Evening star., 1932-12-29
The Political Mill
By C.. Could Lincoln.

CratlC party-WnlCn III tne pubic nina
has been associated particularly during
recent months with the names OF Sen
atorS Dill Of washington, Wheeler of
Long of Louisiana and others
had its chance to cheer
The word came to them that President
elect Roosevelt was mortified" at the
suggestion OF a general manufacturers
excise or sales tax, suggested as a last
resort to balance the budget by Chair
man Collier of the House Ways and
Means Committee and Speaker Garner.
Senator Din was one of the first to
give expression to his approval Of the
Roosevelt attitude.
Even to have remained silent under
such an implication" said Senator
Dill, would have beena betrayal of the
faith of the millions who have Just
voting for him on a pledge to
cut the costs of government. To pro-
pose seriously an increase of taxes at
this time is unthinkable."
The score, apparently, stands one to
nothing in favor of the progressive
wing of the party, with the more con-
servative Democrats wondering just
where they are to cross the goal line
If Gov. Roosevelt's horror at the sug-
gestlon of sales tax goes to the kind
of tax proposed, it is one thing. If his
horror is because any kind Of an in
creased tax is suggested, 1t is another.
Senator Dill, and perhaps Gov. Roose-
welt himself, apparently thinks that it
will be possible to bring about bal
ancing of the Governments budget by
cutting Governments costs It might
but the chances are it will never be done,
either by Gov. Roosevelt or any other
Chief Executive, when the deficit Of the
Treasury is so large as it is today.
Cutting the expenditures of the Gov
ernment is one of the most difficult
tasks. 1t might be done if one man
could handle the job, and it has been
reported that Gov. Roosevelt would like
to have the authority to tackle it. But
Congress is not likely to give a Presi-
dent tho power to eliminate expendi-
lures and Government employees at will.
1t would, indeed, be the powers of a
dictator Even during the World War.
when the grants of power to the Chief
Executive were enormous, there was no
suggestion that the President would
contract, throw out Government work
ers and the like. 1t was all expansion
at that time, with Government costs
mounting to unheard-of limits. made
necessary by the war. So if Gov.
Roosevelt is coming to Washington with
the thought that the budget, now so
sadly behind. can be balanced by cut
ting governmental expenses, he may
have to revise his opinion. Some econ
omies could and should be made, but if
the Government. as great employer Of
labor, undertakes to throw thousands
out of jobs and to reduce wages more
and more. it will scarcely help the sit
uation which now exists.
X
When Gov Roosevelt SHE'D away in
from the suggestion of a manu-
facturers sales tax. what did william
Hearst think about his pro-
tege for the presidency? If Roosevelt
persists in his attitude, Mr. Hearst may
have something to say about the matter.
He usually does. Representative Fred
Britten of Illinois, Republican, who
called Roosevelt's opposition to manu-
facturers' sales tax the first great dis
of the American people
over the election Of Democratic Presi-
dent" said: The President-elect has
gone out of his way to offend his
creator, Mr.. William Randolph Hearst,
whose pet legislative desire for the past
four years has been the enactment OF
a general sales tax which would imne
diately reduce income taxes and ultI-
rrately abolish them entirely"
The Democratic leaders of the House,
who were bent on bringing in a reyenra
measure capable of balancing tie EuSGT
at the present short session Of Congr-
seemed yesterday bewildered. Soc-e c
them had sadly reached the conclusi- n
that it would be necessary to resort t2
4 general manufacturers sales tax.
With the sales tax "cut" because Of tie
opposition of Roosevelt, they did not
know just which way to turn. Perhaps
before the meeting Of the Ways and
Means Committee, set for JANUARY 4, to
consider revenue legislation, they VIII
have clearer idea of just what the
PreSident-eleCt has in mind toward bal
ancing the budget. :,
The prospects for legislation capable
Of balancing the Government budget, at
the present short session, were not good
at any time, and to6ay they lock even
worse. This is just another Of the prob
lens which must be handled by the in
coming Congress and administration.
X X X
A statement attacking the Republic
ans. issued by Senator Robinson OF Ar
kansas, the Democratic leader of the
Upper House, and charging the G. o.
P. with obstructing legislation in the
present Congress is probably purely po-
litical. The Republicans have GER
tainly not obstructed any legislation
so far presented to the Democratic-con-
trolled House at the present session.
Mr.. Robinson talks OF the fact that
100 Republicans voted against the
resolution for the repeal of the eight
eenth amendment, many OF them
lame ducks" He might as well talk
of the 43 Democrats who did the same
thing, some of whom also are lame
ducks. In the Senate, no legislation has
been brought forward except the
Philippine independence bill, which was
passed Senator Robinson is just get
ting his hand in probably. so that he
will be in voice when the next Con-
yress, Democratic controlled in both
1LSelI QSlO up Oll 4SSES-
lation. The majority party in control
always attacks the minority for "ob-
struction-" The Republicans have been
such attacks on the Democrats
for the last dozen years.
However, the new Congress Is so over
Democratic that If there
Is undue delay in legislation promised
by the Democratic administration, the
Democratic leaders in Congress will
have difficulty persuading the country
that it is due to the Republican tao
tics. Roosevelt will have SO Demo-
Gratis to SO Republicans and Farmer
Labor in the Senate, and 3l4 Demo-
Gratis to ia Republicans and handful
Of Farmer-LaboriteS in the House.
x y X
Former Senator Jim" Reed OF Mis-
souri,, according to reports from his
homo State is n hfa a candidate for