The Washington times., 1936-06-27
FEDERAL CASH
T0C0NT|NUE
FREEFL0W
Writer Sees Pledge
As Most Potent
Vote-Getter
BY EDWIN C. HILL
Special Correspondent Of The Washington
Times

platform which lacked nothing OF
President Roosevelt except his own
handwriting, the New Democracy
continued plans today to reflect
their hero in November.
There is JOY through the rank
and file, for the party platform Of
1896 is a blank check for unlimited
billions on the Federal treasury.
The dole is to go on. The great
heart of Uncle Sam will be con-
tinued to be responsive to every
pinch of necessity and wall of dis
treSS.
That is absolutely the topic Of
the day-the certainty, in the event
of a Democratic victory in Novem-
ber, that there will be no stoppage
or diminution of the vast flow Of
Federal cash. You hear it every
where, and discussed with utterly
naive delight, with the innocent
simplicity Of childhood.
Expense Cut Mentioned
Where the platform of 1882
declared absolutely for IAN i'm
mediate and drastic reduction OF
governmental expe n ditures by
aboliShing useless offices and
commissions, consolidating depart
ments and bureaus, and elimi-
mating extravaganza, to accom-
plish a saving of not less than
Is per cent in the cost of the
Federal Government" the plat
form of 1886 blandly remarks
that I'VE are determined to re-
duce the expenses of Govern
ment," and there isn't a Demo
crat on the scene who takes that
statement seriously, not even the
members Of the platform COM
mittee.
Search the entire document
and you must conclude that the
promises, direct or implied or
subtly hinted, put into type or
into invisible ink between the
lines of a continuation of the
golden flow, of direct assistance
to classes, groups and individuals,
constitute the most arresting part
of the platform and should be its
most potent vote getter. To say
that the representatives of the
party in session here are de-
lighted with it, is putting it
mildly.
Warning to Court
Nor is there any doubt that the
smiling but savage attack on the
Constitution which stands out as
one Of the notable pronounce
ments meets with the enthusiastic
approval of the new Democrats.
The three brief paragraphs re-
lating to the New Deal attitude
toward the fundamental law say,
in brief, that since 48 State gov
ernments cannot effectively deal
with nationwide or sectional
problems or disasters, then the
Constitution must be amended to
give such power to both States
and Congress when the problems
touch the dominion Of each.
The language of that plain and
definite threat is as gentle as the
cooling of a turtle dove. The
words of it are smoother than
butter, but war is in its heart.
With a graceful bow and a smile
on it's face, the New Deal, recol-
lecting the fate of three Of its
most pretentious projects, the
NRA, the AAA and the Guffey
coal act-body blows all-and
thoroughly comprehending that
the New Deal will die the death
if such shall continue to be the
tenor of the decisions from the
high court, serves warning, in the
most meticulously chosen Ian
guage, that the court must bow
to it's will or take the conSe-
quenceS.
Pledge to Business
The third pleasureable content
of the platform concerns capital
and labor and their relations with
each other, In each case the prom
ises and assurances are vaguely
general, but the radicals of the
New Deal are pleased that no en-
couraging hand was held out to
business.
There's the dish, served up for
campaign. It was so much the
handiwork OF President Roosevelt
that it might as well have been
signed with his name. It's phrase
ology was in his well known style,
smooth, gentle words masking
grim purpose.
Senator Wagner of New York,
head of the committee on resolu-
tions, brought the tentative draft
of the platform to the convention
direct from the White House, and
that every change made here was
taken back to the White House by
airplane or read over the tele-
phone by direct private wire, and
so, one way or the other, submit
ted to the Presidents OK, before
going into the final draft.
1t was simply another and ar
resting example of the complete
control Mr.. Roosevelt exerts over
the new democracy he has built
up with his own hands in the last
three and a half years. Political
history in America offers nothing
to compare with it-this blind,
idolatrous obedience, on bended
knee, of the representatives of the
millions of Democrats all over the
country.