The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-05-30
They Pulled The Plug


quences Of the Supreme Court decis-
ion, by which the plug was pulled on
practically the whole New Deal game
of making America over"-to use
a Tugwellian phrase-it will be some
time before they all sink into the pub
lie mind.
The language of these historic opin-
ions leaves little doubt that other Ad-
ministration experiments, founded
upon the same theory of Federal regu-
lation, will be similarly suspended.
AAA, when the time arrives, will go
the way of NRA. Its pending amend
ments must be dropped. IVA clearly,
lawyers agree, will not stand the test.
The foundations have been removed
from the whole giddy alphabetical
structure. The entire national-plan-
ming philosophy has been condemned.
The thing is complete. We are back
to fundamentals. AS Senator Borah
says, "The Constitution has been re-
established" All that seems left of
the New Deal is the five billion dollars
voted by Congress under heavy Presi-
Dental pressure for work relief, and
the plans for spending which are so
complicated and confused that its
most eloquent opponents cannot CO.
herently explain them.
**%
The really SCATTERING thing about
these decisions is the effect upon the
millions of people who have been
misled by the Roosevelt experiments.
For more than two years they have
STRUNG along" with him, their judg-
ment warped by the warmth of his
promises, imaginations killed by the
lovely dreams of his Brain Trust adj
visers, faith upheld by the gay con-
fidence emanating from the White
House. Now they are confronted by
the cold, hard facts that this engaging,
sincere, well-meaning man they have
been following, and who waved and
shouted, eve are on our way" did not
know where he was going, what he
was doing, nor where he was coming
out
After two years, and at a stagger-
ing cost, which will bear heavily upon
our children's children, he has brought
US into a blind alley from which he
has to back out. 1t is tragic col
lapse and the costly futility of the
performance is appalling. At the time
these dazzling schemes were launched,
solemn warnings that they were I'M
workable, as we'll as unconstitutional,
were given by the more solid members
of his own party. There was hardly a
Democratic leader of standing or re-
pute who believed in them. Thought
full men everywhere were distrustful.
Outside of his own little inner circle
and his political and Administration
adherents they had few convicted de-
tenders. Yet, bored with the depres
sion, scared by the emergency, lacking
other leadership and given no alterna
tive, the country as a whole followed
where he led. The day of reckoning
was bound to come-and it has not
fully come yet.
From the start confusion has been
the outstanding characteristic of the
New Deal. The Supreme Court decis-
ion, for time at least, has immeasur-
ably increased this confusion. The
suggestions of picking up the pieces
are feeble and perfunctory. For the
moment, the Administration seems
paralyzed by the blow, which most
thoughtful men recognized as newt
able. In the course of day or so it
will naturally gather itself together
and make an effort to save its face.
The great propaganda machine will do
what it can to minimize the situation,
the favorable press will point out that
there is still much left of the New
Deal, and the President himself can be
expected to face the grim facts with
courage and resource, even merrily. A
great deal can be done to convey the
public impression that the blow is not
necessarily fatal, that the dreams and
ideals of the New Deal remain unim-
paired, that the country will not turn
back" but must "move forward" A
great deal of diverting stuff will be
done along this line, but it will be hol-
low and every posted person knows it.
The fact is the remedies do not exist.
Recovery for this patient seems out
of the question. In the unanimity of
these decisions, the talk of padding the
Supreme Court becomes as ridiculous
as disrupting its authority or question
ing it's character. No man who could
possibly be confirmed by the Senate
would vote differently from these nine
men. That is clear. A Garry on
boys" campaign can be made. The
Administration still has it's five bill
lions, which is tremendous asset.