The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-03-30
CONGRESS AWAKENS-GETS OUT OF
BED ON WRONG SIDE

1t is going to- be unfortunate for the
country that our rubber stamp Congress,
aroused from a twelve months nap,
stretched, yawned, and showed the SkidS
under the Presidents veto of the veterans
bill. More than two hundred million dol
lars that Uncle Sam did not expect to hay"
to dig W will now have to be sought and
found; and that is but one of the problems
presented by the enactment Of this bill.
There are others.
The Times-News is not mucn concerned
about the political effects of the over-rid-
ing by Congress of the Presidents veto.
That is something that may worry the pro-
fessional politicians, but not this news
paper The right or wrong of the matter
whether it is good or bad policy for the
country-is what concerns The Times
News. A year ago, taking its stand OIL
the conomy-in-government program pre-
claimed by Mr. Roosevelt, the candidate
for President, this newspaper endorsed re-
dHction of government expenses. Without
going over the argument again, The Times
News will say that it believes in this case
the President was right and Congress
wrong. ... -.,-
The Times-News, however, understands
the point of view of the veterans and gov
eminent employees affected by this bill, and
their friends and supporters. That view
that the government has been throwing
awav hundreds of millions of money, that
it has been giving and loaning to various
classes of citizens and to corporations and
that the veterans: and government en-
ployees should get theirs while the getting
is good. While this position is not sus-
tanned by logical reasoning, it is appealing
and satisfying to most of those personally
affected by this legislation .
Congress, of course, is applauded by the
veterans and their supporters and criti-
cised by opponents of this legislation. Most
of the criticism is based on the charge that
Congress was simply playing politics when
this bill was passed. Congressman and SER
atOrs are looking to the November cleo
tions, and fear the voting power of the
veterans and government employees and
their supporters. No doubt thio is true OF
many members of Congress- Others were
actuated by principle in opposing the pol
icy of the administration.
If the country could believe that this &C.
ton Of Congress presages a resumption Of
its constitutional prerogatives by the ma
tiOnal legislative body, we believe 1t would
do much to hearten the country and to for
ward real recovery" The country has
come to the point where business men 9t
all classes are rapidly losing confidence III
the efficacy of the administrations So
called recovery" program and they have
no confidence whatever in Congress.
Congress has enacted SO much radlca
legislation, for no better reason than thai
it was endorsed by the President and the
''brain trust'-and has been seriously IN
tent upon enacting additional Legislation
of a more vicious type than that already
passed-that it is not surprising that th1
is the state of the business mind. In fact
it is amazing that the country's business
men are willing to try to carry on unde
the load that has been imposed upon then
and the additional screws Congress is pro
posing to turn on industry agriculture an