Evening star., 1934-01-07
BY WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE.


TINE first regular session of Con-
gress to meet under the twenty
first amendment has opened in
i Washington. with the President in
control. His control is stronger
than it was when Congress adjourned
last June. For he had led Congress
with a tight halter in the last 10 days
of the session. In another 10 days
Congress might have baked. During
the last six months, while the Congress
men have been at home, they have seen
with their own eyes that the President
still is strong with the American peo-
Pile. That fact of the Presidents prestige
is the most important single fact in
the Congressional situation. That fact
is the on,v point from which one can
phesy as to the future. And that
fact made it reasonably certain that
from the first the President would re-
sumo bis leadership as strong as it was
in March.
He has held his leadership by reason
of his own political proves. He has
avoided traps set for him by his enc
mics. He has escaped the dumb mis-
takes which Presidents often make by
reason Of their temperaments. His
shrewdnesS was not do nothing, say
nothing policy. President Roosevelt has
never hesitated to act. He has shown
courage. Courage in times of stress Is
demanded from political leaders by the
people more scrupulously than wisdom.
Yet Roosevelt's courage has not led him
into folly. Not since Theodore Roose-
welt left the White House has there
been so consummate a politician there
as Franklin Roosevelt. And the other
politicians and Congressman know this.
Since June, while they have been out
among the people, they have had plenty
of evidence that the President knows
the game, their game, and can play 1t
with the best of them.
Marching Toward Left.
In the last six months, since Con-
gress left Washington, President Roose-
velt has been moving steadily and
rather swiftly toward the left His enc
mics say he is leading America toward
Fascism. On the contrary, he is going
in exactly the opposite direction Al
ways in the back of his head is the 1886
election, which he expects to win with
Democratic methods, free press, free
speech, the right of assemblage and par
liamentary discussion. His leftward
movement, while economically more or
less squirting toward State Socialism.
Is Socialism under Democracy. rather
than under a dictatorship.
He will have to face the control OF
stock speculation. The so-called securi-
ties act will have to be revised. But If
the President controls Congress the Sc
curitieS act will be revised by its
friends strengthened rather than
weakened. The whole matter of the
relation of corporations to the public
and to the Government must be read
justed in view Of the testimony taken
by Investigating Committees in Con-
gress this past Summer and Autumn.
A new banking law must be enacted.
The currency question may not be neg
lected. The President will have to
stop in his foot race with the inf1a-
tionists in which he has been easily
two jumps ahead of them, and he will
have to meet them and conquer them
or compromise with them.
N. R. AZ Changes Seen.
It is obvious that the national re-
covery act will have to be strengthened
here and modified there And the crlx
of that matter will be the relation of
the White House toward labor. The
President took organized labor into
camp last June, He has forced or has
tried to force the recognition of the
craft union as against the company
union into scores Of industrial concerns
which hitherto have refused to treat
with labor unions of the A. F. of L.
type. The President must decide
whether he will go forward or retreat
in his organized labor policy; and If he
goes forward he will need new legisla-
ton or strong interpretative policy in
the courts. Probably he cannot depend
upon the courts, except the Supreme
Court, and there conservative resig-
nation or two would make him much
more secure. For the Supreme Court
finally will have to say whether the
President and his recovery program
a form of democratic State socialism
shall stand or fall. It Is obvious from
the type of men he has selected fer the
lower courts that he will strengthen the
liberal majority of the court If he has
the opportunity. Time is with him
here. He can wait. But he cannot
play a waiting policy to control Con-
gresS.
He must keep his control by his own
attitude, his own policy, his own strate-
gy, his own power of appeal to the
American people. The most dubious
struggle he will have will be to
strengthen the food and drug act.
Many American newspapers and maga-
zines think this act menaces the adver-
tising of food and drugs. They will not
break with the President in other mat
tiers, but will oppose legislation which
they feel will curtail advertising. Yet
many people feel that the righteous
ness of the Tugwell measure, which
prohibits fraudulent or misleading ad-
vertising. cannot be questioned. But TO
force a fight with the press on the Tug
we'll measure at this time may be bad
politics.
Old Age Pension Victim.
Certainly the matter of social insur-
ance and old age pensions will go be-
fore Congress probably in the form OF
bills that nave the presidential ap-
proval. In every civilized country ex-
cept America these measures are more
or less stringently part Of the social
and economic structure of the various
countries. Social insurance and old age
pensions have been due in America for
some time and President Roosevelt does