Evening star., 1935-08-28
LEGISLATION TEST
OF PUBLIC MIND
Vote May Determine Re.
;sponsibiIity or Show Lack
: of Comprehension.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


OF the members, rarely expressed but
often implied, that "the people are too
damn dumb to understand anyway"
This sort of comment, f1rSt made
popular by Harry Hopkins, Federal
relief administrator, in characteriz-
ing the critics of 'boondoggling, has
never been articulated publicly by any
members of Congress-it would be
politically indiScreet to say it-but the
whole philosophy underlying the ses-
sion was based on an assumption that
the people did not or could not be
made to understand the niceties OF
constitutional argument or the equi-
ties of property rights, but were able
to understand only the punitive,
vengeful and destructive type of legis-
lation enacted under the guise or
public welfare"
Congress refused to exercise its own
independent Judgment as a legislative
body, believing that the President
knew better how to manipulate the
electorate, and that by his radio talks
and speeches he could sway the people
sufficiently not only to re-elect HIM
self but a Democratic Congress, too.
Unmerited Legislation.
This did not mean legislation on its
merits. Hardly single measure OF
importance that became law origi-
mated or was really written by mem
bers of Congress themselves. They
surrendered the law-writing function,
for which they are paid salaries by
the people, and bestowed 1t on the
Brain Trusters," as requested by the
President himself
So complicated were some OF these
bills, so subtle at times In their at
tacks on our system of private own
ership and initiative in business and
80 plainly at times directed toward
Government ownerhhip and State So
ciaiism that, while members OF Con-
gress began to recognize these meas
ures as dangerous to our economic
structure and our future fiscal sound
ness, they hesitated to oppose the ad-
ministration for fear of reprisals in
the party primaries Also, many OF
them were cajoled into acquieScence
with promises of Federal patronage
or favors for themselves or for their
political friends.
Speaker Joseph Byrns let the cat
out of the bag in his brief speech last
week when he took the floor to sup
port the compromise on the utility
holding company bill. The New York
Times quotes him as having said:
81 am not going to discuss the
merits Of this bill for two reasons.
In the first place, do not have the
time, and I am frank to say that I
do not know enough about the bill to
discuss its merits"
Revised in Record.
In the Congressional Record for the
next day. the Speakers remarks are
officially revised as follows:
Now, I cannot discuss the merits
Of the bill. have not the time and
cannot enter into a discussion of its
details
The spectacle of a Speaker Of the
House frankly conceding he could not
discuss the merits of the bill Is an in
the membership of Congress was to
handle measure Of prime importance
to the economic structure Of the coun-
try, involving the future of a $12,-
000,000,000 industry which annually
gives employment to millions Of per-
sons.
% But Mr.. Byrns went further. He
said: I'VE have been here eight
months. Are we going home and say
to our people that we cannot pass a
bill looking to the control and regula-
ton Of holding companies which
every one admits is needed"
What Mr.. Byrns implied, Of course,
was that any bill adopted in the last
moments of tired Congress was bet
ter than no bill and that the people
would be angry if the legislators
really wanted to take time to legis-
late fairly and effectively. In truth,
Mr.. Byrns might have said that the
President and his lieutenants had
worked up the passions Of the people
to such an extent that a fair and
equitable control or regulatory meas
ure was impossible because it would
take mature deliberation. He init
mated, in effect. that Congress had
to show it had done something"
Apparently it is the function of Con-
gress under the New Deal to soak"
things and sock right and left, ir-
respective OF the merits. Any many
members Of Congress believe this Is
all the people understand, anyway.
Time and Thought Required.
II the President himself could have
personally given the time and
thought to all these important meas
ures, the result might possibly have
been different. AS it was, he gave
full sway to the brain trusters" and
accepted implicitly their advice. They
put him in a position often where he
could not retreat without confessing
he had been misled. AS for the brain
trusters, the best expression which
fits their behavior Is comment made
by John Morley, famous English
philosopher, who once said:
Nothing in the whole world Of
politics is so intractable as a band
Of zealots, conscious that they are q
minority, yet armed by accident with
the powers of majority"
So Mr.. Roosevelt will have to take
full responsibility now, not only for
what the brain trusters" did, but
for what the Democratic majority in
both houses Of Congress gave him in
legislation.
The plight of members Of Congress
Is described in this remark, attributed
by the New York Times to Senator
Pat Harrison, Democrat, chairman Of
the Finance Committee, in conversa-
tions recently with hesitating COL
leagues:
Whether you like 1t or not, your
political fortunes are entirely in the
hands of the President You will be
elected or defeated next year, not on
your record here, but solely because