The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-07-04
Liberal Viewpoint
BY DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

Editors Note-Ths the fourth Of Ave articles
BY Harry Elmer Barnes, Phi D.. on the achieve
and outlook of the New Deal after year
of operation.
A LII his critics to the contrary notWlthstand-
n ing, President Roosevelt deserves credit for
having sa ed the American capitalistic system
from immediate collapse
Had the Hoover policies continued for an
other two years, either the capitalistic order
would have been in a state of thorough dlsso-
luton or its maintenance would have been de-
pending upon military and dlctatorlal support
set UP in sheer desperation.
The United States was in no way threatened
with a radical overturn, so Mr.. Roosevelt mas
not saved us from any immediate communism
But he certainly has thus far saved us from
collapse, Fascism or both. He obviously has
put the American capitalistic system in better
potential shape than it has been at any Time
in the twentieth century With a little sane and
sensible collaboration on the part OF American
financial and industrial leaders, 1t prooaoly
could be rendered passibly workable for another
generation or two.
If the New Deal does prove flop, the blame
can be attributed primarily to sabotaging flnan-
ciers and industrialiSts rather than to Mr.
Roosevelt He surely has given American bust
ness every chance to save itself Tor the tlme
being.
IF we can not criticise Mr. Roosevelt justly for
i not having gone Fascist already, it is like
wise unfair to denounce him because the New
Deal has not proved socialistic in character.
There is much in the New Deal particularly IN
its trends during enforcement which must pe
bitterly Disappointing to a SOCIALIST, Out MT
Roosevelt did not run on the Socialist ticket nor
was he committed to the construction OF CO.
operative commonwealth.
Particularly does Mr.. Roosevelts record stand
out brilliantly when compared to That Oh otner
American Presidents.
Indeed when we view his actions from the
standpoint of bold experimentation and far
reaching reformations it hardly seems an exag-
Grafton to say that Mr.. Roosevelt has more 10
his credit in this regard than all our Presidents
before his day combined.
Unfortunately, however, the capitalstic sys-
tenn had been abused so sorely by the time OF
Mr. Roosevelts inauguration that it was not
enough for him merely to be far more daring
and resourceful than any other of our chief eX-
ecutives His ultimate place in history will de-
pend upon whether he proves mastery enough
for the unique emergency and not upon whether
he far unmatched his illustrious senior cousin
as incumbent of the White House.
TT is not enough for him to be better than the
l. rest; he must be good enough to save the
capitalistic and democratic order, a greater
task than ever fell to any of his predecessors
Their defects sowed the wind of the acute crisis
of capitalism and democracy, but it was Frank
lin D. Roosevelt's fortune to reap the whirlWind
of the crisis itself.
Almost anybody can make Roadway with
high grade motor car in perfect shape, freshly
fabricated and filled with high test gas at the
garage. Such was our economy when nature
and inventive genius handed it over to our eco
nomic and political leaders in the generation
after the Civil war.
But it requires genius to do much with an
old wreck without decent tires, with most Of
the bearings burnt out with a couple of split
pistons and with the steering gear out of mesh
Such was our economic order after the financial
pirates and Republican vampires had looted it,
with the Democrats adding their bit by throwing
us into the most needless and expensive war Of
our history
To admit Mr.. Roosevet's uniquely difficult
task, to indicate our sympathy with his hui
maneness and our admiration for his relative
boldness of vision and action, is one thing.
What most people want to know is whether or
not there is much prospect that he will come
through victorious.