Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1935-02-14
Starts
Something

Something charges with having
bored into positions
Of responsibility. In so doing, the New
York house member has stirred up a
veritable avalanche of reviews, surveys
and explorations of what is going on
of a socialistic nature in the govern
ment. Mr.. Fish charged on the floor
of the house that some of the New
Dealers were making cash contribu-
lions to the "reds" and proceeded to
name them.
The house speech by Mr.. Fish in a
general way called attention to the
various movements going on that can
properly be described as radical in
every respect. His attack directed the
attention of observers here to some
phases of administration policies that
thus far have excited little comment.
For many months, Of course, the
activities of the Agricultural Adjust
ment administration have been sub
jected to the criticism that they con-
stitute RECOMMENDATION Of the farmers,
that is, general program that holds
down good farmers to the level of the
haphazard type in the agricultural in
dustry. Likewise there have been at
tacks on the methods employed by the
Reconstruction Finance corporation
which dominates the affairs of some
four thousand banks as a result Of
loans to them and is gradually expand
ing its sphere Of influence among other
industries to which loans have been
made.
The senate committee ON munitions,
headed by Senator Nye of North Da-
kota, appears to be headed for
recommendation that all munitions and
ship yards be government controlled
II not government owned, and only
few days ago the congress enacted a
law extending for two years the opera
lions of the Reconstruction Finance
corporation so that it may continue
the government influence it has welded
heretofore.
On top of these, Mr.. Roosevelt has
asked the congress to appropriate al
most $5,000,000,OO0 for his use in the
general recovery program and has vir-
tually demanded that this fund be
made available to him without strings
attached. In other words, the Presi-
dent desires to expend this money as
he sees ct, whether it meets with con
gressional approval or not.
We hear also much discussion Of ad-
ministratiOn policies and legislative
proposals providing penalties of serl-
GUS character as punishment for those
who dare to go contrary to the general
recovery laws as advanced by the Pres
ident These penalties, fines for the
most part, are being described in some
quarters as form of Hitler terrorism.
The administration stands on the
ground that 1t must have complete
dominance If its schemes are to be
successful, but the fact remains that it
is prepared by virtue of the punish
ment available for its use to take away
vast sums of money from the industry
or individual which objects to govern
ment methods. There Is arising more
and more criticism of the extreme pun
ishment employed in the New Deal leg
islation and unless ! miss my guess
badly this feature of the New Deal
will flare back upon its sponsors in a
manner most unwelcome to the brain
trusters.
In connection with the Presidents
plan to have congress provide him
-. with the $5,000,O00,.
NeW 600 fund to use In
Arguments his discretion. op-
position has arisen
with some new arguments. While the
President constantly is repeating his
assertion that the administrative
branches of the government can &C
complish more with free hand thar
by having the money ear-marked by
congress for specific use, critics are
charging that the Presidents proposal
means putting the government further
Into business. For example, the sen
ate appropriations committee uncovered
Information the other day while con
sidering the $5,00000000O bill that in
dicated the existence of a plant by
which the federal government would
engage In the distribution and sale o.
gasoline.
1t take no stretch of the imagination
to see how this move links with tn,
previous efforts of Secretary Ickes, al
oil administrator, to control the Who'll,
oil Industry. By the distribution anC
sale Of gasoline, the government cal
enforce regulations by competition
which the Supreme court said were I'm
constitutional. It's control would b,
exercised through damming I'D tn,
stocks Of gasoline, and oil companies
privately owned. would find themselye
at the mercy Of government bureau
Gratis.
There are many other features O
the $5,000,O00,000 bill against whicl
fire of the opposition has been direct
ed. but ii seems safe to say that con
gress will yield to the Presidential de
mand and pass the appropriation
measure rather near the form desire,
by the Chief Executive.
With respect TO the operation O
reds" in the government as charge,
by Mr.. Fish, Washington long has beel