Evening star., 1933-07-03
The Political Mill
By G. Gould Lincoln.

formal reply to the recent statement
Of Representative Bertrand Smell Of
New York, Republican leader Of the
House, which attacked the Roosevelt
administration. Mr.. Farley's comment
Is to the effect that Mr.. Smells attack
upon the Democrats was q ruthless
and reckless exhibition OF petty par
ttsan politics." Chairman Farley takes
the position that any attack upon the
Democratic administration and its pro-
gram Is q campaign In opposition to
national recovery and national prosper
ity." He argues that the American peo-
pie would resent q campaign against
recovery, and that such q campaign
should not have the slightest chance
Of success. Mr.. Farley may be entire
ly correct. However, what he Is saying
sounds very much like what the Re-
publicans were saying of Democratic
attacks upon the Hoover administration
a year ago.
Notwithstanding the criticism by Mr..
Smell Of the Democratic administration
and the Democratic Congress, the Re-
publicans generally are not going to
place themselves in the position right
now Of seeking to obstruct or to hinder
the successful working out Of the re-
covery plans Of President Roosevelt
They are afraid that the country would
react to such campaign just as Mr..
Farley says 1t would react. The G. o.
p, except for sporadic statements re-
through period Of watchful waiting
these next few months.
Chairman Farley in his reply to Mr..
Smell comments upon "the steady rise
Of commodity prices. Of the reopening
Of factories, the large additions to the
working forces Of those that have been
running on part time, the widespread
increase in wages, the renewed activities
Ct railroads, in carloadings, in bank
statements, in the growth Of retail trade
and In q frm and consistent advance
in the prices Of stocks and other Securi-
ties. Most Of this. if not all, may be
fairly attributed to the courage and pro-
gressive plans and policies Of the Roose-
welt administration, backed by
patriotic American Congress and the
confidence of the American people.
In these circumstances Of encour-
aging and hopeful conditions there
ton beyond which not even the des-
would be willing to venture"
"
Mr. Farley undertakes to distinguish
between the Republican leadership and
between the rank and file of the Re-
publicans In the country, and especially
those Republicans who voted for Roose-
velt last Fall. He expresses confidence
that those Republicans will resent such
attacks upon the Democratic admins
tration as that recently made by the
Republican leader Of the House. That,
Of course, must be the hope Of Mr..
Farley and the Democratic leadership.
With continuance of that Republican
support, the Democrats may win the
congressional elections next year and
the presidential election three years
hence. Without it, the Democrats
would be in a bad way.
+ +
The Democratic chairman Is correct
when he says that the country-which
includes Republicans, as well as Dem
ocrats-is anxious that the Roosevelt
recovery program be given a fair
tr1ai. It would be particularly stupid
lor the G. o. P. to undertake to throw
the machinery out of gear. Mr.. Far
icy, however, might have included in
his statement, made public today, some
reference to what former Gov. Alfred
e. Smith Of New York, the Democratic
presidential candidate in 1928, had to
say IN his article in the New Outlook
last week. What Mr. Smith said about
the national recovery act, under which
the Roosevelt administration is seeking
70 give american industry and labor a
certainly as deadly. perhaps more so
than anything that the Republican
leader OF the House had to say. WHY
is Mr.. Smith taking shot at the re-
covery program just now? Mr.. Farley
might suggest to Mr.. Smith as he did
so forcibly to Mr.. Smell, that it would
oe Just as well to let the recovery plan
have a chance before throwing mon
key wrenches into the machinery. Mr.
Smith said among other things in his
articles, speaking of the industrial re-
covery act:
THE act is labeled as a Temporary
emergency measure SO as to get it by
Smith.
II its terms are carried out literally,
tne tendency will undoubtedly be to
cripple initiative, legalize and even Of
ncially encourage monopoly, raise prices
and require higher tariffs to maintain
the new structure. In such a triumph
OF bureaucracy, the little man would be
lost in the shuttle"
No one could picture a blacker out
look 1or the country under the OPERA
tlon of this law. And Mr.. Smiths only
hope, apparently, is that the wide
powers granted under the act will not
be used and that while the act NAV
be radical its administration will be
conservative.
Incidentally. during the consideration
OF the formation of the first of the
codes OF fair competition to be set up
under the recovery act. that of the
cotton textile industry, there has been
virtual agreement to do away with child
labor In the cotton mills. No person
under sixteen years of age is to be en-
ployed in the industry. Here, at least.
Is one result of the new law-provided,
OF course, that the code is finally
adopted and carried into effect-that
the critics Of the law will have difficulty
crlticizing. There may be many other
results that will inure to the benefit of
the people. But just how the law will
operate as whole no one can predict
with exactitude today. Certainly the
politicians, Republicans and Democrats
alike. should give 1t chance. No law
Is HKeIy 10 be perfect in its operation.
There may be abuses; there may be
mistakes. 1t may become necessary to
amend the law in certain particulars.
But II 1t has promise of aiding in the
present situation, give it a chance.
X
The Texas Weekly, commenting upon
the problem which confronts the people
Of Texas when they vote on prohibition
repeal next month, insists there should
be no doubt that a majority of the
voters will support repeal, for, SAYS the
Texas Weekly: Repeal or notification
Is what the country is facing. Theo-
retically minority of thirteen or more
States can prevent repeal of the
eighteenth amendment, but it is now
clear that If there are thirteen States in
the Union that will refuse to ratify the
repeal amendment, they represent such
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