Evening star., 1932-11-01

lllR Vi LIlt tSIy SdlCBuolu VI Jul
Dental candidate"
was beyond control and regulation Of
the States.
l succeeded in creating an inde-
pendent power commission to handle
such matters, but the Democratic
House declined to approve the further
powers to this commission necessary
for such regulation.
Muscle Shoals Bill.
/ have stated increasingly that I am
opposed to the Federal Government
going into the power business. I have
insisted upon rigid regulation. The
Democratic candidate has declared that
under the same conditions which may
make local action Of this character de-
sirable. he is prepared to put the Fed
eral Government into the power bust
ness He is being actively supported by
score OF Senators in this campaign.
many OF whose expenses are being paid
by the Democratic National Committee.
who are pledged to Federal Government
development and operation OF electrical
power
l find in the instructions to cam
palgn speakers issued by the Demo-
crativ National Committee that they
are instructed TO criticize my action in
the veto Of the bill which would have
put the Government permanently into
the operation of power at Muscle
Shoals with a capital from the Fed
eral Treasury Of over Sl00 000, 000 In
fact, 81 Democratic Senators, being all
except three, voted to override that
OF -
the Federal Government permanently
In competitive business. I vetoed II be-
cause OF principle and not because it
was especially the power business In
that veto l stated that I was firmly
opposed to the Federal Government
entering into any business the major
purpose Of which is competition with
our citizens. I said
There are national emergencies
which require that the Government
should temporarily enter the field Of
business, but that they must be emer-
gency actions and in matters where the
cost OF the project is secondary to
much higher consideration. There are
many localities where the Federal Gov
ernment is justified in the construction
OF great dams and reservoirs, where
navigation, flood control, reclamation
or stream regulation are of dominant
Importance, and where they are beyond
the capacity or purpose Of private or
local government capital to construct.
In these cases power is often a by-
product and should be disposed of by
contract or lease. But for the Federal
Government TO deliberately 60 out TO
build up and expand such an occasion
to the major purpose of a power and
manufacturing business is TO break
down the initiative and enterprise of
the American people: it is destruction
OF equality OF opportunity amongst our
people, 1t is the negation of the ideals
upon which our civilization has been
based
Called Important Issue.
This bill raises one Of the important
issues confronting our people That is
squarely the issue of Federal Govern
ment ownership and operation of power
and manufacturing business not as a
minor by-product but as a major pur-
pose. Involved in this question is the
agitation against the conduct of the
power industry. The power problem is
not TO be solved by the Federal Gov
ernment going into the power business,
nor IS 1t to be solved by the project in
this bill. The remedy for abuses in
the conduct Of that industry lies in reg
ulatlon and not by the Federal Govern
ment entering upon the business itself
have recommended to the Congress
on various occasions that action should
be taken to establish Federal regula-
ton OF interstate power in cooperation
with State authorities This bill would
launch the Federal Government upon
policy OF ownership of power utilities
upon q basis Of competition instead of
by the proper Government function of
regulation for the protection Of all the
people. I hesitate to contemplate the
future OF our institutions. Of our Gov
ernment, and of our country If the
preoccupation OF its officials is to be no
longer the promotion of justice and
equal opportunity. but is to be devoted
70 barter in the markets. That is not
liberalism; it is degeneration"
From their utterances in this cam
palgn and elsewhere we are justified in
the conclusion that our opponents pro-
pose to put the Federal Government in
the power business with all its additions
to Federal bureaucracy. its tyranny over
State and local governments, its under
mining OF State and local responsible
ties and initiative.
Frivolous Promise.
Sixth. may cite another instance of
absolutely destructive proposals to our
american system by our opponents.
Recently there was circulated through
the unemployed in this country a letter
from the Democratic candidate in
which he stated that he would support
measures for the Inauguration of self
hquidating public works, su-h as the
utilization of water resources, flood con-
troll. land reclamation. to provide en-
ployment for all surplus labor at all
times"
I especially emphasize that promise
to promote employment for all surplus
labor at all times" At first could not
believe that any one would be so cruel
as to hold out hope SO absolutely i'm
possible Of realization to these 10 600, 900
who are unemployed. But the authen-
ITCHY of this promise has been verified
And I protest against such frivoluos
promises being held out to a suffering
people. 1t Is easily demonstrable that
no such employment can be found. But
the point I wish to make here and now
Is the mental attitude and spirit Of the
democratic party to attempt it. 1t is
another mark of the character of the
new deal and the destructive changes
which mean the total abandonment OF
every principle upon which this Gov
ernment and the American system is
founded. If it were possible to give
this employment to 10 600, 900 people by
the Government, it would cost upward
OF $4,000. 100000 a year.
The stages of this destruction would
be f1rst the destruction of government
credit, the value Of Government securi-
ties, the destruction Of every fiduciary
trust IN our country, insurance policies
and all. It would pull down the en-
ployment Of those who are still at work
by the high taxes and the demoraliza-