Evening star., 1935-09-29
DEMOCRATSHAVEB BUTONE
WAY TO BLOCK NEW DEAL
Congress, Anchored to Roosevelt, Held
Unable to Break Away-Party
Split Still Possible.
BY MARK SULLIVAN.


BY MARK SULLIVAN.
T UNTIL quite recent weeks it re-
manned a fact that the Demo-
Gratis represented the most
~ immediate chance to switch
from the New Deal back to the ira
ditionsl American conception of So
ciety and government. They had con-
troll OF Congress by enormous ma
jorities-42 in the Senate, 209 In the
House And this control of Congress
they will keep until January /, 1887.
Far more than the Republicans, mCre
than any other group, the Democrats
could reverse the New Deal or modify
1t. They had only to say to Mr. Roosc-
welt that he was not the only person
put in power in 1898, that the Demc-
cratic party was also put in power:
that they, as leaders and Congress-
| men, have a trusteeship for the
Democratic party as historic and
continuing institution, and that they
must insist that the Government be
administered according to Democratic
principles and traditions.
This the Democratic leaders in Con-
gress could have done at any time.
In each chamber a majority of the
Democrats wanted to be Democrats,
and not New Dealers. On occasions
the Democrats voted as a majority
against New Deal measures; at all
times they were sullen against what
they were told to do.
At one time the Democrats almost
took the step Of rejecting the New
Deal. They would have done it If the
unanimous Supreme Court decision
against N. r. A. had come a few
weeks earlier. (Which shows the New
Dealers were shrewd in keeping N.
r. A. from arriving before the court
for two years)
Magic Controlled Majority.
| During his first two years Mr..
Roosevelt told the country, and the
country believed, that recovery was
dependent on N. r. A. and the other
New Deal measures. This was the
magic with which Mr.. Roosevelt for
two years secured allegiance from the
Democrats in Congress. But when the
Supreme Court overturned N. r. A.
recovery did not depart. On the con-
trary. that decision was the real be-
ginning Of recovery.
The Democrats, released from the
spell Of President Roosevelt's pre-
sumed magic, were for a while, last
July. on the point of rejecting the New
Deal and legislating as Democrats.
But they realized that to reject the
New Deal in July this year would
make 1t logical to reject the No. !
New Dealer as their presidential
nominee in July next year. Some of
the Democrats in Congress were will
ing to do that. Now the party is COM
mitted to running for reelection next
year on the same ticket on which
Mr.. Roosevelt is the head. From now
on. every Democrat-certainly that
! large number Of them who will be up
for reelection next years COM
mitted to saying that the New Deal
is all good. Most Of them will not
believe it but the exigencies of poll
tics will make them say it.
We may dismiss now all notion that
the Democrats as a party will change
the New Deal Once they have COM
| mitted themselves to renominating
Mr.. Roosevelt, the rest follows. In
the session Of Congress beginning next
January (Which will be the same
Congress that recently sat-, the Demo-
Gratis will be that much nearer to the
election. They will be obliged to be
the more loyal to the New Deal, or
to pretend they are. Then, during
the campaign they will be obliged
to be more loyal yet.
Some of the Democrats have mental
reservations. In effect. they say, or
think, something like this: I'VE will
60 along with Mr. Roosevelt until after
We get ourselves back in power-but
then just watch"
Revolt Seen Nearing.
There is something in this. I think
the Congress which will be elected
next year, even if as Overwhelmingly
Democratic as the present one (Which
it hardly can be-, will not be a New
Deal Congress. After the election next
year, the Democrats will know Mr..
Roosevelt is ineligible for a further
term. They will feel they need not
defer to him or the New Deal, and
their suppressed sense of outrage
about the New Deal will express itself.
But for the present. up until the
election in November next year. the
country can expect no reversal Tor
reputation of the New Deal by DEM
ocrats. That is. not by Democrats in
office and running for reelection: !:
and it is these who really make up the
party organization. The country can
not even expect reputation of the
New Deal by individual Democrats
now in office, especially those running
for reelection. Even Senators Carter
Glass and Harry F. Byrd, two of the
most intelligent and forceful critics
of the New Deal-rather more than
most Republicans in the Senate-these
two Virginia Senators can be expected
to support Mr.. Roosevelt in the oiec-
ton next year. They will stick to
their determination to take the party
away from the New Deal. they will
continue to oppose the New Deal
in the Senate, they will hope to take
the Democratic party away from the
New Deal after the election-but In
the election they will support Mr..
Roosevelt as the candidate who has
the Democratic nomination.
For the present the Democratic
party is married to the New Deal:
and the earliest date for a possible
divorce is January, 1887.
Independent Democratic Movement.
Will there be any detection next
year by Democrats mean any Or
| panized detection. any separate ticket.