Evening star., 1934-01-07
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Congress, 1t Is apparent after Its first
few days in Washington, is lashed fas
to the Roosevelt recovery wagon. Some
Of its members, Republicans and Demo.
! Gratis alike, would like to leap out. fear.
ing a runaway, but they don't dare
The President, they say, is too popular
with the people. There remains moth
ing to do except give him free rein.
The Presidents budget message, show
ing an estimated deficit for the present
fiscal year of upward Of $1,000, ,000,0 900
has sent cold chillS up and down the
congressional spine Some of the Re-
publicans are lifting up their voices
and demanding a halt on huge Govern
ment expenditures. But unless there is
great reversal Of public sentiment to-
ward the President, these same Repub-
licans do not believe it will be possible
to upset in any way the program of the
President.
Senator Roscoe c. Patterson, Repub-
lican, of Missouri, issued blast last
night
we cannot spend out way out of the
depression. nor borrow ourselves out OF
DEBT" he said The policy of the pres
ent administration, If continued, can
have but one result, namely, dlastor.'
Public Opinion Held Only Check.
He insisted that both houses of the
Congress are so Overwhelmingly under
the control of the administration that
only an aroused public opinion can
stop the wild orgy Of spending now
Do Iot
fore the administration had been con-
veying the impression to the people that
the budget was being balanced. yet the
deficit during the first fiscal year Of the
Roosevelt administration. he said. will
be larger than any year In American
history with the exception Of the two
World War years.
Senator Patterson said in the econ
omy message sent to Congress March
TO- last, by President Roosevelt, the
Chief Executive pointed out that dur
ing the three previous years of Repub-
lican rule the Government deficits to-
tailed SABA, 100000, and that the Presi-
dent said: For three long years the
Federal Government has been on the
road to bankruptcy"
Mr.. Patterson asked. and answered
the question where the Government
was going under the Roosevelt admins
tration, when in one year the deficit
had exceeded the deficits of three years
Republican rule by some three billion
dollars
Regarded as Investment.
This question Of large Government
expenditures and deficits has bobbed
up to worry the Democrats at the out
set Of the new session. but they insist
that the expenditures must be regarded
as an investment for recovery" And
they ask pertinently just where the
Republican critics would leave off
spending right now.
There were intimations in high Re-
publican quarters last night that it
would not be long before demand is
made for congressional inquiry into
the expenditures of the Government
and the administration of National Re
covery Administration. Public Works
Administration. the Civil Works Ad-
ministration, the Agricultural Adjust
ment Administration and other agencies
of the new deal"
While this informal debate over the
administrators deficit goes on and
promises to break out on the floor OF
the Senate and House, the Democratic
leaders Of the Senate are preparing to
obtain as speedy action as possible on
a measure designed to raise consider
able revenue for the Government-the
liquor tax bill, which passed the House
Friday.
The measure Is to come before the
Senate Finance Committee at 10 am.
tomorrow. Senator Pat Harrison, chair
man, has said there will be no hear
irgs, since the committee sat with the