Evening star., 1935-06-16
BY OWEN L. SCOTT,

Zeal for reform is cooling among
New Dealers. Nine Supreme Court
justices. by deciding that government
isn't altogether a personal matter. not
only killed N. r. A. codes but took
much Of the glamour from the entire
Washington show.
Personalities, all Of a sudden, count
for less: orders from Congress for
more. Pet schemes that we're hatch
ing in private to be sprung on the
country by the simple process of ex-
ecutive order are being wrapped In
moth balls.
When the whim Of an administrator
could be written into law by the magic
of White House order. that admin
istrator got q real thrill. His every
whim might be Of importance to a
few million business men, or a few
million farmers, or a hundred million
citizens.
Gen. Hugh johnson, in the old New
Deal days, could decide that a bit of
price fixing would be good for indus
try. SO in the steel code, or the cop
per code. or the hy-swatter code there
would go a grant Of power, approved
by the White House, permitting in
dustry to do something that the Ma
ton, through its antitrust laws, had
prohibited for IS years.
Or Harold Ickes could make rules
and regulations for the spending of
public works billions that would deny
money to some communities, grant 1t
to others, supply cash for one type of
project competing with private enter
prise, deny it to another.
Harry Hopkins could decide that
money for relief should be turned on
or of as he saw fit. Henry Wallace
could tell 10000, 900 food eaters the
amount Of tax to be levied on some
farm products Donald Richberg could
give out orders that were law to busi-
ness men.
But now all is being changed. The
Supreme Court frowned upon the free
and easy manner in which power was
welded by individuals. 1t found that
in one case a man had been sent to
jail for violating one of Mr.. 1ckes'
orders that didn't even exist. The
Government had thought it did.
So the court has said that Congress,
If it wants to delegate power to the
executive arm of the Government,
must surround the use Of that power
with careful standards and limits.
There is q question, too, whether
the National Government could as
sumo leadership, under dynamic per-
sonalities, in any real program to
remake the economic organization OF
the country. Its part, apparently,
must be more negative in character,
involving the drafting Of rules and
regulations and seeing that they are
enforced
Congress. according to the Supreme
Court, should do more Of its own
brain-trusting.
How is the Congress reacting to
that suggestion? Are there signs that
a reminder of its function in the Gov
ernment has pumped new life into the
national Legislature?
Hardly. After the Supreme Court
N. r. A. decision both the Senate and
the House Of Representatives needed
about two weeks to catch their breath.
Then they waited for word from the
White House before proceeding. The
| truth of the matter Is that Congress,
beset by pressure from organized
groups, looking at problems from Sec
tional viewpoints, broken up into fac
tions. lacking any cohesion, hardly
can be expected to formulate clear
| ID 4kr T~anffAwa
Herbert Hoover, when President,
tried out the plan Of allowing Con-
greSs to take the initiative In shaping
| legislation. The result was delay and
indecision at a time when the people
were demanding action. President
Roosevelt completely reversed that
policy and centered the determine
ton Of legislative policies IN q brain
trust.
Congressmen didn't even know
what went into the important pro-
posals until they were turned over
| to them for introduction.
Now the Supreme Court has dealt
quite harshly with the product Of the
brain trust brains. The theories that
those brains produced failed to regis
ter with the nine court justices. So
new brains are being applied to the
| legislative task.
But what of the New Deal II the
meantime? Is It becoming adjusted
to this threat to cent? allied power?
Actually, much Of the New Deal
program is in n state Of suspended
animation, awaiting alteration No
body quite knows whether what he Is
doing Is thoroughly legal.
Mr.. Roosevelt, Of course, has shut
down N. r. A. TO al practical tntents
and purposea. Mr.. Eichberg, VINO