Nogales international., 1933-02-25

WOulQ DG UIdSSCO AAAeO eo' ~ ~ -
the events which occurred during
the war which are at the roots OF
the economic troubles from which
the United States and all the rest
of the world are suffering.
BY all odds the biggest job ahead
of the Roosevelt Administration is
the adjustment of the international
situation, with respect OF debts
growing out of the war, and the ef-
fort to restore international trade
upon which the prosperity OF the
United States still greatly depends.
And the most important task which
President Roosevelt and his party's
Congress will have to tackle also
grew out of the war. This is the
problem of pensions, disqualification
and bonus payments for those who
served under the American flag in
that war.
It seems from here at this time
safe to assert, first, that the new
Administration will not consent to
the demand of the American Legion
for the immediate payment of the
deferred bonus certificates held by
veterans of the war. It also seems
safe to predict that there will be a
complete reorganization Of the sys-
tenn of caring for invalid and dis
abled veterans whose allowances
and injuries are not directly due to
their war service At present the
cost of medical and hospital serv-
ice for such cases is estimated at
around $4OO,00O,000 year, and it
is anticipated that this will be one
of the first points of attack by Pre-
sident Roosevelt In his effort to re-
duce the cost of carrying on the
Government by at least Is percent.
Cleared For AcCIOn
Mr.. Roosevelt, it is known, has
asked his supporters in Congress to
give him all the power they can
legally grant under the Contituticn.
And, in the beginning at least,
there is little doubt that he will
get it. OF course, any power dele
gated to the President by Congress
can always be taken away from him
by Congress, but it begins to look
as if President Roosevelt would find
! himself in a position of more COM
plete authority than any President
has occupied since Mr.. Wilson, who
for two years, from early 1917 un-
til early 1919, was practically the
Supreme Dictator of the United
States.
In any event, the new Presiden:
will have to- call special session
of the Senate to confirm the ap
po.ntment of his Cabinet members
! the new ambassadors and minister
with whom it is certain he will re-
! place Americas representative:
abroad, and the hundreds Of Other
Presidential appointees who must
be Immediately put in office ane
confirmed. In all, there are some
I thing like 10000 Government posi-
tions over which the President per.
Sonally, or his Cabinet, have unre.
stricted power of removal and ap.
pointment
/ If the plans which are being dis
4 cussed by the friends and support
ers of the new Administration art
carried out there will also be a biz
sllake-up in the classified service
which is under the protection O
the civil service laws. Appointments
promotions and dismissals in tn
classified service, Whlcn 1ncluQe
now about half a million Govern
ment workers outside of the Arm.
and Navy, can be made only on tn
: basis Of examinations for fitnes
and merit, and these places hav
always been regarded as permanen
and secure. But all OF these pos!
tions are subject to Congresslona
action. Congress can, for example
abolish an entire bureau or divisio-
or il can restrict the number OF EN-
ployees in any given department
thus abolishing any number OF civ!
service posts.
Probably half the population
Washington, which is composed al
most entirely of Government EN-
ployees, is trembling in apprehen
sion that their jobs may vanish.