The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-02-21

celVe SOME circuit Luz Seeking repedl u
the discredited laws
Admits He said If he made
His Mistake a mistake he would
be the first to admit
1t. So, now he has in way admitted
that he made a mistake in approving
those laws although his statement con-
corning the repeal request was that
these were useless without AAA
1t is to be noted, however, that long
before the Supreme court Outlawed
AAA there was a growing volume of
discomfort with the principles that law
sought to apply. 1t cannot be that
Mr.. Roosevelt was not aware of this
growing dissatisfaction and that his
political advisers smelled rat be-
cause good many plans for modifica-
ton had been under discussion pri-
vately among AAA advisers long be-
fore Supreme court decision was in
prospect. Practical men working with
Secretary Wallace and Administrator
Davis were steadily trying to accom-
plish changes In administration of the
AAA law, and the three others as well,
to make it workable. They were con-
fronted, however, with superabun-
dance of brain trusters who could make
a beautiful case in print for their
views and during that time the brain
trusters had the ear of the President
while the practical administrators were
left out in the cold.
fe fhrc &hoE
under the New Deal whereby most Of
the responsible people are attempting
to dodge the responsibility that be-
longs to them. Some of them are at
tempting to clean their own skirts, or
make their skirts appear clean, by
damning the Supreme court; others
are blaming our System" for failure
of the theories to work in practical ap-
plication and still other groups point
the finger of scorn at those charged
with administration of the agricultural
policy, blaming them for the failure.
Things like this have developed before
in Washington and have died down in
due time but believe that seldom, If
ever, has occurred situation in which
the responsibility was so general and
the blame so generally denied by those
responsible.
Washington observers are watching
the Presidents latest maneuvers on
government finance
Must Cut with considerable in
Borrowing terest. The Presi-
dent, you know, al
ready has told agencies of the govern
ment that are equipped with borrowing
power that they must reduce this
borrowing. He has, in effect, with
drawn from them authorization that
would have permitted the borrowing Of
about $1,OOO,O0O,0OO during the next
year.
During the last few weeks, the
Chief Executive has been concerned
also with reduction in governmental
spending and at the same time with
plans to raise additional money. He
has presented a tax bill to congress,
an obstinate congress. Representa-
tives and senators do not like to cam
paign after passing new tax bill so
they frankly do not like the idea of
new taxes at this time.
It is too early to forecast the full
importance of the Presidents latest
moves. There are those who insist
that Mr.. Roosevelt is making a sincere
effort to cut down government spend
ing and to convince the nation that he
is seeking to reduce the waste that is
naturally attendant upon such a vol
ume OF disbursements of money as has
taken place in the last three years.
There are others who take the posi-
ton that the President is simply build
ing up picture which can be shown
to the voters when election time comes.
They say that Mr.. Roosevelt wants to
be in a position to point to an accom-
plished reduction in federal eXpendi-
lures and to assure the voters that he
had permitted only such expenditures
as were necessary to bring the country
out of the depression.
An unbiased conclusion is that lit
tie of each claim is true. If expendi-
lures actually are reduced, obviously
the action will be welcomed by the tax
payers. On the other hand. the bally-
900 that went out from the White
House and executive departments con-
corning the withdrawal of borrowing
power was rather unjustified. 1t was
unjustified for the reason that the
move was simply bookkeeping propo-
sltion and, further, there was even
hint that such agencies as the Re-
construction Finance corporation and
Home Owners Loan corporation had no
| plans for borrowing extensively dur
ing the Forthcoming summer and fall
If one looks into the future in con-
nection with the Presidential program
| of curtailing borrowing and cutting ex-
| penditures, 1t is rather difficult to es-
cape the thought that continuation
| of policies such as have been spon-
sored by the New Deal in the last three
years will force renewal of these ex-
penditures in due course. In other
words, the administration course re-
specting these expenditures is going to