Evening star., 1934-04-25
National Planning, Not Pan.
aceas, Needed for Re-
covery, He Says. /
DEFENDS SUBSISTENCE
PROGRAM AS PRACTICAL
Decries Talk of Revolution in
1mpromptu Speech at
Exhibit.


into his confidence yesterday and ex-
planned In characteristic manner that
the new deal was evolution" not
revolution" and that national plan
ming rather than Legislative panaceas''
was the way forward.
He likewise sought to diSpel miSun-
derstandings about the $25,000, 900 sub
slstence homestead program, one of
his pets" by asserting it contem-
plated no regimentation of popula-
ton and no involuntary removal of
people from one community to another
1t was an entirely impromptu speech,
delivered at an exhibit of self-aid and
subsistence homestead products in
the Commerce Building, and the
President took personal cognizance of
the recent agitation over brain
trust plot" to overthrow the estab-
liShed order in America.
by using gray matter, brain trust
or otherwise" he said, I'VE can dis
cover a lot of new things we can do.
We want evolution. When you hear
talk of revolution, there is one letter
too many in that word"
Talk Covers Wide Field.
The President was introduced by
NJ. L. Wilson, in charge Of the home
stead program On the stage in the
auditorium were Bernard M. Baruch,
New York flnancier; Secretaries Dern,
Ickes and Roper and Harry L. Hop
kinS, director of the Federal Emer-
gency Relief Administration Mr..
Roosevelt appeared in his informal
business office attire and stood at
ease behind an armchair on the
stage to address a group Of the lead
ers in self-help and homestead
work who had gathered from all parts
of the Nation. Mrs. Roosevelt, who
is particularly interested in the sub
sistance program, was accompanied by
Mrs. Henry Morgenthau, 1r., wife of
the Secretary of the Treasury.
The President covered wide field
He pointed out the process of evolu-
ton was frankly experimental and
some Of the projects would survive
for a definite program of long-range
social and economic planning, declar-
ing the time for haphazard develop
ment had passed.
VIII Seek New Things.
Hailing the subsistence homestead
project as one of the outstanding ad-
ministTation achievements for under
privileged families. Mr. Roosevelt said,
will f0f fhnCQ
families. brain trust or otherwise, in
an effort to discover new things for
communities to do"
1t was the second development OF
the cay to suggest the President was
holding to his course "a little to the
left Of the center" despite the recently
developing counter-o offensives. The
other was his nomination of Rexford
G. Tugwell to be Undersecretary OF
Agriculture under new legislation cre-
ating that post.
In his speech rededicating himself
to long-range planning. he appeared
to be acting on the spur of the mo-
ment. Far from preparing the press
for major utterance. the White
House had indicated the President
planned to say nothing more than q
few pleasantries in formally opening
the exhibit. The presidential secre-
tariat had assured the press there
would be no need for them to take
down the speech. since the White
House would transcribe it for issue tC
the correspondents.
Later, when it developed that it was
an important expression of Mr.. Roose-
velt's views in the light of develop
ments to date, the White House an
nounced 1t would issue no transcript
of the speech. 1t was intimated II
had proved to be too rambling" to
suit the President as a comprehensive
statement.
The subsistence homestead project
criticized by some as project tending
to socialism or communism was in
dorsed by the President as one OF
my own pet children" His travels
had convinced him, he continued, that
the time Is "overripe" for such plan
ming in a nation that developed hap
hazardly."
IT don't see why there isn't greater
enthusiasm for planning" he said
I'VE seem to be more prone to favor
Continued on Page 2, Column g.