The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-08-10
Liberal Viewpoint
BY DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES =

: 4
4 sentiments and commendable economies in
! his speech at the Coulee dam in Washington.
| There is no more promising way of enabling
| the mass of Americans to benefit by modern
| scientific discoveries and inventions than to
make it possible for them to use electric light
| and power at prices which are fair and just to
all concerned. President RooseveIt's statement
on this subject left little to be desired sum-
mary of the conditions which should exist.
| I'VE are going to see, 1 believe, with our own
eyes, electricity and power made SO cheap that
| they will become a standard article Of use, not
only for agriculture and manufacturing, but also
for every home within reach of an electric
| light line.
The experiences of those sections of the
world that have cheap power proves very con-
cusively that the cheaper the power the more
Of it is used-the more of it is used in home
and small businesses"
All this is very commendable, but it is an
extremely stable commitment which ought not
to be taken too light heartedly It's implica-
lions should be considered carefully by the
President. If he has no intention of making
any serious effort to carry out such an alluring
promise, it would be better to leave it unSaid.
If he does hope to bring about its realization,
it will be we'll for him to recognize that much
more desperate battle lies ahead than the one
he had to fight to bring about even limited
regulation of the New York Stock Exchange.
THAT such prospect as Mr.. Roosevelt holds
i out need in no sense be mere day dreaming
is amply proved by the example of Canada.
There the state-owned and controlled ontario
hydro electric authority does supply electric
current to the population at rates which make
its use practicable in every avenue which thus
far has been opened up to electricity by inven-
ton. Power is generated for the people and
not for profit or loss.
In this country it is bird of a different
color In any effort to provide electric current
for the mass of Americans at a just and decent
figure, Mr.. Roosevelt will run headlOng into the
same coterie of financial mogulS who have
blocked him all along the way
| This power pronouncement illustrates a very
| grave danger which faces the Roosevelt admin
istraton in the not distant future. The Presl-
! dent and his advisers are to be praised hlghly
| for their vision and for their inyentivenesS IN
putting into words the tasks which must be full
| filed if we are to have any return OF economic
well-being. The phrases, slogans and promises
| have been almost unique for cogency ana al
lurement. They have admirably described what
needs to be done.
DUT this very facility carries with it respon-
! . sibty which can not be taken lightly. The
administration is in danger of piling up alto
gether too many inspiring commitments to the
American people which it can not or never VIII
| fulfill.
For example. we have been told that the
money changers would be driven from the tenn
! pie; that the New Deal was to usher in a cap
| italistic system devoted to the interest of the
| consumers rather than the producers; that I'M
! employment would be cut and wages raised;
/ that We would have a planned economy de-
signed to share the bounties Of our resources
and productive efficiency with the mass OF the
! people, and that the right OF collective bar
! gaining would be absolutely guaranteed in order
/ 10 help the era of consumers capitalism.
Moreover. Just before congress disbanded
Mr.. Roosevelt made perhaps the most eXpan-
sive of all his promises, namely, that he and his
party would guarantee to every normal Ameri-
can a home, a job, and the advantages of So
cial insurance.
Not a major promise of the administration
has been carried out with real success. The
closest approximation has been in the case Of
the planned economy, but both the NRA and
the AAA are committed to the economy Of
scarcity which Mr. Roosevelt once repudiated.
About the only planning which the American
industrialists seem likely to accept in connection
with the NRA is that which will enable them
more effectively to exploit the consumers
TN every case the most effective opposition to
L the realization Of Mr.. Roosevelt's commend
able aims has centered in the very money
changers whom he has left in the temple. And
these are the same men who now throttle
American utilities through their vampire hold
ing companies and prevent even private own
ership from achieving a maximum Of economy
and service.
It is this crowd which Mr.. Roosevelt will have
to overcome if he is to progress at all in making
good his Coulee dam commitments to the
American public.
Unless he has some new ruse up his sleeve
or proposes to use brass knuckles hitherto con-
cealed it is dubious strategy for him to make
additional promises which involve a test Of
strength with the group that has thus far de-
feated or stalled him in every phase Of the
struggle to create an actual New Deal