Evening star., 1935-03-04
Two Years of the New Deal.

Two Years of the New Deal.
A review of the first two years
of the Roosevelt Administration
must begin with the Chicago con-
vention of 1882, for only a COM
parison of the pledges of platform
and campaign with the actual ac-
complishments of the Democratic
party in its two years in office can
lead to a truthful appraisal. The
Democratic platform in 1882 was
widely and properly praised for its
brevity, clarity and definiteness.
Self-defined as "a covenant with
the people to be faithfully kept by
the party when intrusted with
office" that document pledged the
party and its candidates to econ
omy of administration. with saw
ing Of mot less than rs per cent in
the cost Of Federal Government;
a reduction of superfluous govern
ment agencies; maintenance OF tho
national credit by "a Federal
budget annually balanced; sound
currency ito be preserved at all
hazards; a spread of employment
by reduction in the hours OF labor
in industry; unemployment and OLD
age insurance under State laws;
the restoration of agriculture; ade-
ouate national defense; removal OF
government from fields of private
enterprise except where necessary
to develop natural resources in the
public interest; protection OF the
investing public; protection of bank
depositors; the full measure of JUS
tice for veterans disabled in serv-
ice; adherence to the world court;
independence for the Philippines;
repeal of the Eighteenth Amend
ment; modification of the Volstead
Act; and curtailment Of "the ex-
travagant expenditures of the
government"
There was a platform that was
clear and unambiguous. The vot-
ers of the nation had no reason to
doubt where the Democratic party
stood. But its position was made
even clearer by the speeches OF
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT during the
campaign. Consider some of his
remarks: "As an immediate pro-
gram Of action, we must abolish
useless Offices" I'VE are attempt
ing too many functions and we
need a simplification Of what the
Federal Government is giving to
the people" IF men or women or
children are starving in the United
States, I regard it as a positive
duty to raise by taxes whatever sum
may be necessary to keep them
from starvation" Let us have
the courage to stop borrowing to
meet continued deficits" stop
the deficits and let us also have
the courage to reverse the policies
of the Republican leaders and in
sist on a sound currency" "Of
course, that means q complete re-
alignment Of the unprecedented
bureaucracy that has assembled in
Washington in the last four years"
1T is my pledge and promise that
this dangerous kind of financing
shall be stopped and that rigid
governmental economy shall be
forced by a stern and uncomprom-
Using policy of living within our
means"
These are scattered remarks.
made by Mr.. ROOSEVELT in the
course Of that campaign which
brought him on election day in
1882 an overwhelming vote OF ap-
proval from the American public.
The clear pledges made by plat
form and candidate must be kept
in mind in judging the Roosevelt
record.
When the Roosevelt Administra-
ton took office two years ago,
however, there was an immediate
crisis, caused by the collapse of the
nations banking system, that ex-
cused the postponement of some OF
the policies advocated in platform
or campaign. Hope and gloom
were both in the air in those March
days two years ago. but hope pre-
dominated as the President began
to act with q strong, sure hand.
The first thirty days of the new
Administration were calculated to
electrify the nation and to give it
fresh confidence in the man sum-
moned to the Chief Magistracy.
Congress met in special session on
March 8; by April 4 the banks OF
the land had been closed and most
of them had been reopened. with
assurances that they would stay
open; the emergency banking act
had been enacted; the economy
act. reducing the huge burden Of
benefits paid to veterans and cut
ting the pay Of Federal employees
had been written into law; 80 per