Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1932-04-01
RepaIring The wreck.

That gloomy aggregation. the Republican
cheer leaders. think they have found in the
debates in the House Of Representatives
over the various measures suggested for
taking care Of that absolutely Republican
heritage. the $4,000. 100000 deficit 10
the Treasury. something that might benefit
the melancholy status OF the Administra-
ton and make less desperate President
Hoover's chances Of reelection.
The Ways and Means Committee OF the
House tackled the question Of revenue
raising measure calculated to balance the
budget perhaps one month ago. 1t might
be enlightening to compare the progress
that has been made the vital element Of
combating the Hoover panic with the work
Of the Republicans on another revenue
bill, to-wit, the Smoot- Hawley tariff. On
that ill-stared measure, which many now
regard as the chief cause Of the prostrs-
ton Of our import and export business.
and with the multiplication Of our unem-
ployment problem, Congress spent year
and half, although it was an Admins
tration measure and the Administration
had at the time majority in the House
Of Representatives OF more than 100 and
In the Senate a majority OF is. The Demo-
Gratis muster today majority Of three in
the House Of Representatives and a
minority of one in the Senate.
II the failure TO enact the sales tax-the
opposition to which. by the way, was led
by La Gusrdis. Of New York. Republican,
is an evidence Of Democratic discord, what
term can be used to express the spectacle
afforded by the Republicans when with
their overwhelming msjoritiss 1t took them
a year and half to tut over the Grundy
tariff There is reposed in nobody in the
Democratic party the power and authority
to beat into submission members whose
views do not coincide with those who
frame the bills. Indeed. the use of such
club as can be and has been welded BY
Presidents in their controversies with Con-
gress is repellant to every Democratic
principle. The Democrats in the House as
almost their first act so amended the rules
Of that body as TO make it impossible to
muzzle the minority and steamroll through
legislation like the Grundy rates.
Inevitably there must be differences O
opinion in such group as the 2l9 Demo-
Gratis in the House. These differel ces will
be reconciled in the customary fashion Of
a deliberative body and ultimately bill
will issue which will represent the best
compromise which can be arrived at. Such
a measure may not be as effective as the
one originally proposed and is hardly likely
to be as satisfying to the more extreme
Of the opposition. Whatever is the final
outcome Of the effort in the House, il must
run the gauntlet Of the Republican Senate
and the Republican President. 1t remains
to be seen whether the latter elements in
our Government will be as willing to coop
crate as the Democrats have been in some
Of the items Of the Presidents program. or
II it will seem to the politicians on the
Republican side that there is greater chance
for political advantage in fighting what
ever compromise measure appears.
Ii is obvious that the national budget
must be balanced as precedent to the
rehabilitation Of business. Every Congress-
man naturally hates TO vote an increase
In t0xes, particularly on the eve Of an
election. The Democrats who have been
advocating a sales tax have in the past,
almost without exception. opposed this
system Of raising revenue. But an indus
trial panic. like a war, not infrequently
demands the sacrifice Of individual opinion.
The sooner the budget is balanced the
sooner will prosperity again show it's head.
Not one of the advocates Of the sales tax
would dream Of the expedient as per
manent means Of raising Government reve-
nue., however strenuously and sincerely
they may advocate the enactment to meet
the emergency. The condition Of the Gov
eminent finances which the Democrats
a. the dominant party In the House where
all revenue measures must originate must
meet. is none Of their choosing. Ever since
March 4. 1921, the Republicans have had
complete control and direction Of Govern
ment income and expenditure. That their
Treasury management has put the Gov
eminent two billion dollars in the red docs
not relieve the Democrats Of their uncom-
Portable task Of getting the Government
back where 1t must be financially. Nor
can the Republicans get much Of hearing
for their hypothesis that the Democrats
have shown incapacity to govern because
they could not overnight agree on the best
method Of repairing the wreck caused by
the blunders Of three Republican Admin
islrations.