Evening star., 1934-03-27
Congress and the Brain Trust.

SUuS CSS anu Luc Drill 4IuSt.
An assertion by an eminent edu-
Gator that he has inside information
to the effect that a revolution to over
turn the present system of Govern
ment in the United States in the de-
velopment of the new DEAL" insti-
tuted for the purpose of national eco
nomic recovery, has evoked the spirit
OF investigation in Congress, and now
ways and means Of discovery are
under consideration. A resolution has
been introduced in the House of Rep
resentatives for the creation of a
special committee to conduct a
thorough investigation into the truth
or falsity of the statements by the
educator, and at the same time the
Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives issued a statement to the effect
that the whole matter should be in
vestigated by the Department of JUS
tice. Decision as to which method will
be adopted will doubtless soon be
reached. Certainly one or the other
mode Of inquiry should be pursued
Probably a special committee of in
quiry would be the more satisfactory,
as the proceedings would be public
and all statements would be immedi-
ately available. An inquiry by the
Department of Justice would not
necessarily at once acquaint the coun-
try with the true situation.
Whether the so-called brain trust
now assisting the President in the
new deal of social and economic re-
organization is dominantly composed
of advocates of a radical change in
the mode of Government has been a
matter of public speculation for some
months. Some Of the moves made by
the administration are certainly at
variance with the long established
principles, but they have been gen.
orally regarded as emergency meas
ures to meet an extraordinary con-
dition and not necessarily as indicative
OF a fixed trend toward a radical de-
parture. Congress has indorsed these
departures with legislation. It seems
now to be shocked profoundly by the
assertion that the new policies and
processes are part of a scheme pro-
NOTED by the Presidents advisers and
assistants to transform the Govern
ment of the United States into
soviet.
The assertions which have aroused
this present disturbance Of the con-
gressional mind were originally made
by DR.. William A. Writ in a document
read by another into the record at
a hearing before the House Commit
tee on Interstate and Foreign Com
nerce last Friday. The educator later
confirmed the authorship and declared
himself willing and ready to maintain
and prove his statement. This Is as
1t should be. Apparently he has been
told something by somebody and the
point of Importance is to ascertain
the identity Of his informant and
the validity of that informant's
declaration.
Reduced to simplest terms, the tale
is that the President is surrounded and
advised by people who are seeking and
who hope to destroy representative
government in this country, who are
shaping his views, debating his poll
cies and heading him definitely toward
the left side of the economic and ad-
ministrative equation. OF the pres
ence in the executive organization of
numerous exponents of advanced
liberalism, even radicalism, there can
be no doubt. The sole question is
whether they are deliberately working
to effect q revolution In American
affairs. That question may be an
swered by an investigation. But, after
all, the surest standard of measure
ment Is that Of facts and deeds. A
comprehensive and detailed survey of
the proceedings of the past twelve
months, in the light of this present
charge, should illuminate the situation
effectively.