Montgomery County sentinel., 1934-03-22
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National Topics Interpreted "a eEMHS#YERSa egE#SERS
by William Bruckart Ne9n@14fT
opics Interpreted
by William Brucka,

similarity of action
then and In the two weeks subsequent
to the opening of his second year in
ONCE. The New Deal" opened it's
second year in the midst of a series
OF events that were comparable, In
my opinion, with those of the historic
inaugural week of 1892. And as the
New Deal" was all-embracing as re-
CARDS our economic and social struc-
ture, Just so were the events which
l am reporting now definitely linked
with the very fundamentals of our in
dividual and national existence.
We became accustomed, during the
dark days of the World war, to read
Ing about this army or that digging
In" to hold the ground gained. It
appears to me that the outstanding
TACT with relation to the opening of
the New Deals second year is the
digging in process represented by the
latest developments. Let us examine
them.
First, there was President Roose-
velt's momentOus speech in which he
calmly told the country that the prin-
ciples of NRA were here to stay:
second, there was a decision by the
Supreme court of the United States
beyond which none can go for legal
adjudication, by which the New York
milk licensing law was held constitu-
tional, and few days later the con-
gress gave approval to the so-called big
navy bill which can be construed no
other way than reflection of solid ma
tionalistic feeling.
Mr.. Roosevelt's speech, of course,
stood out, but had the Supreme court
ruled that the state of New York had
no right to fix minimum price for
milk, there can be no doubt that the
basis Of much of the New Deal would
begin to crumble. Had the congress
turned away from the big navy idea
that is, ordering construction of our
navy to the limits Of treaty agreement
it would have dented that nation
alistic policy seriously, although the
New Deal schemes generally have not
touched on the question of defense.
Rejection of the big navy plan neces-
sarily would have had the effect of
raising some doubt as to the Presi-
dents control, and one hears about
Washington the suggestion that Mr..
Roosevelt will have plenty of trouble
II congress gets too independent.
AS a part and parcel of the Presi-
dents enunciation in the speech, Gen.
eral Johnson, of
"We Are Not NRA, called upon
Going Back" industry to reduce
hours and raise
wages further. The militant "crack
down" Johnson was not as suave in
his statements as was Mr.. Roosevelt
and words of protest boiled right out
of the meeting where he spoke. But
whether the industries represented in
the conference with General johnson
are willing or able to do as he de-
clared was necessary, every one in
Washington is convinced that Mr..
Roosevelt meant exactly what he said
when he solemnly declared:
"One thing is very certain. We are
not going back"
The President was equally un-
equivocal in his assertion that the
principles of recovery, embodied in
NRA, must move forward. Industry
can well take notice of that, if Wash
ington opinion may be taken as a cri-
terion. The President holds that the
NRA principles provide for a balanced
recovery and that without balance,
there can be no permanent good times.
So it Is the proposition that Mr.. Roose-
welt has determined to go on, that
majority Of the highest court in the
land has found one of his basic ideas,
although embodied in a state statute,
to be in accordance with the Consti-
tuition, and he has congress that Is
thus far under his control for enact
ment of the bulk of his New Deal leg
islation.
The effect? AS far as know, there
is no person of super-intelligence now
living, and that would be the only
human being capable Of foretelling
what the results will be. The changes
made under the New Deal are brand
new, different than anything econ
omists have ever seen, and time alone
will reveal which of them holds the
things that fit our country's normal
life.
Politically, it is quite apparent what
the effect will be. Every mothers son
in the Democratic party in congress
is going back to his bailiwick to seek
reelection under the Roosevelt ban
ner, as distinguished from the old
Democratic flag. Espouslng Roose-
velt's program will be popular in the
bulk of the districts, and the Repub-
lican opposition will just as obviously
have to be predicated on issues built
up against what the present admins
tration has done, is doing or proposes
to do.
The "big navy" bill is a five-year
proposition. 1t contemplates that the
American navy will
"Big Navy" be expanded by the
Pro0rorn construction of suf-
ficient ships of the
various types to place the totals just