Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-05-27
The Political Mill
By G.. Could Lincoln.

How are you goin' to beat emp"
How are the Republicans going to
beat the Roosevelt New Dealers in the
coming national campaign of 1895?
Take a look at what has happened in
Secretary Wallace's most recent tri-
umph Of democracy, the wheat refer
endum. The returns so far show that
more than I'll 900 farmers voted for
continuance of the crop control and
reduction program and less than 49,
600 voted against it, About IS per
cent of the wheat farmers, therefore,
stand with the New Dealers. Other
elections" Of this same character
have shown 80 per cent OF the cotton
farmers, 81 per cent of the tobacco
growers and 10 per cent of the corn
hog producers favoring the A. A. A.
programs. In other words. a very
large slice Of the farm population of
the country is siding with the New
Dealers-up to the present. And the
farm population is a large segment of
the entire voting population of the
country.
The administration Is now launch
Ing its work-relief program on a vast
scale. 1t has $4.880 100000 to spend
during the coming year for relief and
work relief. That is more than $780,
600 900 for each State, if it were so
divided. But, OF course, the more
populous States will receive larger
allotments than the States with small
populations. Nevertheless, huge sums
will go into every State, as, for ex-
ample, in the recent allotment Of
$l0,000,000 to start a $4,000 900
project in Maine. the Passamaquoddy
project. for Harvesting the tides and
obtaining therefrom electric energy.
That is just sample. But the plum
trees are being shaken all over the
lot. The administratio will receive
the benefit, politically, of such a
spending program. Why not? Pro-
testing Republicans may complain that
they are being or will be called upon
to foot the greater part of this bill
when pay day comes around and the
Government has to liQuidate. But
what can they do about it? Appar-
emily nothing. unless they follow the
old maxim: If you can't beat EN-,
lin emf"
With the farm programs and the
Work-relief programs in full swing,
a very great proportion Of the people
of the United States will be receiving
checks or cash from the Federal Gov
eminent during the coming year. The
Democrats would indignantly deny
that this was buying an election. They
would declare that it was all for re-
covery and relief. II the election
goes along with it, well, why not? The
farm program, to be sure, is designed
by its promoters to be a permanent
thing While the relief program is de-
signed to meet an emergency. there is
always the chance that it. too, may
become a permanent affair. The ire
mendous political force of govern
mental expenditures which go into the
pockets directly of millions of people
is unacceptable. The opposition will
come eventually from those who have
to pay the bills. But there seems no
prospect of anything like that prior to
the elections of 1886.
The New Dealers face a dark spot
or two in the political skies For eX-
ample, the World War veterans have
been refused the immediate cash
payment of their bonus certificates.
The supporters Of the veterans are
breathing fire and birthstone because
of this refusal TO turn over $780,
000,0 right away to the veterans.
Then too. there IS the case of the
cotton textile mills, in both the North
and the South. The processing tax
levied upon cotton goods made N the
mills, TO be used to pay the Govern
ment benefits TO the cotton farmers;
the increased price of cotton, and the
much larger importations Of cheap
cotton cloth from Japan have all
caused resentment in the mill towns
Of Massachusetts, Maine and other
Northern States, as well as IN the
towns of North Carolina and other
States OF the South.
II
It is not too late for the New
Dealers TO straignten out the vet
Grams by making a payment of the
bonus 1t is not likely to come at
the present session of Congress. But
there is another chance before the
campaign gets under way, when Con-
greSS meets next January. In the
meantime, President Roosevelt has
gained ground with the business peo-
pie and with the people who DO not
believe in currency imitation by his
strong veto of the Patman green
back" soldiers bonus bill II the
veto made enemies for him among
the veterans-and 1t did not make
all the veterans angry by any means
it also made friends for him among
those who have been fearful that the
infiationistS would be able 20 make
first big step forward through tying
their inf1ationary IDEAS 10 the SOL
diers' bonus legislation
X x x
The administration leaders in Con-
greSS feel confident that they can
drive the Presidents must" bills
through without much further delay
and adjourn. The Senate is tackling
tOuay lne proposed amendments u
the A. A. A. and it is expected to
pass them by large vote. despite the
opposition of Senator Harry Flood Byrd
of Virginia and others. Senator Byrd
has insisted that these amendments
will increase enormously the powers
of the Secretary of Agriculture over
the American farmers, making Vir-
tual dictator through the authority
given him to license every farmer and
handler of food products. The Secre-
tary insists that this is a power that
will be used only under unusual con-
ditions. Even if it is not used, it is
an effectual club over the heads of all
the farmers and food handlers. The
wheat referendum vote will be used TO
show how popular the A. A. A. is
with the farmers, and the members
of the Senate and the House who
have farm constituents will probably
be duly impressed.
X X X
After the A. A. A. bill the Senate
will take up, it is expected. the Wheel
er-Rayburn bill for the control-and
nf the utility