Carolina watchman., 1935-03-29

State Relief Situation
Pensions and the NRA

Taking Federal relief out of the
hands of state agencies entirely,
NAV be on the cards. The Admin
istration's charges Of cor rIruption
and dishonesty in the handling of
relief funds in Ohio may be an
opening gun in move to force
the states to do something more for
their own unemployed.
Then, again it may be politics.
Ohio is a pivotal state. The Fed
eral Government has taken relief
administration in Ohio into its own
hands. Shrewd political observers
here remark that liberal dstribu-
tions for which the Federal admin
istration can take direct and full
credit will go farther in keeping
voters in line for 1886 than relief
administration by state officials un-
der conditions which lay the local
party organizations open to attack
by the Republicans.
1t is not putting it much too
strongly to say that everything that
is being done in Washington this
year is done with an eye ON the
1886 elections. Members of both
houses of Congress, who believe
they have their ears closer to the
ground than the President can pos
sibly have, are showing signs of i'm
patience with the reform" phases
of the Administrators program,
and baking at measures which they
believe will retard economic re-
covery, or increase the opposition
of business men to the party's
policies.
Therefore a pretty definite poll
cy of delay on important legislation
seems to be shaping up, with the
expectation that numerous bills de-
sired by the President will be left
over when adjournment comes. At
the same time some of the Presi-
dents warmest friends are counsel
ling modification of some Admins
tration measures.
Congresswoman Isabella Green
way of Arizona, who was, inciden-
tally, one of Mrs. Roosevelt's brides
maids at the wedding 80 years ago
this Saint Patrick's day just past,
has lined upea strong opposition to
the~passage~ofrthes socalled social
security bill, which all agree is a
confused tumble of unrelated
things. Mrs. Greenway's plan is to
enact an old-age pension bill apply
ing only to the INDECENT aged who
are now on relief, or who may find
themselves without support in the
future, and let it go at that.
The Senate committee investiga-
ton of the working of NRA is the
genuine thing, and not merely a
perfunctory compliance with the
Presidents desire to have that
measure extended for two years
more. The attitude of Senator's is
decidedly hostile. The betting here
is that the law will be so amended
as to exclude all but Interstate
business from its provisions, con-
tinuing NRA for one year with
maximum hours, minimum wages
and collective bargaining provisions
as they are now, for such remaining g
industries as it applies to, but with
definite prohibition of price fixing
or production control.
Similarity, there seems to be lit
tie chance that the drastic demoli-
ton of holding companies, asked
by the President, will be authorized
by Congress. Some regulatory and
restrictive measure is expected, but
nothing to cause honest business
any alarm. Likewise in the case of
the Administration plan to revise
the Federal Reserve law and con-
centrate control of all banks and
banking in the Treasury, the out
look is not good for any such
sweeping program.