Evening star., 1934-01-11
The Political Mill
By C.. Could Lincoln.

be delivered from the Republican side
Of the Senate chamber should come
from Senator Arthur Robinson of In
diana. And it is quite as natural that
Senator Joseph T. Robinson Of Arkan-
sas, the Democratic leader. should be
on hand to answer the attack. It Is q
performance that has taken place be-
fore, with the two Robinsons as the
principal actors. It probably will be
enacted again and again during the
present session, for the Senator from
Indiana is an inveterate attacker; he
Is a strong partisan, and the Senator
is campaigning for reelection next Fall.
The Senator from Arkansas, as the
leader Of his party in the Upper House
and as the mouthpiece of the admin
istration, feels impelled to make reply
to the Republican assaults. And he
was so impelled on Monday, when the
Indiana Senator had accused the ad-
ministration of making excessive ex-
penditureS Of the public funds and of
withholding true picture Of the flnan-
cial situation of the Government.
The Senator from Arkansas, as demo-
catic leader, leader of the majority In
the Senate, has upon his shoulders the
duty Of seeing that things get done,
that the legislative program moves as
speedily as possible toward completion
and that 1t Is put through In q form
acceptable to the Democrats. Senator
Robinson has held the job of demo-
cratic leader for many years, both
while the party was in the minority
and, more recently, since the party took
over control Of the Senate along with
the rest of the Government. There was
talk of revolt against his leadership a
year or more ago, but that died before
1t really got started. 1t was under his
leadership that the Senate democracy
performed almost 100 per cent in sup
port of the President and his policies
during the special session of Congress.
The test is now at hand again. Presi-
dent Roosevelt's influence is believed to
be even more powerful than 1t was dur
ing the special session. Here and there
are Democratic Senators who are restive
under this control and this docility on
the part of Congress. It Is possible
they may break forth later, but GER
tainly to date they have shown no in
clination to run counter-strenuously
counter-to the wishes Of the President.
- ~
The Senator from Arkansas In his
answer to the Senator from Indiana
defended ad seriatim the various steps
Of the Roosevelt recovery program. He
admitted that the large expenditures
made necessary for the recovery pro-
gram has created problems for the
future and that the fiscal affairs OF
the Government cause measure OF
concern and anxiety. But, Senator
Robinson said, these expenditures have
been essential, and he challenged his
opponents to say that any of the parti-
cular activities Of the Government
for recovery should not have been
made. AS for the huge public debt
reaching S31 1884 600, 900, Senator Robin
son declared that the country was able
to deal with it. He placed in the
record an interesting table showing the
size of the public debt of some Of the
European countries today, as follows;
United Kingdom: Total public debt,
as of September 80, 1888. f8,l1l. 600, 900;
converted at par of exchange. S39, ,472,-
900 900; converted at prevailing rate Of
exchange, s38,4o1 100000 Il pound
S4,74464).
France: Total public debt. as of Au-
gust, 1888, francs. 502, 1000, 100000: con-
verted at par of exchange. SIG, ,678, ,000,-
| 600; converted at prevailing rate Of ex-
change, S26.455, 100000 q franc
S0052D.
Belgium: Total public debt as of Sep
tenlber 80, 1888, francs, 57,349, 600, 900; I;
converted at par of exchange. S1,594,-
| oOO, 900; converted at prevailing rate of
exchange; 437,o00,0o0 q franc
s0425).
Germany: Total public debt as Of
September 80, 1893, reichsmarks. 49,
Change s3,147 ,oOO, 900; converted at
prevailing rate Of exchange, s4,SO2, ,OO0,-
600 q reichsmark=036345D
| Italy: Total public debt as OF August
81, 1888, lire. 90, ,468, 900 900; converted
at par of exchange, s5,232, 900 900; con-
verted at prevailing rate OF exchange,
| 1857, 100000 q lira=S0.o8).
Japan: Total public debt, as OF No
vember 80, 1888, yen, 7,809, ,l00. 900;
converted at par Of exchange, S3,893, :
600, 900: converted at prevailing rate OF
exchange, s2,3s5, 100000 q yen
! S0.30675).
| Probably no better demonstration oi
| the control which the Chief Executive
exercises today over the Congress can
be found than in the expected treat
ment of two issues-the one relating tc
restoration of pay of the Government
workers and the other to the remone--
tization of silver. A great majority OF
both houses of Congress would vote In
a moment full restoration of the IS per
| cent pay cut now imposed upon the
| employees of the Government. Many OF
the members of Congress believe tha:
such restoration is entirely fair. The
President, however, has turned a deaf
I\ear to the proposal to restore the pay
! and has set forth his reasons therefor
in his budget message and in decision
regarding tie cost of living figures. He
has called in the members Of the House
APPROXIMATIONS Committee and has IN
| formed them that he Is opposed to any
thing in the way OF pay increase until
July /, and that then the restoration is
to be limited to per cent.
So far Us the silver question is con-
erned. the President has made 1t clear
tn the Democratic leaders he Is not at
| present favorable to legislation for the
| free coinage of silver at a given ratio.
| is to l or any other. With the strong
! sentiment in Congress for some kind
of imitation, and leaning more toward
/ hard metal than toward paper money
the check put upon this legislation by
! the President is remarkable. So far
| he has been able merely by passing the
word to the leaders to halt the con-
sideration of silver legislation. In the
Senate, where silver has many strong
supporters, the silver bills have been
referred to subcommittee OF the
! Senate Banking and Currency Com
I mittee headed by Senator Adams OF
| Colorado. There seems to be strong
likelihood they will repose in the
hands of the committee for some time
| to come.
X X
Eventually a showdown on silver may
be had in the open Senate, for Senator
Wheeler of Montana, who is determined
to 60 forward with his proposal fol-
bi-metalism plans to offer his silver bill
as an amendment to some one of the
administration bills if 1t becomes cleal
1