Evening star., 1935-04-14
BY OWEN L. SCOTT.

HTeSlUeLL ftUOSctClI kcLu4 IlCu W
Washington to find his Legislative
program still badly mired. Tales were
being told of a simmering Senate re-
volt against new reform plans. The
going was rough for one after another
New Deal project.
A casual survey would suggest that
there impends another OF those Legis-
lative- Executive breaks Of the kind
that in the past spelled trouble and
lack of accomplishment. Actually.
beneath the surface there lies a new
and distinct cause for the present Sit
uation in Congress.
1t is a deep yearning in the breast
of the average Senator for return to
the good old days when life was more
quiet and when the Federal Govern
ment, Senators included, was not ex-
pected by the people to solve all their
personal problems. A call back to
normalcy, if sounded by the President
today, would be answered in the Sem
ate by loud huzzas.
Truth need not be stretched to say
that most Senators and Representa-
tives do not understand half of the
things that are being done under the
New Deal. Congressman accepted the
alphabetical creations and authorized
wide grants of power under the stress
of crisis. and under the spell of Mr..
Roosevelt's charm, rather than as a
result of any deep conviction or cru
sading zest.
Both the crisis and the charm have
been wearing off in effectiveness. The
N. r. A., the A. A. A., the P. w. A,
the F. E. r. A.. among other agen-
cies, now have record to stand on.
In standing they have stepped on the
toes of many a rugged individualist,
and each of these individualists is
writing frequent letters to his
Congressman.
The mail here has become prodi-
gious. Many Senator will get from
1000 to $500 letters a week. Most of
them demand replies. There are more
cries from citizens who feel they are
being hurt. Other cries come from
those who want a place on the vastly
expanded Federal pay roll. Still others
SOluC 4loLI aCtCl
to get larger and larger slices of
money from the Federal Treasury.
Senators are being judged by the re-
suits they get in jobs and money,
and in exemptions from New Deal
regulations.
In the midst of the turmoil, Presi-
dent Roosevelt is asking Congress not
only to continue and to strengthen
past New Deal creations, but to add
new ones that promise to produce
greater and greater political pressure.
He wants new N. r. A., to replace
the one that is broken down. He
wants unemployment insurance, a
mild form of old-age pensions, aboli-
ton of utility holding companies,
banking reform. regulation Of trucks
and busses.
But Congress balks at the job of
grinding. Many Senators are pretty
well tired out before their task is
more than begun. People back home
are increasingly insistent that some
thing be done to get the jobless back
at work. Political rivals are rising
in the States to make new and bigger
promises to voters.
Even in the Senate, newcomers like
Huey Long ignore the old-time rules
of the political game and of the Sem
ate itself. This further disturbs the
serenity and adds to the uncertainty
Of life in Washington.
Yearning for the peace and quiet
Of more simple days and more SIM
pie legislative tasks has become
almost irresistible among Senators.
1t threatens much of the Presidents IS
new program.
Donald Richberg, chief aide to the
President and at present the leading
New Deal philosopher, put his finger
on the troubles Of the present-day
Congressman. He was saying that
the New Deal may fail-not immedi-
ately, but eventually-because of the
burden of responsibility 1t places on
the individual citizen to discipline
himself.
"The politician" he said, knows
that the most dangerous act politi-
Cdly 10 W tAy w SdNC ooAilC oAiC AIohA
himself-so he devotes himself en-
tirely to saving people from their SYM
bolic enemies. He denounces monop-
olies, chain stores, bankers, labor
leaders, railroads, Communists, or any
class of things or people that lot
of people dislike, including all other
politicians. But If he Is cynically
wise he never votes to restrict the
free citizen in his right to 60 on sup
porting every evil thing or practice
of which he complains.
'"The two great agencies Of indus
trial and agricultural reconstruction.
the N. r. A. and the A. A. A., place
their main reliance on the willingness
and ability of the great masses Of the
people to discipline themselves and to
submit to processes of self-restraint
that interfere deliberately. with the
'na'isn'''s A1ff'' OF 's'f-d'''Fu''''n'