Evening star., 1935-07-21
Next Phase of
the New Deal
By O,oen l.. Scott.

country a rest from the strain OF watch
ing Washington. His preparation in
wolves inSistence that Congress keep It's
nose to the legislative grindstone until
existing New Deal plans are turned into
law. Then Congressman can go home,
the public can shift its attention back
to business, the Government can try 10
iron out administrative wrinkles in new
and old plans, while the country awaits
word from the Supreme Court that will
tell which alphabetical agencies may,
and which may not, continue to function.
Advisers, close and otherwise, have
dinned into the Presidents ear the news
that people are bewildered by fast-mov-
ing Washington events. They are pic
tured as wanting a rest. So, II Mr..
Roosevelt has his way. they will get 1t.
But first he wants Congress to clear
the decks of New Deal legislation. To
close up shop now, or even to hint that
shop might we'll be closed, would be to
sacrifice several important White House
plans that are on the verge of becom-
ing law. The President regards the
campaign for adjournment at this time
as Just an effort of his opponents to
defeat bills that otherwise will be
enacted.
Once the work is turned out-So the
feeling is-then the people can have
their quiet.
Congress can go home knowing that
the 1895 session will be short and sweet,
II Mr.. Roosevelt can make it that way.
Members next year will be facing pri-
mary election campaigns. They will
need to do fence repairing. National
party conventions are held in June or
July. Politicians will want to have
their minds on something other than
economic reform. So the President flg-
ures that he is doing Congressman a
good turn by holding them to their
tasks now.
Just one catch stands to upset plans
now forming for year of quiet. And
that catch is a serious one. 1t grows
from the forthcoming Supreme Court
rulings on a number of pet New Deal
projects About the time people settle
down for their rest, detached from
Washington affairs, the nine Supreme
Court justices may jolt whole masses Of
them with constitutional jabs.
The first of a possible series came
with destruction of N. r. A codes. That
decision turned out to be popular. In
stead of creating widespread repercus-
sions, a wrecked N. R. A. has faded
away with few traces and fewer regrets
left behind.
If all problems OF the court were as
simple as that, the people could look
ahead confidently to months of relative
quiet. But next in line are a number
of laws that reach down more deeply
and have more directly affected the
lives of millions of individuals.
r.
Thus about a million cotton farmers,
relieved of any worry they may now
have about Congress, suddenly could
wake up to find that the Supreme Court
had demolished their plan for compul-
sorry control of marketing. Henry
Wallace, Secretary of Agriculture, has
never liked this plan, but 80 per cent
of the cotton farmers voted for it, and,
once blasted out of law. there might be
wide market repercussions.
Or about 100000 cotton, corn-hog,
wheat, tobacco and other farmers, now
using Federal powers to help them adjust
their production more nearly to market
demand, could discover that the court
had killed their plans. A Circuit Court
of Appeals already has decided that they
are not in keeping with the Constitution.
And millions of people in the Ten
nessee Valley, now interested in the
Governments attempt to rebuild that
area on the basis of cheap electrical
power, could learn that the Constitu-
tion forbids projects of that kind.
Cases involving those programs and
others are on their way to the Supreme
Court. Decisions should come in No.
vember, December and January. If they
60 against the New Deal, then the
question would be:
Is Mr. Roosevelt going to drive the
1885 session OF Congress into enactment
of a whole new program of reform leg
islation, or will he sit back and let the
resulting situation simmer?
If he follows the post-N. r. A. tactics,
he again will point out the issue Gre
ated by the fact that this is a Govern
ment of enumerated national powers,
with the central authority checked in its
power to deal with Nationwide eco
nomic problems. Then he will let nature
take its course.
Nothing now seems more clear than
the fact that President Roosevelt has
decided against any aggressive attempt
to generate artificial interest either in
an attempt to amend the Constitution
or to attack the power of the Supreme
Court. If deep sentiment comes from
the people for either move. then the
President might take leadership, but he
is not interested in drummed-up cru
sade.
Mr.. Roosevelt's opponents have been
slow to realize that fact. But, it Is
asked, how can business men plan with
assurance so long as a whole cata-
logue of new and old legislation is to be
applied to them in the months ahead?
Where is there to be any rest for them?
The answer is found in projected
New Deal programs. There is to be no
new N. r. A. That is as spokesmen for
business wished. 1t means no restraints
for industry other than those imposed
by the antitrust laws, which now are
about As years old.
There is to be new labor law. But
many important employers say that they
do not intend to obey the law because
of their conviction that it is illegal.
In any event, Federal enforcement is
to be cautious and designed to avoid
disturbance.
Congress has voted for unemployment
insurance and old-age insurance. But
unemployment insurance is left up to
the States. and old-age insurance does
mt take effect until 1897 Paw roll taxes