The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-09-14
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National Topics Interpreted "a fFYYTTTRR
by William Bruckart MSl<TIfHf
National Topics Interpreted
by William Bruckart

Washington.-The political situation
wakes warmer. 1t is seldom in our his
tory where the records disclose so
much heat In the campaign fights as
has already been developed. 1t may
die down some, but the wiseacres in
politics are predicting red hot battles
over the issues and mud singing and
muck raking among individuals.
There is the speech by Secretary
Morgenthau of the treasury, an at
tempt to show that
Campaign the New Deal has
"MaferioP' not been so costly as
critics of the admin
istration claim; there is the victory
of the Socialist, Upton Sinclair, who
captured the Democratic nomination
for governor of California, and there
is growing list of social reform pro-
posals among administration advisers
which provide meat and drink for the
politicians on the opposing team.
There is the accomplished fact in this
connection of the pension legislation
which the railroads claim is going to
cost them almost one hundred million
dollars a year.
One can mention also the row
among cabinet and emergency officials
over the future course of NRA and
the test that is being made in the Dis
trict of Columbia courts to determine
whether a business firm can be made
to comply with code which it has
definitely and continuously refused to
sign. There is the speakership fight
among the Democrats of the house of
representatives, and the bitter attacks
that are being leveled at the treasury
by some of the senators and repre-
sentatfves from agricultural areas on
account of administration management
of processing taxes. Efforts of the
American Liberty league for protection
of constitutional rights are being ex-
banded. All the while New Deal plan
ners are engaged in development of
new schemes such as program de-
signed to result in federal ownership
of the railroads.
To say that the situation is confus-
ing is to use the ,mildest sort Of lam
guage. Observers in Washington who
have watched political maneuvers for
a quarter of century and more in
sist that at no time in their recollec-
ton have they seen anything similar
to present conditions. Take the Upton
Sinclair victory itself, as an example.
I am told that few times in modern
politics has it occurred that man so
long affiliated with another partisan
group has bored his way in and seized
titular control of major political
party. The observers insist that the
result of the California primaries has
placed the Roosevelt administration
on a decidedly hot spot unless, as it
has been charged, President Roosevelt
is willing to commit the Democratic
party which he heads to the Socialist
doctrines publicized for quarter of
a century by Mr.. Sinclair.
Some political leaders here are
whispering that the Sinclair victory
will strengthen the hand of the Amer
lSoh lCoSuC anu CldUiC thC
sponsors-Al Smith, Jouett Shouse,
John w. Davis, former Senator Wads-
worth and others-to go about the
country and obtain recruits for their
defense of constitutional rights. Active
efforts of this kind, Of course, are like
ly to catalog the league as definitely
anti-administration, but league leaders
apparently do not entertain such
fear at this time.
The processing tax question is an
other that political observers insist is
due to cause trouble
Processing for the President.
Troubles They point out that
heretofore such criti-
cisms as have come of the processing
taxes have centered on Secretary Wal
lace and the Agricultural Adjustment
administration. Now, however, the at
tacks are being leveled at the bureau
of internal revenue, which is a part
of the treasury and, therefore, the fire
has swerved from one department to
the other. 1t is to be remembered that
both Secretary Morgenthau and Com
missioner delivering of the bureau of
internal revenue are personal appoint.
ments of the President. Republican
campaigners are using this as We
hicle to carry their assault on the
President himself
Whatever the political implications
may be, ii remains a fact that such
New Deal supporters as Senator James
P. Pope of Idaho have taken Mr.. Hell
vering to task for his administration
of the processing taxes. Senator Pope
has written to Mr.. Helvering with par
ticular respect to the processing tax
on hogs, which he charged was being
collected from farmers who slaugh-
tered and sold pork produced on their
own farms. The Idaho senator forced
a bill through congress in the closing
days of the last session which he be-
lieved would free the farmer of this
tax and provide refund of tax which
he claimed was illegally collected. At
this writing, Senator Pope reports, the
bureau of internal revenue has not
even drafted the forms upon which
farmers may make application for re-
fund of taxes already paid, and it
amounts to approximately two and
one-half cents per pound. It takes no
stretch of the Imagination to figure
how much tax has been taken from
farmers in this way
mn
the processing taxes as well. These
include complaint that has become
country wide among users of products
as well as the producers of products
that compete with eoconut oil. It will