The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-02-15
Starts
Something

Son7efhinc charges with having
bored into positions
of responsibility. In so doing. the New
York house member has stirred up a
veritable avalanche of reviews, surveys
and explorations of what is going on
of socialistic nature in the govern
ment. Mr.. Fish charged on the floor
Of the house that some Of the New
Dealers were making cash contribu-
tons to the 'reds" and proceeded to
name them.
The house speech by Mr.. Fish in a
general way called attention to the
various movements going on that can
properly be described as radical in
every respect. His attack directed the
attention of observers here to some
phases Of administration policies that
thus far have excited little comment.
For many months, of course, the
activities Of the Agricultural Adjust
ment administration have been sub
jected to the criticism that they con-
stitute RECOMMENDATION of the farmers.
that is, general program that holds
down good farmers to the level of the
haphazard type in the agricultural in
dustry. Likewise there have been at
tacks on the methods employed by the
Reconstruction Finance corporation
which dominates the affairs of some
four thousand banks as result Of
loans to them and is gradually expand
ing its sphere of influence among other
Industries to which loans have been
made.
The senate committee on munitions,
headed by Senator Nye of North Da-
kota, appears to be headed for a
recommendation that all munitions and
ship yards be government controlled
If not government owned, and only a
few days ago the congress enacted a
law extending for two years the opera
tons of the Reconstruction Finance
corporation so that it may continue
the government influence it has welded
heretofore.
On top of these. Mr.. Roosevelt has
asked the congress to appropriate al
most $5,OO0,OO0,OOO for his use in the
general recovery program and has viz
tually demanded that this fund be
made available to him without strings
attached. In other words, the Presi-
dent desires to expend this money as
he sees fit, whether it meets with con-
gressional approval or not.
We hear also much discussion of ad-
ministration policies and legislative
proposals providing penalties of seri-
GUS character as punishment for those
who dare to go contrary to the general
recovery laws as advanced by the Pres
ident These penalties, fines for the
most part, are being described in some
quarters as form of Hitler terrorism.
The administration stands on the
ground that it must have complete
dominance If its schemes are to be
successful, but the fact remains that it
is prepared by virtue of the punish
ment available for its use to take away
vast sums Of money from the industry
or individual which objects to govern
ment methods. There is arising more
and more criticism of the extreme pun
ishment employed in the New Deal leg
islation and unless l miss my guess
badly this feature of the New Deal
will flare back upon its sponsors in
manner most unwelcome to the brain
| trusters.
In connection with the Presidents
plan to have congress provide him
with the $5,0O0.000,-
NetO 600 fund to use in
Arguments his discretion, op-
position has arisen
with some new arguments. While the
President constantly is repeating his
assertion that the administrative
branches of the government can ac-
cOmplish more with free hand than
by having the money ear-marked by
congress for specific use, critics are
charging that the Presidents proposal
means putting the government further
into business. For example, the SEN
ate appropriations committee uncovered
| Information the other day while con-
sidering the S5.O0O,O00,OOO bill that in
dictated the existence Of a plant by
which the federal government would
| engage In the distribution and sale of
| gasoline. at
It take no stretch Of the imagination
| to see how this move links with the
previous efforts of Secretary Ickes. as
| Oil administrator, to control the whole
Oil industry. By the distribution and
sale Of gasoline, the government can
enforce regulations by competition
which the Supreme court said were un-
| constitutional. Its control would be
exercised through damming up the
| stocks of gasoline. and Oil companies,
| privately owned, would find themselves
| at the mercy of government bureau
| Gratis.
the $4,000, 100000 bill against which
fire of the opposition has been direct
| ed. but 1t seems safe to say that con-
gress will yield to the Presidential de-
mand and pass the appropriations
measure rather near the form desired
by the Chief Executive.
With respect to the operation of
'reds" in the government as charged
by Mr.. Fish, Washington long has been
deluged with rumors of radical actiyi-
ties. Except for the charges by DIR. Will
liam Writ, the Gary. Ind, school super
intendent, Mr.. Fish's accusations are
the first to place the finger on names
The New Yorker charged on the floor of
the house that Robert Marshall, field
director for the bureau of Indian af-
fairs and Gardner Jackson, deputy adj
| illustrative counsel of the consumers
| division in the Agricultural Adjust
ment administration, among others,
had made cash contributions to the
veterans rank and file committee He