Evening star., 1933-09-07
The Political Mill
By G. Could LiseoIs.

| By G. Could Lincoln.
.senatoe william Z. Borah, hon Of
IDAHO. has shAken the dust Of wash
ington from his feet after firing Q
shot ct prodteers. He warned the Gov
eminent that before long II will be
called upon TO fix prices, and be added:
I'm no other way can the masses be
Mr.. Borah has an uncanny
sixth sense which gives him the ability
to get the trend Of public sentiment
and Of approaching public events IN
advance Of their actual happening. He
has sounded . note that may well be-
come 4 clarion call before many weeks
have passed. The Idaho Senator said
that the buy now" program Ct the
@ oo psIteqisa.y s ts. o. sns .S n
pected Of It unless the people can feel
1hat they are protected against In
equitable prices In this the Senator
r undoubtedly correct. It b one thing
to lead o horse to water and another
to make him drink.
Mr.. Borah is not apparently inimical
to higher prices ~ such. Indeed, he
and other Western Senators have de-
manded higher prices for the farmers
produce. In the Senate he has de-
mAnded IAN honest dollar" explaining
that . dollar which was worth twice
- much In commodities as 1t should be
worth was not An honest dollar. But
what Senator BorAh Is alarmed about
r. the prospect Of huge increases In
prices OF al neutrality-suspicious.
al the commodities that the farmer
has to buy. The consuming public, the
general run Of American citizens, will
have to bear the burden Of this prof.
iteering II and when It develops, and
Mr.. Borah contends that 1t Is already
ut hand.
What the Government Is going to do
about the matter Of mounting prices
self has warned the manufacturers
and merchants that undue increases In
prices before the purchasing power
Of the country can be largely increased
through higher wages and through
more employment would wreck the
whole recovery program. The state
ment Of Senator Borah goes further.
It says that the Government must
soon go to . price-nxing program to
save the consumer from profiteering
producers and manufacturers and mer-
chants
The Idaho Senator has no desire 10
pose as . wrecker Of the Roosevelt re-
covery program. Like every one else
in the country. Senator Borah wfshes to
see prosperity return. But 1t seems
clear hts political sense informs him
that II the administration leaves the
door wide open to profiteering at this
time there 1s going to be q terrible dAre-
back. The congressional elections are
to be held . year hence, and they will
contain q lot Of dynamite for the
Democrats II prices should be permitted
to get out Of hand. Mr.. Borah has
gone back to hts home State to look
the situation over; to learn what the
people on the farm and in the mine
feel about the new deal" He has so
far made no speaking engagements. But
he u feeling well again after q serious
operation which he underwent early In
the Summer and looks to be quite ca
paole OF taxing the stump. He himself
Is not up for reelection next year, for
nus present term does not expire until
March 4. 1897.
There was . second warning in the
Borah statement, . warning to the
bankers. Unless the bankers show more
OF disposition to grant credit there
VIII be Q new demand for controlled
imitation" he said. This would mean
greater issue Of currency to place the
money directly In the hands Of the
people. The situation today, he said,
recalls an earlier. He said: with
rising prices and curtailtng Of credit.
It reminds one Of . former decree.
where the people were told to make
h1cks without straw"
The Idaho Senator was never 4 sun-
porter Of the recovery act In SO far
e 1t tended to break down the Sher-
man antitrust laws. at was q mis-
take" he said yesterday. "to repeal the
sherman ant-trust act But that hay-
ing been done, the Government win
nave 70 protect the people from inequit-
apie prices" The Idaho Senator Is of
the opinion that this breaking down
OF the antitrust laws has given to
Jour or nve thousand men IN the co,In-
Uy, VINO ne contends control the In
oustr1eS, natural resources and the
wealth Of the country, an opportunitv
to reach out and take more wealth
and power.
It Is quite clear that the working
out Of the new deal" Is It Is epitom-
ised IN the N. R. A. holds tremendous
polucal implications and trends for
the future. II the cogs slip. then the
democrats VIII have bitter time Of it
next year. The Republicans, generally
speaking, are going along with the re-
covery program. It may be expected
that IN the present drive to put the
program across certain Of the most
prominent leaders Of the q. o. p. viii
be called upon to sound Oh in support
OF the program. And some of them
probably VIII do 30. Right now some
Of the leaders Of the Hoover admins
tration have been appealed to. Mr..
Hoover himself has indicated that he
the Roosevelt recovery program. The
consumers N. r. A. emblem Is over
the Hoover household In California
today.
A year from now three progressive
Republican Senators who turned their
backs On Herbert Hoover last year and
supported Franklin D. Roosevelt Will
come up for reelection. They are Sen
atofs Hiram johnson Of California,
Robert NJ. La Toilette, jr. of Wisconsin
and Bronson Cutting Of New Mexico.
What are the Republicans In their re-
spectfve States going to do about these
gentlemen, and, perhaps more impor-
tant, what are the Democrats In those
States going to do about them? Un-
doubtedly the. Roosevelt administra-
ton would be perfectly willing to see
all three Of the Senators reelected
indeed, would Ike to see that result.
Senator Cutting was offered . place In
the Roosevelt Cabinet, and 20 It is re-
ported was Senator Hiram johnson.
But what the Democratic admihistra-
ton wants in Washington and what
the Democrats h the three States
where the Senators must seek re-elec-
ton may not be the same thing. The
Democrats IN all three States have one
Democratic Senator. They are encopr.