Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-06-05
NEW DEAL TACTICS
REVERSAL IS SEEN
Stop-Gap Policies to Hold
Situation Until 1886,
Lawrence Says.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

American business and industry are
under no legal obligation to operate
under the N. R. A. President Roose-
Welt wants that distinctly understood
Codes can be scrapped.
But the Federal Government itself,
on the other hand, in all its contracts
and projects, will insist that companies
bidding for work shall guarantee conf
pliance with standards of minimum
wages and maximum hours, which
were set up under the N. r. A
This facts means merely that Mr..
Roosevelt. without appealing or re-
questing American business to main
tain a social viewpoint, nevertheless.
is putting industry on its mettle and
challenging it to do voluntarily what
he thinks has been accomplished UNI
der codes.
Labor relations are not to be made
a subject of compulsory regulation. but
such laws as are recommended by Mr..
Roosevelt for passage will enlarge the
Department of Labor's functions of
Cancellation and mediation.
Statement Is Merely linking.
plans to his especially called press
conference Yesterday did not give
much more of an mixing than before
81 mis- long-range policy. 1t was rather
a revelation of necessary legislative
steps that have to be taken to clarity
the status of pending bills or statutes
affected by the Supreme Courts deCi-
sion.
In a broad sense. Mr. Roosevelt is
merely conforming to the courts de-
cision. What he will do later on IS
still undlsclosed
The President has recognized that
his last Friday press conference was a
mistake in tactics Irrespective of
how he felt about the wisdom of the
Supreme Court decision. the remarks
he made to the press were so sweep
ing as to preclude his embarking on
any alternative course within the
Constitution and, on the other hand,
he could not possibly get a consti-
tutional amendment through in time
to be of avail to his immediate sit
uation with respect TO economic re-
CoVery.
Reversal Is Seen.
Over the week end the President
has been inclined 10 reverse him
self and adopt, for the next few
months at least, stop-gap policies
based on the Constitution, leaving
until 1886 a determination of whether
1t is necessary for him to make an
issue and carry on an active fight
for the proposed constitutional amend
ment.
From political viewpoint. the
Presidents position then becomes one
Of waiting to see whether temporary
measures bring recovery. If they do
not, he might appeal to the country
to give him the constitutional power
he thinks is necessary to accomplish
his objectiveS. He could, of course,
blame the Supreme Courts decision
as frustrating his plans.
The announcements from the White
House this week, therefore, must be
regarded as Strategically designed to
keep the processes of business and
industry from being upset unduly. and
yet there is no doubt that inside
the New Deal is a distinct feeling
OF obligation to make a fight for CEN
trallzed control by the Federal Gov
eminent OF all manner of business.
Congress Is FESTIVE.
Congress, on the other hand. is
FESTIVE under the criticism that has
been made Of its members. for. after
all, they are supposed to be qualified
to decide what is or is not a con-
Stltutional law. The fact that the
New Deal has ridden roughshod over
established principles and adopted
measures which have collapsed be-
cause of sheer inability TO enforce
them does not make it easier for
Senator or Representative coming
up for reelection.
Mr. RooSevelt'S personal popularity
might carry him through because no
one issue might be stressed. but indi-
Nldual members are up against the
attack Of rival candidates, who can
charge that the oath of Office was not
supported, that the legislative re-
sponslbility rests primarily with Con-
gross and that the members in ques-
ton had abdicated their functions
There are signs that the legislative
'VdN NLII ~ SLOWLY ABOUT accepting
without qualification or change the
New Deal measures that seek to sub
stltute the N r. A. and other legis-
lation.
Congress to Stay Until August.
Congress will be here at least until
August l, and maybe longer For the
National Legislature is back to March,
1888, when the bank holiday intro
duced panicky spirit of ignoring law
and precedent in the belief that public
opinion would sanction such irregu-
larity.
With the passing of two years it is
apparent that had most of the meas
ures been administered in emergency
fashion with a give and-take spirit
which is characteristic of government
in war time, there would doubtless
today never have been a test of N. R.
AS conStitutionality The New Deal
boldly announced. however. that it
wanted to implant permanently, under
the guiSe of emergency, the funda-
mental changes it was making. And
that is still the crux of the New Deals
difflculties.
Copyright. a35)