The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-06-28
Liberal Viewpoint
by DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

s one of our more liberal university presi-
N dents il was not surprising that DR.. Liv-
ngston Farrand of Cornell university would ex-
press congenial reaction to the New Deal.
In his commencement address he said: i
welcome the New Deal so far as it is an effort
| % esta blsh a workable new social and economic
order that will preserve the best Of the old and
| a recognition that group and individual preJu-
| lice has no place in the system
He went on, however to express some solicit
ude lest the New Deal might go to extremes
| The danger however, lies in the human habit
| and instinct to go too far to lose sight of the
| original aims and to create new difficulties and
new wrongs. It is there that clear thinking and
| fearless action are needed"
One need not quarrel with this qualification
of Dr. Ferrands as a general or abstract state
ment but there seems little reason to fear ally
such development in the case of the New Deal
On the contrary the real danger is that the
New Deal will stop short of those policies and
methods which indispensable If prosperity
Is TO be recovered under capitalism and the
democratic control of society.
Probably the most unfair charge which has
been leveled against Mr.. Roosevelt is that he
has been needless or reckless and has lunged
ahead too rapidly too far in his zeal to re-
construct American economic society.
While it is desirable to give him the benefit of
the doubt until his experiment has been thor
oughly worked out, it would seem that to date
he can be criticized chiefly for having exhibited
far too much caution and restraint. The record
itself will clear him pretty effectively Of any
charge of precpitate excess
THE major challenge which Mr.. Roosevelt
had to face upon his assumption of the
presidential Office was embodied in the
ages of finance capitaliSm-the subordination
of sound business enterprise to the anti-social
practices and ideals Of financial gambling and
predatory raids.
Many we'll informed observers, including per-
haps the ablest of the Presidents advisers, be-
lieved in March, 1888 that he should nationalize
the banks and credit functions of the nation,
thus Wiping out in one stroke the major OBJ
stacle to the continuance of American prosper
ity under the captalistc system.
He resolutely refused to take any such bold
step and contented himself with a number of
minor reforms, all good in themselves but
still leaving the mogulS of high finance in con-
troll of the economy of the nation.
Next to the menace of speculative finance,
the major problem with which Mr.. Roosevelt
had to wrestle was that of inadequate purchas-
ing power on the part of the American masses.
Some of his closest advisers in the admin
istration and in congress believed that a min
mum of $10000,000000 should be appropri-
ated for public works and spent rapidly in order
to give us one effective boost out of the ditch
of depression.
Instead a sum of $1,000 100000 was asked
for, ana was received, allocated and spent with
almost unprecedented care and deliberation.
Most liberals also believe that this emergency
expenditure inadequate.
THE agricultural adjustment act designed to
Il increase the purchasing power of the farm
population, made no daring eSpousal of the
economy of abundance" but was a very re-
strained and tentative experiment thoroughly
subscribing to the old economy of scarcity.
Nor the Presidents attitude with respect
to the NFA at all that of a swashbuckler, so far
as increased purchasing power is concerned.
The minimum wage provisions of the act are
modest in the extreme. The President has shown
himself very reluctant to assert forceful policy
with respect to the collective bargaining clause
of the MIRA designed to aid labor in its struggle
for higher wages.
In spite of numerous charges of oVer-regi-
menting industry, the MIRA did not go any
further in this respect than had been urged by
the eminent American business men when they
were dominated by temporary humility and wis
dom in the midst of the depression.
Moreover, the President has surrendered the
licensing power, which was the chief whip that
he was able to hold over business in connection
with the NRA, and he has modified, if not re-
linquShed the price fixing powers under the act
In his policies with respect to taxation the
restraint of crime, the furtherance of diSarma-
ment, and the battle against war; the policies of
Mr.. Roosevelt have certainly not been any more
daring or original than those of Mr.. Hoover.
1t may be too early definitely to accuse the
President of overtimidity or lack of vision, but
he has certainly demonstrated that any charge
of reckless haste or in we'll doing is mani
foct1v foir and 1t,,iY1c HaI