Evening star., 1935-10-27
President Back With
A New Set of Signals
By Queen L. Scott.

only had the old place been touched up
in his absence, but the job that goes with
it scarcely seemed the same.
If the President turned his thoughts
back to his homecoming year ago, the
contrast must have startled him. In
that period faces are different, problems
different, issues different, the outlook
different. One glance at tasks awaiting
attention, and moments reflection on
changes in prospect give color to Mr..
RooSevelt's reported remark that any,
thing can happen in a year and that
he didn't know who would be President
in 1897.
The shift taking place in recent months
is striking. 1t has taxed the capacity OF
a Self-styled Quarterback" President to
call new line of plays for the Nation.
Signs are that President Roosevelt will
need to do even faster thinking in action
to take advantage Of breaks" in the
game as 1t continues to speed up.
A year ago he had crossed the coun-
try on a triumphal ride that awed ac-
companying newspaper men. This ride
was followed by an election in which the
New Deal won a victory even more
sweeping than that Of 1882.
Now another ride has occurred. An
other homecoming has been witnessed.
Reporters noted that the fervor of 1884
was gone from crowds and that prac-
tical politics occupied much presidential
attention. The confidence of year ago
Is giving way to enough doubt about
1896 to cause an about-face from the
studied avoidance of political considera-
hot rlyo
Moves from now on are to be made
with an eye to November, 1886. Not SO
long ago Mr. Roosevelt figured that the
New Deal, with its emphasis on national
ism, had parked Europe and its troubles
outside on the doorstep.
AS late as August the President was
seeking to steer Congress quietly away
from its desire to enact neutrality law.
One of the few plain talking sessions
of the Roosevelt regime occurred at the
White House when members of Congress
laid down the law on that issue
President Roosevelt finally gave in on
condition that the statute should run
only until next March l. Now he finds
this neutrality legislation his greatest
comfort. politically and otherwise. 1t
enabled him to tell the world-amid loud
United States would remain "unen-
tangled and free" Neutrality is adopted
into the New Deal family.
More than two years ago the President
cut the dollar loose from gold and turned
from the path of possible leadership in
a drive for world recovery to follow the
path Of nationalistic domestic recovery.
Two years ago the gold-buying expert
ment was undertaken.
Today Mr.. Roosevelt is ready to admit
that he was sold a gold brick when he
took to buying gold at ascending prices
in dollars He also wants to get the
dollar back on a stable basis with the
British pound, the French franc and
other currencies His present advisers
now tell him that Stabilization of money
is a prelude to sound business recovery
But the British are turning a cold shoul-
der to American approaches.
Wooing Of European favor, particu-
larly if the present war scare fades is
likely to be the newest New Deal gesture.
A year ago President Roosevelt had
just breathed sigh Of relief over the
retirement of Gen. Hugh S. johnson as
~. II. ~. duIIlIlISITdJOT.
Just about every one agreed at the
time, and that agreement has become
more widespread since. that Gen.
Johnson had succeeded in engineering
the most colossal blunder of the post
1892 period His codes had successfully
frozen the depression in industry by
making prices rigid and higher than the
purchasing power OF the people could
tair IN Of
ton and increasing employment
The general never did accept the
diagnosis made by specialists. He felt
that the rest of the New Deal was out
of step with N. R. A.
President Roosevelt. in an effort to
head off Gen. johnson from a plan to
sell the country on his idea, induced him
to try to make Work-relief work in New
York City.
But now the former N r. A. admins
traitor has turned from that task and
has just let loose a magazine blast that
caused eyebrow raising in high New Deal
quarters. The 1884 problem is accentu-
ated as potential 1886 problem un-
solved by presidential attempts at solu-
ton. There is much wonder over whether
Gen. Johnson aspires to high elective
public Office.
Not long ago Mr.. Roosevelt talked
freely on his determination to push
prices higher as the prime consideration
of the recovery program. The prices OF
foodstuffS, due primarily to drought and
Secondarily to the New Deal farm pro-
gram, decidedly have gone higher. Bread
is joining the procession with another
advance. Potatoes are on the list sched-
uled for a boost. Meats, particularly
pork, are above the price goal set by
the A. A. A.
So today, instead Of talking about price
rises, the Presidents aides are busy CIV
ing assurance that food costs now have
about reached their peak and may tend
downward during the year ahead. They
point out that the man with job actu-
ally is spending a smaller proportion of
his budget for food than he did back in
the 1920S. During the depression he got
accustomed to a food price level much
lower than other prices in proportion to
their old relationships.
But the farm problem in one year
has turned from problem of con-
vincing the rural population that it was
going to get higher prices into prob
lem of convincing the city population
that it is going to be protected against
continued rises in food prices. Cost of
living as a political issue is assuming
real importance.
The same about-face is noticed on
1n YNI1t1 1ia