Evening star., 1935-06-03
The Political Mill
By C.. Could Lincoln.

President Roosevelt, in discussing
| the decision OF the Supreme Court in
| the N. r. A. case, declared 1t the most
| important since the Dred Scott. He
might have said that the issue which
he raised--whether the Federal Gov
| to cover intrastate commerce and all
| that implies-is the most important
since slavery and Civil War. The most
burning question today is how far is
the President prepared to 60. how far
will he press this issue?
Widespread discussion arose on the
heels of the Presidents conference
with the press on Friday, in which he
| outlined his views of the issue and of
| the Supreme Courts decision. Part
of it held that the President had
stubbed his toe; that he had given the
! opposition an issue which would in
the end defeat him and his New Deal /;
that he had gone much too far. To
this the Presidents defenders replied
that he had boldly stated a political
issue which would carry him to VIC
tory again. Whichever side may be
right, it seems clear that the Presi-
dent had to 60 forward with attack.
or admit the defeat of his whole New
Deal program
| Senator Borah of Idaho. In a ma
/ tional radio address last night, called
on the President to let the people
decide. The President already has
stated that the issue is one that must
be decided by the people. 1t would
look as though both sides were ready
| to go to the mat. SO far the Presi-
/ dent has not indicated just how the
| issue is to be taken to the people.
1t would clear the atmosphere a lot
! II he would do so. Generally It has
been supposed that the President
would back an amendment TO the
Constitution, giving the Federal Gov
eminent power to control hours and
wages Of labor, business practices and
farm production through congressional
legislation. II that is to be the issue,
and it seems clear one, then the
sooner 1t is known the better.
Ever since the Roosevelt admins
tration and the New Dealers came 10
! town 1t has been evident that these
planners had reached the conclusion
that State lines were merely an
obstruction TO progress. The Presi-
dents statement to the press left no
doubt about this. He said, in effect,
/ that it was impossible TO prevent un-
fair practices in business. the sweat
shop. child labor, starvation wages,
starvation farm prices. without giving
. the Federal Government power 10
control.
! How States rightS-as construed in
the days before the New Deal-can
60 along hand In hand with such
a philosophy and program. it is diff
cult TO understand. Yet when Jouett
Shouse, president Of the American
Liberty League, issued a statement
insisting that the President had
turned his back on States rights
Senator Robinson of Arkansas. Demo
cratic leader of the Senate immedi-
atelv made a reply through the Dem
ocratic National Committees pub
licity bureau insisting that the PreSi-
dent had done no such thing Sena =
tor Robinson comes from a section
Of the country which has been strong
ly Democratic for a great many years
section Of the country which once
went TO war on the States rights
issue
If the President goes through with
this issue which he has raised. there
seems no doubt that there will be q
realignment politically. Many Demo-
Gratis who have followed him in the
past may not be able to go along with
him in this fight. The same is likely
10 be true of some of the Republi-
cans who supported him in 1882. On
the other hand he will make q strong
appeal to many groups Of American
citizens who have suffered greatly
during the depression.
When DR.. Writ OF Gary, Ind
charged little more than a year ago
that the New Dealers had in minc
revolutionizing America, and that thu
whole tendency was away from ira.
ditional institutions OF this country. hs
was made the butt of a great deal oi
Democratic wit. Some of these
Democrats are beginning now to un.
derStand better the implications oI
the New Deal.
President Roosevelt is not the first
President to demand a greater exten.
sion OF Federal power Many of hk
predecessors have sought to extenc
that power. But in no other admin.
istrstion have so many strides beer
made in the direction of centraliza.
tion of power in Washington. Thu
times were made TO order for it. Tht
President announced when he Wal
tnaugurated that the country Wal
at war with depression and he in.
tended to use all the power he coulc
to fight. Now the country has caught
its breath a bit, and the Supreme
Court has called a halt on the us<
of power by the Federal Government
it looks as though a real political
battle might be in progress. 1t viii
bring the progressive and radical ele.
ments into line-for 1t is they thai
are demanding an increase in Fedora
power-againSt the conservative ele.
ment. And the conservatives maj
with much justice insist they arr
fighting to preserve the individual
liberties of the American people, and
denounce the progressives on the
ground that they are trying to place
control Of the people in the hand,
of a dictatorial and bureaucratic Gen.
trail government.
The Senate, and not the Supreme
Court, will decide within the nexl
three weeks whether Rush D. Holt
Senat elect from West Virginia, Il
entitled to a seat in the Upper House
Mr.. Holt has waited as patiently az
he could for the approach of the 30th
anniversary of his birth 10 offer him.
self to be sworn in as Senator. Ths
Constitution specifies that Senator
must have attained 80 years of age
On June 10 Holt will reach that age
The question involved is whether Holt
was eligible TO be elected to the Sen.
ate when he was not eligible to begin
service as Senator at the opening OF
the senatorial terms of six years fol-
I which he was elected, 1t has been