Evening star., 1932-07-06
Roosevelt Under Fire.

The Republican attack on GOV.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, democracy's new
standard bearer, was not slow in ma
terializing Secretary Arthur Hyde of
the Department of Agriculture opened
fire yesterday on the New York Gov
ernor's proposal for reforestation of
millions of acres Of land as an aid to
economic recovery and a relief from
unemployment. At the same time Sem
ator George H. Moses of New Hamp-
shire began sniping at the message sent
by Gov. Roosevelt TO Tammany Hall for
its Fourth OF July celebration. The
Democratic campaign managers will
find, as time progresses, that the Re-
publican attack will be bitter and in
tense and that the Democratic candi-
dates will need to the full the advantage
which arises from hard times in their
effort to oust the G. o. P.
Secretary Hyde. under whose de-
partment the United States Bureau Of
Forestry operates, undertook to analyze
Gov. Roosevelts claim that reforesta-
ticn of cut-over lands and abandoned
farms in the United States would put
million men to work and at the same
time would prove safe basis on which
to place a Government bond issue. He
pointed out that $500 men in the
Forest Service care for 160,000,000
acres of land, or one man to $4,000
acres. A million men, therefore, could
care for q, 900 OcO, 900 acres, twelve times
the entire land area of the United
States. Not content with this expose
of what Mr.. Hyde terms the ridiculous
ness of the Roosevelt proposal, the
Secretary of Agriculture turned the
spotlight on what is being done in
New York State toward reforestation,
a boast of Gov Roosevelt in his speech
accepting the Democratic presidential
nomination. The Secretary said that
the New York program looks to the
reforestation of 100000 acres; that it
gives permanent employment to 279
men; that it is to be completed in
period of fifteen years, and at cost Of
S2o,00o,O0o.
Outside Of these holes in the New
York Governors reforestation proposal
as an aid in the present emergency,
Secretary Hyde pointed out that If the
United States undertook a huge re-
forestation program in the States east
of the Mississippi 1t would be necessary
to purchase these lands, clear their
titles and do a tremendous lot Of pre-
liminary work.
It is clear that If the Democrats and
their new leader are to advance plans
for reconstruction and economic relief
in this country they must know their
ground thoroughly before they put
forth these plans. Gov. Roosevelt ap-
pears to have put his foot in it badly
in this the first Of his concrete" pro-
posals for relief The Republican
sharpshooters will be ready at all times
to tear these Democratic proposals to
pieces during the campaign.
Senator Moses, in his most biting and
sarcastic vein, described Gov. Roosevelt S
Fourth of July telegram 70 Tammany
Hall as surrender" to the Democratic
organization in New York City, an or
-ganization which has been constantly
under fire for alleged corruption. This, /"
said Senator Moses, seems to me to be
an inauspicious beginning for Gov.
Roosevelts new deal'-unless he is
dealing from the bottom of the pack" :"
Gov. Roosevelt, however, has still to
deal with Tammany. He has still to
pass upon the recommendation that
Mayor Jimmy Walker, Tammanys pet,
be removed from Office. Indeed, the re-
lations of the Governor with Tammany
Hall is one Of the most serious prob
lens Of intra-party policy which Roose-
welt faces today. If Tammany Hall de-
cides in the end to go along with the
Governor in the coming election, the
chances Of G. o. p. success in New York
State will be materially lessened.