The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-04-07


sincerity and serious
ness. How far he will, or can, go
remains to be seen, Of course. But
he has his subordinates at work in a
way that surely is destined to produce
results of considerable Importance.
But there are signs on the horizon
which seem to portend difficulties.
The President has begun to talk about
balancing the budget in ways that
have proved erroneous for other Pres
idents. He wants the budget of "or-
dinary'' expenses of the government
to be as small or smaller than the or
binary receipts. AS far as that pro-
gram goes, it is not subject to COM
plant or criticism. But the Presi-
dent, at the same time, continues to
talk about bond issues for relief of
the destitute and bond issues for re-
forestation and perhaps some other
bonds also. He contends that bond
issue for public construction, for ex-
ample, should not beNconsidered a part
of the national budget.
So the old question again has arisen.
If there is an expenditure of govern
ment money, raised by bond issue,
is it or is it not properly part of
the budget? President Hoover argued
that it was, while he occupied the
White House President Cleveland
held the same, view. Proposals to pay
for the Hoover construction program
with bond issue were characterized
in senate debate year ago as making
a dishonest budget" since it was
contemplated that the expense should
not be included in the budget.
President Roosevelt takes the posi-
ton that the course he has proposed
places the bond issue in different
category. He considers that govern
ment help for starving people is an
emergency and that, for the reason
it will not recur each year, it should
not be considered as an ordinary" ex-
pense. Since it is not an ordinary ex-
pense, 1t can properly be excluded
from budgetary calculations.
There is argument on both sides of
the question. Moreover, there is GER
tainly a need for extraordinary meas
ures under the stress of the times
when hundreds of thousands of per-
sons continue to live solely by charity.
It should be recalled, however, that
one of the reasons why the bonds of
good many foreign countries are no long
er held to be desirable as investments
in this country, is because no one can
tell accurately what the financial status
of thosecountries actually is. Their bud
gets do not tell the full story. The
President says, respecting his pro-
posals, that we should look the facts
In the face and that the expenditures
are justified. Undoubtedly, his view
will prevail In. congress, and there will
be quite an outpouring of public
money in order to do as much as hui
manly can be done to relieve the dis
tressed.
But from a political standpoint, the
looked upon by many observers as
leading him into open spaces where
Republican fire can reach him. l have
heard considerable discussion among
Republicans to that effect. After all,
it must be remembered, the Demo-
Gratis are the "ins' and the Republic
ans are the "outs," and it is very much
easier to attack than it is to defend
in the great game of politics.
The fear of war again sweeps Eu-
rope. The ghost of "Mittel- Europa"
again arises. T. e
War Scares treaty of Versailles
Sweep Europe and the changes it
made in the political
structure of Europe are almost, If not
quite, ready for revision.
Europe has had war scares since
the end of the World war. Most of
them have been manufactured scares,
scares produced for a given purpose.
But the very indefiniteness Of the pres
ent fears constitutes the most dis
turbing factor that the world has faced
since the armistice of November IL,
1913. It Is, indeed, no ordinary scare
that now pervades Europe.
It was only few short months ago.
certainly not longer than a year ago,
that general war in Europe was ac-
credited as being wholly and positively
"unthinkable." Yet, suddenly such
war as that has become "thinkable."
The challenge is to European states
manship. for the craftsmanship of the
continent is weighed in the balance.
In the last month, we have seen
Ramsay Macdonald. the British prime
minister, rushing-yes, actually flying
from London to Rome, to Paris, to
Geneva. He consulted with Mussolini.
He met with Premier Daladier In
Paris. Ostensibly he talked about dis
armament in each instance. But In
washington there is some lifting of
eyebrows about that. Official Wash
ington accepts the reports that the
subject was disarmament. But private
". more than one observer looks upon
the situation as ominous, as one de-
noting an impending crisis.
l.