Evening star., 1935-03-04
Rate by Mail-Payable In Advance.
MARYLAND and virginia.
The Halfway Mark.

Two years ago President Roosevelt
entered the White House at a time
when the country was in the lowest
depths Of depression. With the acces-
sion of the new administration the
country took hope. The President
courageously assumed the task of lead
ing the Nation on the road to recovery
No Chief Executive has ever before
faced a more serious situation, with
the exception of Abraham Lincoln. The
banks were tumbling like houses of
cards in high wind. Millions of men
and women were out of work. 1t was
under such conditions that the New
Deal arrived.
The President may look with con-
siderable satisfaction today upon the
change in the morale of the American
people. There is not the slightest
doubt that hopes have been revived
and industry stimulated. Steps have
been taken to check practices in trad
ing and industry that had aided in
bringing the country to the brink Of
ruin. Better conditions have been de-
manded for labor and in part have
been obtained.
In the history of the United as
later written the last two years will
be reviewed with unusual interest. No
other two years, in peace time, have
seen such an increase in the centrali-
cation OF power in Washington. No
two years have seen so many new
wrinkles In Government and society
tried out, nor so many new agencies
of Government set up. No two years
have seen so much Government
spending, nor so many people on the
relief rolls. Never before has the
public debt been rolled to its present
enormous total.
At this halfway mark in his present
term of Office the President may well
take stock. Much remains to be done
before the American people can point
again with pride to conditions of life
in this country. There exist lack of
confidence in what is to happen to
the dollar and fear of eventual inf1a-
tion unless the huge expenditures of
public funds are checked. The Presi-
dent can do much to allay this fear, if
he would. Donald Richberg, head of
the Emergency Executive Council and
said to be second only to the Presi-
dent in the New Deal command, did
what he could, in Boston speech, to
squelch the idea that imitation would
be countenanced by the President.
Mr.. Roosevelt himself, however, only
can speak with absolute assurance for
the President Of the United States.
The people are still waiting to hear
from him on this subject.
How much Of the New Deal is to be
permanent only time can tell. The
administration still persists in its
policy of reducing production on the
farms and curtailing output. Such a
policy can in the end only reduce
the number Of jobs for men and
women. It would be far better if the
administration would give its atten-
tion to the matter Of better distribu-
ton Of more products. If business
were given a freer rein and was not
fearful Of having greater and greater
restrictions imposed, this problem
might be cared for better than through
any Government instrumentality.
The President has proceeded with
high courage to his appointed task.
He has had the backing of the great
majority of the people. If he has
made mistakes, they should be ac-
knowledged.
What have the next two years In
store for the American people and for
the President? It is likely to be a
period Of great endeavor and hard
labor. The time is almost at hand
when the people must cease to look
to the Federal Treasury for susie
nance and rely again on their own
efforts. Either that, or a socialized
state, with property mere thing of
the State.