Evening star., 1934-02-18
BY OWEN L. SCOTT.

no IlC AlCd4O bAAC OAAA VA AAAo AAA oS
year in ofice, President Roosevelt is
found Just as ready to take chance,
Just as determined to push along new
paths in the quest of formula for
better times, and just as buoyantly
confident Of success in that quest as
he was at the start of his term.
The President Is restless in his
search for some new answers to that
old problem Of how quickly to start
the wheels Of industry whirring. once
they have been slowed. Recently he
has been ready to push out ahead of
his advisers who are guiding the
search. He is being driven along by
the pressure Of millions still unem-
ployed, by the slowness Of re-em-
ployment and by the difficulty OF
pushing farm prices higher more rap
idly than industrial prices rise.
Some analysts Of Washington af-
fairs thought that when Mr.. Roose-
welt decided to discontinue the Civil
Works Administration, with its f.
100000 jobs and s70.000,000 weekly
pay roll, he might be turning back to
orthodoxy and to the old methods
of slow, steady recovery.
But they soon were disillusioned
Even while the fate Of G. w. A. was
being debated the President gave his
Endorsement to a plan of compulsory
control Of cotton marketing that rep
resented the most radical gesture OF
the new deal. II q majority OF the
farmers wished, the Federal Govern
ment would be willing, he advised, to
step in and tell each one Of more
than 1000, 900 cotton farmers just
how much cotton he could sell out
Of his 1884 crop.
Even Henry Wallace, Secretary OF
Agriculture, who Is regarded as the
most radical member Of the cabinet
hesitated to accept this move to make
the Federal Government a dictator OF
farm marketing. He regarded it as
too drastic and overriding Of indi-
vidual rights and too subject to abuse
But the President was ready to &c
ahead If the farmers wanted to dc
so and If the plan would promise
more income for the South.
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It was somewhat the same with the
regulation of stock markets and COM
modify exchanges. Voices were heard
In high quarters advising against
action at this session of Congress
They argued that capital already was
upset by the securities act. with its
strict regulation Of new stock and
bond issues. To restrict the use OF
money in speculation at this time
would only aggravate that unsettle-
meut.
This argument did not impress the
President. He let 1t be known last
Wednesday that not only did he favor
stock market regulation. but he be-
lieved that the present Congress
should provide for Federal regulation
of commodity markets on a broader
scale. While the President did moi
indorse the specific bills introduced
to carry out the regulation, he die
not object to any OF their provisions
His summary action canceling air
mail contracts, his quick reference tc
the Department of Justice Of every
report of irregularity in contract let
ting, and his Endorsement Of steps tc
limit every type Of lobbying reflected
an intolerance Of abuse of any public
trust.
But none of these steps, so it i
admitted, strikes at the heart of the
real economic problem, which is tt
put the millions Of idle back to work
and to get more money for farmers.
y y
Not long ago N. r. A and its Blue
Eagle held out the chief hope to the
idle. Today N. r. A. Is preparing tc
make radical changes in policy tc
remedy abuses that have crept into
its operation. AS self-starter fol
industry, the Recovery Admtnistra-
ton has disappointed its friends. A;
a means Of spreading out jobs once
recovery starts on a broad scale Il
still is held in high regard.
On the credit side, N. r. A. Il
getting praise for putting a bottom
under wages by its establishment oi
minimums and for spreading work In
many industries by limiting hours. Or
the debit side it is charged with en-
couraging price advances that have
far outrun increased costs and o!
causing hardship to small employers
who often could not finance their in.
creased expenses.
Another charge is that the larger
number Of jobs has frequently beer
brought about at the expense Of those
who we're already employed. They
had their hours and wages cut tt
make room for more employees. Also
workers, under the N. r. A, were tc
be given complete freedom to organize
for collective bargaining. The Ma
tional Labor Board was created tc
enforce these rights. That board now
is having its authority challenged By
industry, and the N. r. A. itself is sc
tangled In an Interpretation Of what