Evening star., 1935-03-04

budget remains unbalanced. Even
a. the second anniversary iof the
Inauguration approached Congress
was considering a bill calling for
an appropriation of nearly s5.-
O00, 900, ,0o0 for relief and the Presi-
dent was asking for extension of
the NRA in a message which
seemed to define the emergency as
permanent.
At the close Of two years it may
be said that the problem of unem-
ployment, even if it be granted
that 100000 men have been put
back to work, remains OF supreme
importance and gravity, and must
remain so as long as it can be said
that there are some 10000, 900 per-
sons without work. The ability Of
private industry to absorb this
army Of unemployed has been in
terfered with, to a degree not ex-
actly determinable, by the eco
nomic theory Of the Administra-
tion that the way to recovery in
along the road of artificially in
creased prices. The natural recov-
cry Of industry, long looked for,
has certainly been interfered with
by the constant production Of fresh
and disconcerting policies at Wash
ington and by the uncertainty as to
what new theory will be pulled out
Of the brain trusters' grab bag.
The lack of assurance of a stable
dollar has been a drag on the
wheels Of business.
The President has reversed his
stand on q balanced budget, on
bureaucracy, on economy in gov
eminent, on taxation, on govern
ment interference in business, on
sound currency. True, the Chicago
platform and the campaign decla-
rations have not been entirely for
gotten. The Democratic party
worked manfully for repeal Of the
Eighteenth Amendment; it put
through Congress a bill to give
eventual independence to the Phil
ippines; it has brought to the
front, after the more immediate
detectives were attacked, a pro.
gram for unemployment and old
age insurance, although the plat
form left that to the States; it has
moved, for the first time since
1920, to accept the National De-
fense Act at its face value, and has
acted to build the Navy up to the
nations needs; it has eliminated
sweat shops in many industries and
child labor where it existed; it has
created insurance of bank deposits
and provided protection Of in
vestors; it has moved to save thou
sands of homes for rural and urban
dwellers; it has acted in other
ways to make the two years a
period of always prolific and often
productive legislation. On balance
the reader will be able to decide
whether the pledges that were
violated outweigh the pledges that
have been kept.
In the two years FRANKLIN D.
ROOSEVELT has had many triumphs
and few defeats. He entered Of
flee secure in the affection and
confidence of the vast majority of
the public; that he still remains
high in esteem was demonstrated
as recently as last November, when
the nation, contrary to custom in
mid-term elections. sent the Demo-
cratic party back to Congress
stronger in both Senate and House.
The Presidents daring, good hu-
NOR, aggressiveness and patronage
have enabled him to win from Con-
gress an authority greater than
that ever granted to a President in
time Of peace and equal in most re-
spects to that granted to our war
Presidents.
The President has been defeated,
on major matters, only a few times
in two years. He failed to win
on the st. Lawrence waterway
treaty, world court, the question Of
benefits to veterans and, in the
last month, on the prevailing
wage" amendment to the work re-
lief bill. In the courts, decisions
have gone against the Administra-
tion in NRA, IVA and hot oil''
cases. Measured against the per-
sonal triumphs of the President,
these defeats are trifles. The recent
victory in the gold case would out
balance them all. That decision
was gratifying" to the White
House, its practical implications
soothing the hurts of moral con-
demnation.
The President has maintained
his leadership for two years with
out difficulty. without often having
to crack the whip of authority; as
the second anniversary of his in
auguration comes and goes the dis.
tant sight Of share the wealth"
leagues. Of Townsend plan clubs,
Of Father Coughlin audiences, Of
Upton Sinclair Epics, Of Floyd B.
Olson commonwealth, may make
him wonder what will constitute
the ouposition tn the Adnninistra.