Evening star., 1933-11-20
The Political Mill
By C. Gould Lincoln,

The United States Chamber Of Com
merce, through resolutions adopted
Saturday. has tackled the Presidents
gold and monetary policies. At the
same time the President cracked down
on opponents Of these policies, describ-
Ing them as Tories" The issue has
been distinctly Joined between the men
OF business and the men of theory-the
economists-with the President an
parensly throwing the weight Of his
approval in the balance 50 far with the
economists. It's . little more dtdicult
because the economists themselves are
divided. So far the gold policies and
the efforts Of the administration to re-
duce the value of the dollar have glided
along without causing any tremendous
change. The people have still retained
confidence, generally speaking, in their
dollars. But once let the public lose
faith In the money of the country, and
the troubles Of the last four years will
seem a mere nothing compared to what
Is likely to happen under those condi-
tions. The United States Chamber of
Commerce may have been wrong about
represented conservative business, hide
bound, IN very large part, as well Is
progressive business men. But tinker
ing with the currency is something else.
The man who works with hts hands
wants to know what his wages are good
Tor. II he comes to believe that they
are mere scraps of paper, then it will
be Just too bad. not merely for the
Roosevelt administration, but for the
entire country
According to the New York Times,
the relevant and competent testimony
is almost universal that tinkering with
the currency has definitely slowed
down recovery. There were many
fiattering signs two months ago that
business and industry were on the way
to a great pickup" the Times con-
tinued. If there have since come
recession and anxiety, the chief cause
may well be dread Of what is going TO
happen to our currency" Further, it
is said that the ohscurity which clouds
the administrations real purpose with
regard to the currency has been a god
send to speculators- The money
changers" have had an opportunity to
make more money out OF the Auctuat.
ing markets. This kind of criticism
Russian recognition by the President
served to take the mind of the country
on the question of currency for a mo-
ment, although apparently only for a
moment. The course adopted by the
President with regard to Russia has
met the approval of the country gen
orally, although there are dssenters
mere and there. Certainly the agree
ments which the President obtained
recognition was accorded the Soviet
government commend themselves to
thinking Americans These agreements
deal with propaganda, Communist
propaganda particularly, with religious
Ireeoom OF Americans living In Russia
ana with the treatment of Americans
IN RUSSIAN courts and the claims of
Americans against Russia. It was I'M
thlnkable that the United States
Government would undertake to deal
In a friendly manner with another
government which through agents In
TINS country sought to undermine and
overthrow the American Government
The agreements now entered into with
the Soviet government pledge that
government not to permit any effort
to overthrow the Government of the
United States by any groups within its
territory, or to make plans for such
overthrow.
Now that the thing has been ac-
compllshed; lot OF people in this
country ask why Russian recognition
was not brought about earlier. Il Ioots
easy on the surface. But undoubtedly
time was necessary before anv such
agreements as the President obtained
from the Russians could be entered
INTO with the consent of the Russians
themselves. incidentally. IL NAV he
mentioned that President Rno..vsT, o
and the United States were the first
governments to obtain such agreements
prior to recognition OF Russia. Other
natlons which have recognized the
SOVIET government have accorded rec
ognltlon and then sought to deal with
tnese more or less ticklish Questions
alterWard. and not always with anv
great degree of success.
The selection of Joseph C. OMa-
money to be United States Senator from,
wyoming in place of the late Senator
henorlck OF that State brings to the
senate new member who Is we'll ouaI-
lneo 10 help make the course of the
Roosevelt administration run q hi
smoother on Capitol Hill. In the frst
place Mr.. OMahoney is a member NJ
tne democratic National COMMITTEES
and during the Roosevelt Campaign for
election as President he was the right
hand man OF Postmaster James A, Far.
icy. the chairman Of the Democrats
Natlonal Committee and manager OF
!ne roosevelt forces. Mr.. O'Mahoney
IN lact' attended to the duties of M,
tlonal chairman at. headoua rters IN
new York while Mr.. Farley was oa,t
around the country He is entireIv
IamAlar, therefore, with the political
situation. Since the inaueuration ~
tne Roosevelt administration Mr.
OMahoney has served as First Assist.
ant Postmaster General, CONTINUING
with his old chief. In that ONCE he
mas remained Mr.. Farley's first lieu-
IenanC. Ia Sut when Congress meets in
tne senate, where Mr.. Farley and his
manner Of handling Federal patronaee
mas been under fire for weeks Ger
sha,,s II nus new post Mr.. O'Mahoney
SnOulQ DC a0e TO see that nlany d N.
sore spots are remedied.
The campaign for the election Of a
successor to the House seat held for
merry by the late Representative 1,vnn
>. Honor In the third West Virginia