The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-01-07
COURT UPSETS
+ POLITICIANS
PROGRAMS
BY EARL GOODWIN


Coming at this time, within two
days Of the Presidents startling
act in defending his Administra-
ton by means of fireside radio
address to the nation, which pro-
duced violent criticism from the
opposition, and just before the
national series of jackson Day
dinners at which the President
will again address the Democratic
party by radio, the courts action
in upsetting the farm program APP
parently changes the entire politi-
cal scene as far as the farm vote
Is concerned.
Aside from the administrative
consultations, there will be end
less talk on the part Of the farm
leaders who have been counting
on the farm vote to hold the West
and South for President RooSe-
Velt's reelection.
Republicans Jubilant
At the moment Republicans are
jubilant, especially those repre-
senttng industrial and city COM
munitieS where the processing
taxes under AAA have been held
responsible for increased cost OF
living.
But the Democrats are Of the
opinion that farmers who have
been enjoying an increase in farm
income amounting to nearly four
billion dollars will resent the
courts decision and will demand
a substitute program Of equal
money value.
Not q month ago, on December
9. President Roosevelt aroused a
farm audience at the Chicago
StockyardS to cheers with his Wig
orous defense Of AAA. Several
months prior to that the Presi-
dent addressed another farm gath
ering, made up of the leaders Of
farm bureau county organizations,
who gathered in the White House
grounds and cheered the President
when he ridiculed the opposition
to the program and apparently
had the solid support Of farm
leaders the country over.
Trimming Their Sails
Regardless Of heavy attacks on
the AAA, Administration officials
believed sincerely that the novel
idea embodied in AAA would carry
the Administration through a Bit
ter political campaign. And yet
in recent weeks it has been ap-
parent that Secretary Of Agricul-
ture Wallace and Chester Davis,
AAA chief, have been trimming
their sails, with q view to a long
time farm program to follow the.
admittedly artificial emergency
program now declared unconstitu-
tiOnal.
This program has been in the
imelight since it was inaugurated
in. the first half Of the first RooSe-
welt year. Many people will never
forgive the Administration for
slaughtering the little pigs, and
blowing under every third row of
cotton. They have continued that
opposition down to the present
day, the Potato Control act being
the most recent farm measure to
arouse the wrath and scorn of
many Republicans.
Even though the Democrats
point out that the potato control
was not a strictly Administration
measure, it has been used to
smear the entire farm policy with
the housewives Of the cities.
Stands With Wallace
President Roosevelt stands with
Secretary Wallace in pointing out
that AAA was created at the de-
mand Of the farmers of the coun-
try. At Chicago, President Roose-
welt said:
''The measures to which we
turned to stop the decline and
fOut Of American agriculture
originated In the aspirations of
Z the farmers themselves ex-
pressed through the various
farm organizations" He said
further. eve sought to stop the
rule Of tooth and claw that
threw farmers into bankruptcy
or turned them virtually into
serfs.'
The Presidents theory was at
that time similar to his views on
NRA; that 48 States could not act
independently "to legislate or
administer individual laws ad-
equately to balance the agricul-
tural life Of a nation so greatly
dependent on nationally grown
crops Of many kinds"
However, the Supreme Court has
been as ruthless with AAA as it
was with MIRA; and the political
aftermath of one may have an
effect on the results Of the other
May Take Action
Political gossip here is that if
labor suffers from the collapse Of
MIRA, it may go into politics to
force what it assumes are its
rights; and there is talk here that
American farmers, failing to get
those profitable AAA checks from
Washington, may take political
action of some sort that will re-
store them again to Easy Street.
But in the meantime there will
be a scramble by Republican fac
lions and possible nominees to
come forward with a farm pro.
gram that will stand up. No mat
ter how strongly the Adninistra.
ton supporters have claimed the
farm vote, the Republicans will
Lee nAn AiHnnn L.