Evening star., 1933-06-19
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS

Typical Of the I'VE don't know where
we're going, but we are on our way,
state of mind seemingly widely preva-
lent in the American business world as
it surveys the program formulated by
the administration, sanctioned by Con-
gress, and now in process Of execution,
are the remarks Of Melvin A. Traylor,
Chicago banker, and, in June year
ago a Democratic presidential posi-
bility, addressing meeting OF indus
trial magnates in his home city few
hours after Mr. Roosevelt had signed
and acclaimed the banking and the
industrial recovery acts. Il don't know
where we are going now said Banker
Traylor, but I know where we were
going on the night of March 3, 1888
to bankruptcy. Whether We have sur
rendered the constitutional right of
this country or not I don't know, but
until this program fails l am going to
believe, in spite Of all the things about
it that I do not like, that this country
in its economic, its financial and its
social aspects is warranted in trying
the new deal rather than standing in
the defeatist attitude that prevailed
prior to March 3. There Is more Sc
curity in the new deal, whatever that
deal may be, than there Is in the Com
munism of Russia, which might have
been our program with the failure OF
the old stand-pat program in which
you and I believed"
Memorable sidelights of the closing
midnight hours of the first and ex-
traordinary session of the Seventy second
Congress: A weary but elated President
resting in his bed, examining new
stamp collection to while away the
time as the fight ragged in the Senate;
Chairman Farley, the Democratic party
boss. sitting in an ante room of the
Senate chamber reading the riot act to
recalcitrant members who were blocking
acceptance OF the Presidents COM
promise on the veterans issue; the
trace of gentle irony in Mr.. RooSevelt'S
parting words to the departing Con-
gress: ITO each and every one of you
I send my best wishes for a we'll de-
served and happy holiday during the
coming months"
More than twenty-six million words
were spoken on the floors OF House and
Senate and at the congressional hear
ings in adjacent committee rooms during
the hundred days of the special session
This is the estimate of the head Of the
public speaking department at George
Washington University, who must have
a penchant for mathematical calcula-
tions. Enough words were uttered, II the
professors estimate is somewhere near
accurate, to fill twenty-six thousand
| newspaper columns. But as matter of
fact this new Congress talked less and
legislated q great deal more than any
congressional session in our history. The
record of accomplishments in terms OF
epoch making new laws, characterized
by the President as the complete vim
dication of my whole program" is akin
10 the eighth wonder of the world.
There were four pending and i'm
| portant issues, and only four, which
| failed to receive decisive affirmative &C
| ton at the extra session. One was
ratification Of the st. Lawrence water
ways treaty, another was the question
| of American adherence to the World
| Court; a third. the business of foreign
war debt revision, and the fourth the
corporation bankruptcy bill, passed by
| the House, earnestly desired by busi-
ness, but pigeonholed by the Senate.
The Senate alone could deal with the
World Court and the st. Lawrence.
| Both matters are in the form of treaties
awaiting ratification. From some
quarters Mr.. Roosevelt has been urged
to call a special session of the Senate
in the early Fall for that purpose, but
he has evidenced not the slightest in
/ tention Of doing So
| II X
Prof A. A. Berle, jr, reputed 20 be
the youngest member of the Roose-
welt brain trust" addressed an
audience of Philadelphia business men
one day last week The brain trust" ;"
! said Prof Berle. lis composed of five
men equally balanced IN theory and