Evening star., 1934-10-21
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

much more vivaciously-thant the
formal facts that go by the name Of
history. So there is material for more
than a laugh in quip just now told
in Washington, about the campaign
for Congress, and who will win it.
With such adornments as adept wise
crackers" put upon it, the story runs
something like this:
The voter receives in his mail box
two letters. One is from Chairman
Henry Fletcher of the Republican Ma
tional Committee, and it tells the
voter that your liberties are being
taken from. you" The other is from
Washington-and it says "Inclosed
find check"
The checks are for A. A. A. bene-
fits, or for relief, or what not The
comment that sums up the situation
is put in two colloquial words-they
are quoted from a famous American
humoriSt of the last century: "Nuff
Said" CWas it Artemus Ward or
Petroleum V. Nasby who used to point
his comments with that vivid abbre-
viation?)
But the place that money from
Washington has in this campaign is
deeper-far deeper in its future i'm
plications- this or any other
jest. Republicans sometimes dismiss
the situation by saying, We'll get
our chance when the money runs
out" But the money does not run
out" 1t does not come to an end.
The sending of a hundred dollars
from Washington to a farmer in Min
nesota, or of fifty millions for a pub
lie works project-does not diminish
by that amount the money that may
later be sent out. 1t does not bring
the process that much nearer to its
end. To the eye, the cup remains as
full as ever.
What happens is not expressed by
the phrase runs out" The process
Is rather one of watering the milk.
When a million dollars is sent from
Washington to a State or congress
sional district for relief or benefits,
the void in the Treasury is filled with.
so to speak, water What goes on is
a preliminary stage of imitation. And
imitation is the same thing as dilu-
ton. Imitation" is figure of speech
having to do with air; dilution is
figure dealing with water Both mean
the same. And the dilution figure of
a speech, the picture of watering the
milk, is perhaps better understood by
the average man than the term "in-
fation."
Anyhow imitation is only one of
the alarming future implications of
what is being done, the frank and
cynical acceptance by most of the
public, of condition in which voters
are asked to vote, and cheerfully do
vote. on the basis of public funds sent
by the Federal Government to individ-
uals and communities.
The Money Motive.
The use of relief funds by politicians
as lever to bring about political re-
suits is discussed chiefly in terms of
bitter reproach by the Republicans
against the Democrats. The reproach
happens to be sufficiently justified,
largely because the Democratic ad-
ministration has control of the funds.
But the subject deserves conSidera-
ton from a non-political standpoint
On the scale on which the practice is
IL,
is something new in our politics. and
what may arise from it calls for
thoughtful discussion.
In the past it has always been usual
for candidates for Congress, Demo-
cratic and Republican alike, to appeal
for reelection on the basis of the
amount of money they have brought
into their districts from Washington.
Again and again Representatives and
Senators have compiled statements of
the amounts of money for veterans
that was brought, or would be brought,
Into their districts and States by meas
ures supported by the candidates. Re-
publicans, when in power, and Demo-
Gratis, when in power, have known that
reelection would be facilitated by the
record of local post offices built with
Federal funds. The practice has been
growing for decades. More and more
the standing of Representative at
Washington, his usefulness to his dis
trict, has been judged, not by his
attitude on questions of national
policy, but by his success in getting
money out of the Federal Treasury for
his community, or for groups of his
constituents.
In this present campaign, however,
the practice is universal. Not only
do Congressman seek reelection on
the basis of their access to the Treas
ury at Washington: candidates for
small local Offices ask for votes on the
basis of their power to get and dis
tribute State and local relief funds.
Offers Food for Thought.
Consideration of success in getting
money from the Government over
shadows all other issues. We are not
having a campaign of debate on the
merits of the New Deal or on any
other question of principle In time
of the most far-reaching innovations
ever proposed in America, when our
social and economic structure and
our form of government are on trial
in such time the election of Con-
gress is being determined on the mere
basis of which candidate is likely to
get the largest amount of money from
the Government.
What is primarily needed is recog-
milton of this fact. especially recogni-
ton of it by thoughtful New Dealers
who are able to see the future dan
gers of it when those dangers are
pointed out This type of New Dealer
is apt to assume that the success OF
the Democrats in Maine and their
prospective success throughout the
country in November is due to ap-
proval of the New Deal measures, re-
gardless of the relief funds. That
simply is not true. have looked into
1t and I know. The masses of the
people are not thinking in terms of
the New Deal theory of society and
government. They are not being
asked by, candidates to think about
that. The voters are appealed to on
the basis Of and the voters are tax
ing their positions on the basis Of,
who can get the most money out OF
the Government
The frankness, the complete candor
with which it is done is illustrated by