The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1933-03-23
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
By FRANK P. LITSCHERT

| lIlC IlC" Ado AAlONSO
swiftly and decisively since taking
office at Washington. Congress has
obeyed willingly and has given Presi-
| dent Roosevelt powers never before
known in America during peace times.
There is more than one reason for
this. In the first place the old adage
that a "new broom sweeps clean"
! holds good in politics as we'll as in
other walks of life. President Hoover
was handicapped by Congress which
was generally against him because the
political beliefs of a majority of its
members did not coincide with those
of the Presidents party. But when
the new administration came in,
bringing with it majority in both
branches of Congress and a so-called
"new deap' the psychology changed
over night. Congress and the nation
is always willing to give a new ad-
ministration chance. Whatever
troubles and political divisions there
are to be in the majority party, will
come later on in the administration.
#**
Another reason for the swift and
decisive action on the part of Con.
gress was the national banking crisis.
1t was evident that something had to
be done and done quickly. A thrill of
patriotic fervor, comparable to war,
swept over the nation. American
people may do a lot of complaining in
times of depression, but they love
their country and always rally to the
colors when it is in danger, no mat
ter whether the danger is from with
in or without. A third reason Of
course is that President Roosevelt
had the ability to capitalize the situa-
ton, and to take a bold course and
one calling for decisive action. He
captured the imagination of the coun-
try, partly of course because he pre-
scented a workable program.
| $3.50
Passage of the emergency banking
| legislation was of course foregone
conclusion. The need was acute and
Congress responded. But the enact
ment of the so-called economy and
budget balancing program Of the
President was more remarkable. The
legislation called for making the
President an economy dictator, and
this was done on the theory that the
nation was facing situation as
serious as a military threat by for
eign foe. For months, certain we'll
! financed Hobbies in Washington had
been preventing the enactment of real
economy legislation and they felt,
when the new administration started,
that they could do it again. But they
reckoned without the ability of Presi-
| dent Roosevelt to take hold of a situa-
ton, and without the response that
the whole country would make to his
demands for action for economy and
sound national finance. AS the debate
in Congress proceeded the forces be-
hind the President grew stronger
rather than weaker, and in the end
the lobbyists themselves were forced
to yield gracefully and to say that
they had absolute confidence in the
E.: &c La DrocfIont m do tho
right thing in the administration of
| the law.
Just how the rest of President
Roosevelt's program will fare in Con-
gress remains to be seen. Just now
| the administration "has the ball' and
is able to make touchdown almost
at will. Nothing succeeds like sue
cess, and with his proven ability to
size up situation and dramatize it
when necessary President Roosevelt
ought to go long ways with Con-
gress before real disagreements de-
velop.
Many New Workers who have
watched President Roosevelt's politi-
cal career from the beginning say
that he is blessed with that rare gift
called political luck" He always
has won his political battles, they
say, no matter what the apparent
odds against him. If this is true, his
political "luck" seems to be holding
and Americans generally regardless
of party will hope that it continues to
hold so long as his policies remain
sound and constructive. The state
ment that he has this political luck is
no disparagement of his ability. Luck
without ability would not go far. 1t
will be remembered that the late
President Coolidge was credited both
by his political friends and opponents
with possessing the same kind of luck
but this did not deny his calm, con-
structive judgment and sound mental
ity. President Roosevelt is now the
head of the nation. His achievements
and his luck will be the nations
luck. May it continue as long as the
| President and the nation continue to