The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-06-10
Little Untouched

AAVS1V ONCOuNxlVu
As congress prepared to end the
labors Of its special session, 1t is clear
that the last few months will go down
In history as more important than
any similar period of time in our leg
islative history.
How the devices and methods
adopted by the lawmakers at the in
sistence of the president will work
cut remains to be seen. One COM
mentator remarked recently that the
executive has been SO busy getting
congress to grant him new powers he
has had little opportunity to use
those he has, but this criticism, II 1t
ever was justified. will hardly hold
true after the next few days.
With the national legislators on
the way home, the president will have
opportunity to devote his whole time
to tho tasks Of administration.
What his new powers are may
easily be seen by taking birds eye
view of the laws which already have
been passed.
Most important from the stand
point Of North Dakota is the farm
bill with its authority to adopt price,
raising measures and its refinance
section.
Tied in with this is wider control
OF the currency than has ever before
been granted to the executive branch
of the government and authority to
issue either bonds or notes to over
come the processes OF deflation.
Second in Importance is the public
works-industrial control bill. It,
along with the taxing and control
features OF the farm measure, puts
practically every business enterprise
under government supervision.
The ome-refinancing bill will do
for urban home owners what the
farm bill is intended to do for agri-
culture. The railroad bill specifical-
ly applies to that industry alone and
is regarded as . temporary venture
to be supplemented by additional
and more permanent legislation
later.
The financial, farm and industrial
control measures have committed this
country to = pioneering venture in
social and political organization
which is unique In the history Of the
world.
The protested aims are all good,
but then that Is true Of nearly every
piece Of legislation ever offered any
where. The means chosen to achieve
the ends are, In some instances, dis
tasteful to many individuals. They
constitute weapons which can be used
for i'll as well Is for good and there
in lies the danger Of this whole
gigantic experiment. Unfair use Of
the powers granted to the executive
branch of the government could
wreck industry, destroy business and
make political liberty practically a.
joke.
In granting these powers, congress
has swung far over from its tradi-
tional position. Under tho stress of
emergency, it has granted authority
similar to that given to Cincinnatus
when the Romans called him from
the pillow to take charge in time OF
peril.
But whatever the outcome, we are
committed to this venture. We all
hope that national refrigeration
will result from the changes made,
that freedom from care and new op-
portunity will be opened to every
enc. These are dreams which the
world has held for ages and toward
which 1t has progressed more or less
steadily tor thousands Of years.
In effect we are going to try to
live under . commercial and in
dustrial autocracy, yet. at the same
time, keep the freedom and privileges
which are the blessings Of Democracy.
Every citizen Of thu United States
as well as Of the world will watch
the experiment with interest.
History probably will show that this
session Of congress has touched more
lives Ia more direct ways than any
which has ever before gathered to-
gether in time Of peace.