Evening star., 1932-08-27
GARNER HITS TIMID LEADERSHIP
OF REPUBLICANS IN TRADE CRISIS
Acceptance Letter Also Scores Repeal
Plank of G. O. P. as Eq quivocal.
Wants Tariff Revision.

continued to lull the Nation by insist
ing that the end of our trouble was
just around the corner. while banks
were toppling and unemployment was
increasing. administration leaders final
ly admitted that the situation needed
action.
Temporary measures offered by the
administration have not been adequate
to insure anything approaching prompt
and general relief Liberalization of
these measures by the Democratic ma
jority in the House was defeated by the
administration.
These Democratic changes were not
attempted with a view of imposing a
greater financial burden on the Gov
ernment. They were meant to achieve
the best results in decreasing uneni--
ployment, rehabilitating industry and
stabilizing economic conditions. Charges
of demogcgy, emanating from the
White House. greeted every effort TO
enact a bill that would meet the credit
and unemployment needs OF the
country.
Whatever view may be held as to
the so-called business cycle; whatever
may be real in the theory that business
panics inevitably follow great wars the
fact remains that the master element
of our trouble, the unbalanced budget,
lies on the doorstep of the Republican
party. Through administration after
administration. Republican officials
have so conducted our fiscal affairs as
to change large Treasury surplus into
a deficit of $4,000 100000 in the space
of less than II years.
1t is the business of government
to maintain some measure of relation
between the receipts and expenditures
of government: to adjust taxes to the
requirements of the Treasury; to curtail
expenditures to bring them within in
come.
Platform Stand Vague.
This $4,000, 900, 900 deficit was not
born overnight. 1t has been develop
ing and growing for three years, but
not until the advent of the present
Democratic majority in the House was
there any effort on the part of the
Executive to balance the budget. This
necessitated huge increase in taxes.
Had the tax increa~es been made grad
ually as the deficit developed, our
budget would be balanced today with
out confusion. The country would not
have experienced anything like the
suffering and distress resulting from
the sudden imposition of wartime rates
on a people already bowed by economic
burdens.
The Republican platform, as usual,
carries a retrenchment plank couched
in vague. elusive terms-a striking con-
trast to the Democratic platform which
demands a reduction of at least 25 per
cent in expenditures. Republicans have
been in power for IL years. They
promised economy in 1920, and in 1924.
And in 1928 they gave assurance Of
maximum efficiency at minimum cost.
Despite their pledges, the costs of
Government have mounted steadily
They were S3848 000,0 in the first
Hoover year. They were over $1,000
600, 900 in the fiscal year just closed
Every effort of the slim Democratic
ma iority in the House to effect real
governmental saving during the last
session of Congress met the opposition
of the administration. While Drocla-
nations and exhortations to curb Fed
eral expense were being issued from the
White House, department heads and
division chiefs we're appearing before
the House Economy Committee opposing
reductions which would affect their re-
spactive departments or divisions.
There is not a single saving that Con-
gress was called on to effect that could
not have been put In operation at any
time since the incip!ency of the de-
preston by the President himself. No
act of Congress was required to give
him authority to tell his cabinet off,
GERS that they must keep their expenses
within specific amount.
The economy plank in the Demo-
cratic platform is a guarantee that the
President will not attempt TO pass this
buck to Congress. I speak with conf
dence in stating that Democratic cabi-
net officers will extend required CO.
operation. Congress will not be COM
PEELED, as it was during the last ses-
sion, to meet the opposition of forces
within the administration whenever an
effort was made to eliminate unneces-
sary expenditures or to check the grow
ing bureaucracy.
Democratic Tariff Plank.
The Democratic economy plank is
not vague. 1t carries specific pro-
posal and definite pledge. Under a
Democratic administration that pledge
will be redeemed.
The Democratic tariff plank is
equally definite and constructive, and
must have a strong appeal to indus
men who all suffered by the wrecking
of our foreign trade under the embargo
rates. With the highest tariff in the
country's history, unemployment and
its attendant human misery prevail;
consequently standards of living are
rapidly declining 1t is obvious that
American standards cannot be re-
established and maintained under a
policy which throttles commerce, in
dustry and business. Republican speak
ers from the President down assert that
there will be no departure from this
policy so long as their party retains
control.
In dealing with prohibition there
was no attempt by the Democratic Ma
tional Convention to evade the issue
Unlike the prohibition plank of the Re-
publican platform, which leaders of
that party are interpreting to conform
with the sentiments of their audiences
the Democratic plank is unequivocal
understandable by every person who
has sufficient intelligence to read We
stand committed to repeal, and urge
enactment OF such measures by the
several States as will actually promote
temperance, effectively prevent the re-
turn of the saloon and bring the liquor
traffic into the open and under COM
plete supervision and control by the
States"
No other constructive solution of the
problems the eighteenth amendment
brought upon the country has been Of
fered. Return OF control and super.
vision to the States, where it rightfully
belongs. should be welcomed bv all VIII
realize the growth Of the evils which
followed placing OF this power in tn,
hands of the Federal Government.
Against Cancellation.
With regard to the foreign debt,
fully subscribe to the Democratic plat.
forms statement. 1 oppose cancella.
ton. I believe We can lessen tht
seriousness of the problem of collecting
our just dues If we restore just tariff
policy. We must be fair and Just, no.
only to foreign nations, bit to Ameri
can taxpayers as well. We must b;
constantly on our guard against what
seems to be a growing pressure from