The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-01-04
THURSDAY. JAN. 4. 1884
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

A GAIN the President has stirred congress
and the country to greater effort for re-
covery. His message confirms the faith and re-
news the hope Of the people in his leadership.
The message reports the state Of the ma
ton and lays down the administrators fu-
ture policy along broad lines. Following his
precedent of last spring, the President leaves
specific and detailed recommendations for
legislation to a series of later messages on sep
arate subjects.
BY far the most significant part of this
message is its repeated affirmation that the
President will not turn back. There is to be
not less but more Of the new deal. Ten
months of experiment have confirmed the
President in the belief that the old economic
and financial system has destroyed itself
beyond repair-even if he wanted to salvage
it, which he does not. And the experience of
these months has increased his confidence that
the new way is not only more just but more
practicable and profitable for all classes.
The issue is whether the recovery pro-
gram shall take the form Of temporary tink-
ering to be scrapped when we are lucky enough
to pull part way out Of the depression, or
whether it shall be basic and permanent re-
form. Enemies of the new deal dare not fight
it openly, but they are trying to limit it to
emergency measures which can be wiped out
the moment the sun shines and thoughtlesS
persons forget the last storm and the next.
From this message it is clear that the
President understands this issue and that
he is determined to fight it out on this ground
of permanent change versus temporary ex-
pedient. Thus he says of MIRA and the re-
lated program:
Though the machinery hurriedly devised,
may need readjuStment from time to time,
nevertheless think you will agree with me
that we have created a permanent feature of
our modernized industrial structure and that
it will continue under the supervision but not
the arbitrary dictation of government itself"
In discussing the Tennessee Valley power
and light development, he talks in terms of a
vast and growing national plan, Immediately
helpful but coming to full fruition only after
a generation of continuing government in
itiative.
In the banking field, he knows that re-
turn to the old rac&eteering would mean de-
business practices alongside crimes of organ
lied banditry, shooting, lynching and kid
mapping, as violations calling for suppression
and prevention by the government.
Il am speaking" ne says, "of those individ-
uals who have evaded the spirit and purpose
of our tax laws, of those high officials of banks
and corporations who have grown rich at the
expense of their stockholders or the public, of
those reckless spectators with their own or
other peoples money whose operations have
injured the values Of the farmers crops and
the savings Of the poor"
Politicians are mystifed by the increased
popularity of Mr.. Roosevelt throughout the
country-probably the strongest public sup
port ever accorded a peace-time American
President after year in Office. But there is
no mystery. The President, as in this mes
sage, voices the peoples own distrust of the
old system and their own determination to
build a better. safer, fairer America.
OF course the people are with him. And
the people will continue to follow him as long
as he fights their battle.