Evening star., 1932-07-12
The G. o. P. Takes the Offensive

the national campaign yesterday with
two slashing attacks on the Democrats.
The first was President Hoovers veto
of the relief bill, containing the pet
provision of Speaker John N. Garner,
the Democratic vice presidential NOM
inee, for Government loans to. private
individuals. The second was the speech
delivered by the Secretary of the Treas
ury, Ogden L. Mills, in historic Faneun
Hall, in Boston, last night 1t is clear
from the utterances of the leader OF the
Republican party and his Secretary OF
the Treasury that the economic issues
are to be stressed in the campaign
against their Democratic enemies. They
put the Democrats immediately on the
defensive, pointing out that the pro-
posals advanced by the Democratic
House of Representatives are unsouna.
Mr.. Mills went much further than the
| President. He declared that the Demo-
Gratis have no remedies to offer for the
present distressing conditions except the
| trial of measures which have inevitably
proved disastrous when attempted in the
past.
One paragraph taken from the speech
by Mr.. Mills sums up clearly the attl-
tude of the Democratic House toward
the economic problem. 1t gives the
country an idea Of what may be ex-
pected from that party If 1t is placed In
control of the Senate and the executive
branch of the Government as well as Of
the House. 1t bears reproduction and
follows:
Measures actually passed by the
Democratic House of Representatives
provided for: The printing and issu-
ance Of fiat currency; the immediate
payment of the bonus; an appropriation
of over 81 OOo, 900 900 for post oMces,
rivers and harbors, roads, &c, these two
items alone aggregating over $4,000, ,000,-
900; the guarantee OF bank deposits;
instructions to the Secretary OF the
Treasury and Federal Reserve Board to
manipulate commodity prices; the un-
balancing of budget balanced by great
effort; and putting the Government into
the general commercial banking puSl-
ness on huge scale.
Here is a list of measures which, if
enacted into law, would sink the
! strongest government in the world,
dash its credit to the ground and
abandon practically every principle
upon which the Government Of the
United States was erected. The final
reference Of Mr.. Mills to placing the
Government in the banking business Is
provision In the relief bill vetoed by
the President. Mr. Hoover in his
message to the House returning the
relief bill without his approval pointed
to the dangers arising from the estab-
lishment of huge Government institu-
ton to do a general banking business,
as proposed in the private loans section
Of the measure. He declared that for
upward of hundred years the Ameri-
can people have taken a position
against great central bank, operated
by the Government. Such an institu-
ton would, he said. become dangerous
political factor in the life of the
country and could be used to favor
certain interests and individuals TO the
detriment of others.
Apparently the Democratic House has
determined to listen to the President Of
the United States in this matter, de-
spite the attitude of its Speaker, Mr..
Garner Unless the Democratic leader,
Mr. Rainey, and the Democratic chair
man of the Ways and Means Committee
are incorrect in their estimates Of the
situation, the House is now prepared
to go ahead and pass a relief bill in
conformity with the recommendations
laid down by the President. Here Is the
first blow for the new Democratic ma
tionalsticket, one, indeed, which the vice
presidential candidate brought upon it.
Mr.. Mills in his Boston address was
no less critical OF the head of the
Democratic ticket, Gov. Franklin D.
Roosevelt of New York. He charged
that Gov. Roosevelt has no sound,
economic program to offer the Amer
lean people, that the Roosevelt speech
accepting the presidential nomination
has been devoid of constructive sug-
gestions and has abounded in glitter
ing generalities. He insisted that
President Hoover has taken lead in
reconstruction, in combating the de-
preston such as no other President
has ever taken, and that the Democrats
could not successfully attack any OF
the measures advanced by the Presi-
dent for relief.
The Republicans have laid the ground
on which the campaign will probably
be fought. Efforts may be made to
shift it; to bring prohibition into the
foreground. But in the end the people
will settle the contest, determining
which party they prefer in power to
meet the economic situation.