Evening star., 1934-11-12
Mill
By G. Could Lincoln.

Senator William e. Borah Of Idaho
has tackled the Roosevelt admins
tration on the question of relief ex-
penditures from a new angle. He
makes no claim that relief, and ade-
quate relief, should not be granted by
the Government. His criticism is to
the effect that the huge sums of
money which are being spent for relief
are not, in large part, reaching the
destitute and needy. This is q very
different matter. So different that
Harry L. Hopkins, administrator Of
Federal relief, has quickly challenged
the Borah statement and has started
an inquiry into the charges of i'm
proper expenditures. What will come
of the drive on the relief administra-
tion instituted by Senator Bcrah re-
mains to be seen. There seems little
doubt, however, that the Idaho Sen
ator, who has been able to get the ear
Of the country more easily than other
men in public life, except the Presi-
dent, intends to 60 to the bottom of
the matter. Next Monday night he
will deliver an address dealing with
the subject in the National Radio
Forum.
The final returns of the election last
Tuesday have practically all been re-
ceived. One Of the deductions made
from these returns Is that the Repub-
lican candidates as q whole the coun-
try over, received greater proportion
Of the vote in the 1884 election than
it did in the election of 1892 The
Republican leaders have seized upon
this fact to base their statements that
the Republican party is by no means
as dead as the Democrats make out,
| nor as dead as it may have seemed
because the number Of Democratic
| Senators and of Democratic members
Of the House was increased by the
elections. Their contention is that the
actual margin Of popular support Of
the New Deal contracted rather than
expanded in recent months. Certainly
the criticism Of the New Deal in recent
| months has been vociferous. 1t has
| filled the press. 1t has permeated the
magazines. Many business men have
| been critical. Some of the farmers
have denounced the A. A. A. program,
and particularly its administration.
*xx
Despite all this criticism, President
Roosevelt and his New Deal program
won a huge victory at the polls. If
! the New Deal can win as great q
victory over the depression the people
will be satisfied. They are still hoping
! for such success. The next year or
| two is going to tell the tale. In the
meantime 1t may be expected that
critics of the New Deal, its economic
phases and its expenditures of public
| funds, will continue. The assertion
will be made that 1t cannot work.
| There Is one view that the politicians
| should not lose sight of-the people
would rather see success than fail
ure. They are more interested in get
ting jobs and q measure Of prosperity
than they are in seeing the overthrow
of economic theories and political
parties.
Dispatches from West Virginia in
dicate that Rush D. Holt, the 49,
| year-old Senator-elect from that
State, may not seek to gain admission
to the Senate until after he has
reached the constitutional age for
Senators--which is not until next
June. Such a course undoubtedly
would relieve the Democratic leader
ship Of the Senate of considerable
embarrassment The fact that Holt
is underaged has been broadcast ma
tionally and so widely that it would
be strange indeed, If the question were
not raised, in the event Mr.. Holt
should present himself to take his
seat and begin his term. Senators
who have returned to Washington
since the election of the youthful West
Virginian, while they say they would
like to seat Holt because the people
have chosen him by their vote, frank
ly admit that If the question of his
age is raised, they will have no alter
native than to vote against him in
the light of the specific language Of
the Constitution providing that Sen
ators shall be 80 years of age or more.
~ -
The case of Henry Clay of Kentucky
who served as Senator before he was
80 years Of age, has been advanced
as q precedent for such service BY
Holt. Clay was elected-by the Legis-
lature of Kentucky-to I'LL a vacancy
caused by the resignation of Senator
John Adair and he served from No.
vember 10, 1906, to March 5. 1907
q matter Of less than four months
Nor Is there record of any question
being raised in the Senate as to the
age Of Clay. Clay retired in March
1907, from the Senate, and was not
again elected to that body until 1910
when he again filled an unexpired
term for short time. His more
lengthy Senate service did not COM
mence until after he had been a
member OF the House for several term:
and Secretary Of State: not, indeed
until he was well past so years Of age
The Holt term by right should be-
gin on January 3. when he has still
some six months to go before he will
have attained the senatorial age His
salary will start at that time. If he is
entitled to draw salary, 1t would ap-
pear that he was also entitled to sit
in the Senate as a Senator. It l.
over tnlS question OF salary that the
question of Hollis election might arise
and be taken into the courts. The
language OF the Constitution is: INC
person shall be Senator who shall
not have attained the age of 80 years
and been nine years a citizen of the
United States. and who shall not
when elected, be an inhabitant of that
State for which he shall be chosen"
Whether, under this language, a per-
son may be elected o Senator consti-
tutionally prior to his reaching 80
years Of age is rather a nice point
But it certainly would appear that
he could not be paid a salary as
Senator until he has become 80 years
old. The Senate, in its early days,
passed on the question of Albert Gal
latin's age as an American citizen
He was born in Switzerland and had
been admitted to the Senate after
only eight years as a naturalized
citizen. The Senate expelled Gallatin
a year after he had taken his seat
| oil ~,