Evening star., 1935-09-08
Both Parties Leaders See
Term inadequate to
Express Intent.
BUSINESS is CAUTIOUS,
FEARING BID FOR VOTES
Letters Seen at Cross Purpose
With Roosevelt Demands
Late in Congress.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

When the history of the 1885 cam
paign Is written, a little phrase.
breathing spell" may be q large
factor in the result.
That is the view Of political leaders
here after reading and digesting Pres
ident Roosevelt's correspondence with
Roy w. Howard, newspaper publisher,
in which the Chief Executive de-
clared a breathing spell" for industry
Is here.
Nor was this view confined alone to
Republicans.
II the President and Mr.. Howard
meant to say business was to have
rest from further legislation and Ex-
ecutive interference. they seem to
have chosen an unhappy way of put
ting it. the politicians commented.
A breathing spell, in common par
lance, is likely to be followed by .
good pummeling.
The Republicans yesterday seized
on the language Of the President to
assert that what he had in mind was.
after all, merely rest before the final
drive was begun to put Government
in absolute control Of business. Such
comment as has come from the busi-
ness world has been cautious.
Sought Political Strength.
Unquestionably, 1t was said, Mr..
Roosevelt had in mind regaining po-
litical strength with the business men
OF the country when he answered Mr.
Howard's letter, which had suggested
that honest" business men, as well
as others not so honest. were now
criticizing Roosevelt and the New
Deal.
Democratic members of Congress
who have gone along reluctantly with
the President in his New Deal legis-
lation were among the first to declare
their satisfaction with the statement
hat business was to have breathing
spell" There are lot of these Dem
ocrats who would like to have busi-
ness let alore.
In this connection. it Is of interest
that Senator Harrison of Mississippi,
chairman of the Senate Finance Com
mittee. and Representative Doughton
OF North Carolina, chairman OF the
House Ways and Means Committee,
both left Washington without doing
a thing about Mr.. Roosevelts final
recommendation in the closing hours
OF the congressional session.
The President wrote both these
leaders urging that they and their
committees give careful consideration
to drafting new law to govern busi-
ness-as q substitute for the N. r. A.,
declared unconstitutional by the Su-
preme Court.
No Instruction Given.
Inquiry at the Offices of both the
Senate and House committees yester-
day revealed that no instructions
whatsoever had been given by either
Harrison or Doughton regarding this
No subcommittee have been named
10 carry on preparatory studies. And
unless they are stirred up again by
the President, they are unlikely to do
anything about the matter, 1t is said.
In the light Of President RooSevelt's
letter to Howard. will the President
insist on the draft of new N. r. A.
legislation during the coming Fall
and Winter? Mr.. Roosevelt's declara-
ton that business is to have
breathing spell may mean one of two
things in this connection. First. that
he will not press further legislation
regarding business until after the
next campaign or even later. Second.
that the breathing spell is. after all,
to be of only few months duration,
and that Congress will be expected to
put through q new law governing
business to take the place Of the de-
funct N. r. A.
New Deal critics yesterday insisted
that the Presidents letter to the pub
Usher and those to Harrison and
Dougton were irreconcilable. There
was no doubt about the demand OF
the President for additional legisla-
ton dealing with business in the let
tiers sent to the committee heads just
before Congress adjourned. At the
same time he transmitted the letters
the President sent along data pre-
pared for him showing the "chiSelers"
had been at work in industry ever
since the Supreme Court declared the
N. r. A. unconstitutional.
He promised the chairmen to send
additional information along these
lines from time to time during the
recess Of Congress. So far, it was
said, no further data had reached the
committees.
Held Bid for Support.
Republicans insist that the publica-
ton of the Roosevelt Howard corre-
spondence was q mere bid for business
support for the President next year.
They added, however, that they did
not believe business would swallow
the bait, particularly in the light Of
the awkward phrase, breathing
(See POLITICS, page So