Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1935-01-24

Washington. Out of President
Roosevelt's eight-billion-dollar budget
Is developing very
Budget Starts real controversy
Controversy which runs to the
heart of the New
Deal. True, this controversy like near
ly all Of the others will not result in
changing the Presidents plans, but it
seems to me to be matter which JUS
titles consideration even though the
Roosevelt will in the end must prevail.
Included In the budget was provision
for an appropriation of four billion dol
lars and, as stated by the President, to
be supplied "in one sum, subject to al
location by the Executive principally
for giving work to those unemployed
on the relief rolls" Beyond that, there
was no exposition of its intended use
nor has there been any detailed state
ment of the plan. As result, there Is
a considerable body Of opinion in the
halls Of congress which is saying in
effect that Mr.. Roosevelt ought to de-
fine his work relief program. He has
not done so, and the best information
I can obtain is that no explanation may
be expected in the near future; he in
tends to proceed as he has in the past
by developing program piece-meal
and using the funds as the occasion
requires.
In the critical days Of 1888 when Mr..
Roosevelt took Office, / believe it was
generally conceded that the emergency
was so serious as to warrant delega-
ton by congress of almost any power
even remotely desired by the President.
He used that power during 1898 and
1884. Now, many members Of the
house and senate believe that the time
has arrived for congress to become
more inQuisitive about the expenditure
of taxpayers money and to avoid fol-
lowing In blind trust however the Pres
ident may direct. While it is probable
that congress will not be told how the
President intends to use the money
and while it is also probable that the
requested appropriation of four billion
dollars will be rubber stamped, the
fact remains that at no time during
the New Deal has there been such
buzz of discomfort in the Presidents
own list Of wheel-horses. Senator
Byrnes, the South Carolina Democrat
who has been looked upon consistently
as Mr.. Roosevelt's spokesman on finan-
cial affairs in the senate, has informed
that body that it is impossible ito be
more specific at this time" on the
work relief program. Senator Byrnes
will go no further. He has given no
interviews respecting his own thoughts
on the matter and apparently has
elected to wait at bat until the Pres
ident losses him the ball. Neverthe-
less, there are some senators who think
they detect just trace of concern in
the attitude of this administration
spokesman and they are wondering
how long he will continue to repress
his known energies.
Presentation of the budget was ex-
pected In many quarters to disclose
Critics Glide the President boned
President to get employment go
ing again In private
Industry. 1t showed nothing tangible
In this direction. Consequently, crit
les of the administration who have had
opportunity to speak In the house and
senate have begun to chide the admin
istration on its third experiment in
three years. Representative Smell of
New York, Republican leader in the
house, has called attention to the sit
uation something in this manner: The
President tried out one plan in 1893 |;
he tried out second plan in 1884, and
now he is trying third experiment.
The first two were found to be all wet,
and the Republicans, it seems, are con-
vinced that the current effort has two
strikes on 1t before II gets started.
They are predicting failure for it In
every way except the success that is
assured In getting rid Of money which
the treasury is borrowing. Their con-
versations all have the same theme
song, namely that the country is seeing
activity, but they are not predicting
how long this action can continue until
the nation goes broke.
Whether the business leaders who
met at White Sulphur Springs, w.
Va, a month ago were right or
wrong in proposing the use of dole
instead Of the more expensive work
relief plan, or whether they were cor.
rect In any of the other recommends.
lions they made, the truth Is the adj
ministration has rejected without com
ment every single one Of the recon.
mendations made by that group. Mr..
Roosevelt made no mention in his bud.
get message or in his annual message
TO congress Of plans for balancing the
budget, and this fact at last has sunk
in. The result is additional fear on
the part of many business leaders who
can see in the future only imitation and
economic chaos for the country.
Privately, have heard many express
slons indicating that men of wealth are
putting their money into tangible prop
erty--sOmething that will not dry mn