Evening star., 1935-01-06
BOOK BY SH0USE
FLAYS NEW DEAL
Expresses Regret Party Has
Broken Pledge Made
in 1882.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


sYou Are the Government" new
book by Jouett Shouse, president OF
the American Liberty League, while
not a blanket indictment OF the
Roosevelt New Deal, scores much that
has been done in its name. The
volume has Just come from the press
of Little, Brown g. Co. of Boston.
Mr.. Shouse, as former chairman OF
the Democratic National Executive
Committee, expresses keen regret that
his party has violated its pledge,
contained in the Democratic national
platform of 1882, to make an immedi-
ate and drastic reduction of govern
mental expenditures by abolishing
useless commissions and Offices, con-
solidating departments and bureaus,
and eliminating extravaganza.
IAN official chart of the Govern
ment organization issued by the
National Emergency Council" he
wrote, shows more than 80 agencies,
nearly all of them responsible only
to the President, which have been
created since the passage Of the
economy act.
Citizens Bewildered.
bureaucracy has fiouriShed as
never before There is a greater over
tapping of functions than at any
previous stage in the history of the
Government Waste and ineflciency
are flagrantly in evidence. The aver
age citizen is utterly bewildered by
the multiplicity of bureaus, admins
trations and boards. The subject of
Government reorganization again
deserves attention. In the reorgani-
Zation which must take place, there
will be greater need than at any
previous time for the checking of the
powers of bureaucracy"
Mr.. Shouse demands balancing of
the governmental budget at the
earliest possible date, and called at
tention to President Roosevelt's fore
cast in January a year ago that the
budget would be balanced in the
fiscal year 1886. There should be
rigid economy and resolute resist
ance to any schemes that involve
large outlays. He questions the ef-
fectiveness of huge public works pro-
grams.
In the light of President Roosevelt S
plan for super public works program,
designed to give 3,500,000 unemployed
work. announced in his message to
Congress, the attitude of Mr. Shouse
is particularly interesting While Mr..
ShouSe claims to speak only for
himself, it is difficult for him to dis
associate himself from the preSi-
dency of the American Liberty
League. That his ideas are also the
ideas of the league seems entirely
probable. Does this mean that the
league will oppose the Presidents pro-
gram?
ShouSe Supports Dole.
While concsding the necessity for a
continued large Federal expenditure
for relief. Mr.. Shouse proposes the
money should be handled entirely by
the American Red Cross. This would
mean a continuance of a dole system,
The President has just ranged himself
souarely in opposition TO the dole,
demanding that work relief with
jobs for the unemployed be sub
stituted by the Government as far as
may be necessary.
The social objectiyes Of the New
Deal have Mr.. Shouse's sympathy. But
he insists the people should guard
against any infringement of the Con-
stitution. He believes it is proper to
bar child labor and to control hours
and wages for temporary period as
part of the N R. A. codes. But he is
opposed 10 writing these provisions
into a permanent law, and would only
continue the N R. A. for another
emergency period, and would have
restrictions on the N. R. A. written
into the law.
The Government, under the New
Deal. has invaded too far the field
of private business. Mr.. Shouse
asserts. 1t should retire gradually
from its banking operations.
Praises Roosevelt.
The president OF the American
Liberty League gave praise to Presl-
dent Roosevelt for embarking upon
program of action to overcome con-
ditions existing when he ccme into
Office. However, he insists that this
program should not overstep proper
bounds. He commended the admins
tration, too, for having resisted de-
ms DIS for currency imitation. Any
resort to the powers given under the
Thomas imitation amendment would
be a confession of weakness and
might prove disastrous, he says.
In his book Mr.. ShouSe goes at
length into the question of popular
government, emergency powers, the
partisan system and the obligations
of the citizen to his government. He
emphasizes the significance of the
constitutional provisions which assure
individual liberty and property rights
and which set up dual form of
government in which the States and
the Nation are equally sovereign IN
their respective spheres.