Evening star., 1935-03-24
BY OWEN L. SCOTT.


the Potomac. In the midst OF 1t
New Dealers longingly await a grand
gesture from the White House-one
of the kind that will pull up short
drifting country and start it moving
forward again. The prospect is that
they will be disappointed.
Not that opportunities are lacking.
Europe'S present troubles suggested to
some persons that ringing call for
nationalism. and sharp turn from
the whole foreign mess, would unite
the country. Others think Europe is
rapidly heading into a major crisis
that will open the way for an Ameri-
can President to emerge as world
hero. But more appear convinced
that the thing to do is to let the
Congress stew and the country drift
until there arises a new insistent de-
mand for strong leadership.
AS things stand today. the whole
atmosphere of the Capital has shift
ed sharply.
President Roosevelt has been COM
PEELED by Congress to revise his plans
and to move cautiously. There is no
mistaking a change in the attitude of
the public toward New Deal expert
ments. Members of Congress COM
ment openly on the changed tone
of the mail they receive Efforts to
discover whether the tenor of White
House mail has changed prove un-
availing.
Most noticeable is the altered atti-
tude of New Deal officials.
Harry Hopkins. relief administrator.
who used to be good for about one
sensation week, now says little. His
latest venture was to strike out at
the Governor of Ohio. and in so doing
he seems to have tackled a wildcat.
Mr.. Hopkins obviously is working un-
der wraps Henry Wallace, running
the farm show, always philosophical,
today appears a bit disillusioned and
resigned to trouble ahead. Harold
IckeS, who was to build the country
out of the depression with S3,000,-
100000 worth Of public works, has
changed his ideas. Donald Richberg,
chief aide to Mr.. Roosevelt, continues
to hope for cooperation as we'll as
long and happy future for N. R. A.
Daniel Roper, Secretary of Commerce.
and Joseph P. Kennedy, chairman
of the Securities and Exchange Com
mission, tell business men that they
should be confident that everything
will turn out all right in the end.
But why the lack of the old aggres-
sive assurance and driving power on
the part of the chief New Deal off,
GERS?
For one thing. the A. A. A is sit
ting on smoldering volcano. Why?
Because food costs are rising at a
time when there is pressure on wages
in industry. That makes it harder
for the man with job to make both
ends of his budget meet. Also, it
adds to the difficulties of those out
of jobs who are managing to keep
of the relief rolls.
Il \ n
Another matter that disturbs Off
cials grows out Of relief. A Nation
wide scandal may be brewing in that
field. Straws here and there point
to abuse of relief privileges. The
New Deal counts on its five-billion-
dollar works program to step into this
breach and clean up the problem
before 1t breaks into the open.
N. r. A. has become little more
than a political burden. Its Spon-
sors now say that recovery never
should have been fitted into its title.
The whole scheme, they assert,
should have worked as long-range.
non-spectacular agency for industrial
reform.
Then, of course, political storm
signals are up. The major strategy
Of any administration must be to
make moves that lay the groundwork
for a continuance in power. With
Huey Long, Father Coughlin, DR.. F.
E. Townsend and variety of panacea
peddlers out with appeals to the peo-
pie the natural tendency for those
holding power is to go slow, size up
the situation and study changes in
direction.
What to do?
On one side, business men are con-
tending that If the President will but
end the uncertainty OF his reforms
and strive to restore confidence" the
country can have recovery and jobs
and real good times. They take the
attitude that recovery will come au-
tomatically, if the Government will
but let it come.
On the other side, advocates OF
panaceas are appealing to the Presi-
dent to try their wares. Some think
that all troubles can be ended by
printing more money; others that a
rebuilt banking system will turn the
trick. More want to pay pensions big
enough to float the country into
something or other. Others want to
remake the entire capitalistic system
into some other kind of system.
But most Popular of the arguments