to the fact that depreSsionS have
come in Republican administrations as
in 1921 and 1907. The tendency of
voters is to forget an economic depres-
sion that occurs year or more after
ward, the theory being that when the
Nation is recovering its equilibrium is
no time to make a trade.
The Republicans are therefore busily
engaged at thu moment in trying to
prove that business conditions are
gradually getting better, and they hope
that by the time September and Oc-
tober have been lived through the
psychology of improvement will be in
the air to such an extent as to cause
no apprehension concerning a change in
the political complexion OF Congress.
The Democrats, on the other hand.
are betting that the improvement will
hardly be perceptible 80 far as the
masses are concerned and that there
is no prospect for a great reduction of
the unemployed during September and
October.
On the whole the economic conditions
OF the next two months are likely to
determine the outcome of the congress
sional election irrespective of what the
national headquarters are likely to say
or do.
Copyright, ls3o)