Evening star., 1934-02-25
YEAR OF NEW DEAL FINDS
CONGRESS STILL AT SEA
Air Over National Capital Befogged by
Airmail Contract Cancellation,
Army Craft and Bonus.

and the administration. It has been
evident from the beginning that bonus
legiSlatio could not become law, with
the President prepared to veto it.
However, many a Democratic men,
Der has been put on the spot" by the
bonus petition to the House, and the
results of the controversy will be felt
in many a congressional district this
Fall. It is necessarily much more
troublesome to the Democrats, with
their huge majorities in Congress,
than to the Republicans, with their
more slender strength, and not re-
sponsible for the legislative program.
Among the many phases of the new
deal which are commanding close at
tention are certain aspects of the N.
r. A. One relates to the movement
to which the Recovery Administration,
headed by Gen. Hugh S. johnson, has
been driven on by labor to shorten
hours under codes in order to take
care of the vast army still unem-
ployed. Gen. johnson is expected to
advocate a 32-hour week at the con-
ference of code authorities March S,
whereas a 40-hour week Is fixed in
most Of the codes.
What will come of this is hard to
tell. Many industries will maintain
that they cannot stand it. Organized
labor is inSistent, with threats Of de-
manding the 30-hour week by legisla-
ton, and holds up figures which show
the unemployment problem is far
from being solved.
1t is probable that the controversy
net Fov he
have effects when the time comes to
try to extend the life of the recovery
act. A factor driving the N. r. A.
and the administration toward shorter
hours is the proposed demobilization
Of the c. w. A. forces and the grow
ing indication that these cannot pos
sibly be absorbed by industry, busi-
ness and agriculture by May /, the
date set for the end of that gradual
demobilizatioG which has already
started.
Concern of Vote Seekers.
Increasing signs appear that this
rehabilitation is a cause of deep con-
Germ to Democrats in Congress who
must seek ballots this Fall, and it may
be expected that before the session
ends another attempt will be made to
expand the C. W. A. appropriation.
The war over alleged monopoly or
trend to monopoly caused by the N.
r. A. codes has not ended. Senator
Nye was headed of recently in the
Senate when he sought adoption of
a resolution intended to shed light
on the background of the officials
who are running the N. r. A. His
purpose was to back up his allegation
that big business plays too large
part in the N. r. A. management and
the workings of the codes. Demo-
cratic leaders got the resolution
thrown into the Finance Committee
for the alleged purpose of smothering
it. Later the resolution, with some
changes, was reported out and
adopted. 1t is well-known, however,
that the Recovery Administration did
not want the Nye resolution adopted.
Senator Nye intends to go ahead
with the fight for a square deal for
the small business man and the farm
er under the N. R. A. codes. He is
encouraged by the receipt of messages
and letters of approval of a radio
speech he recently made on this sub
ject. He is getting such communica-
tions by tens of thousands from all
over the country and his efforts are
backed by numerous Republican Sen
ators and by considerable sentiment
on the Democratic side.