The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-04-09
Snoot's
Prophecy

Prophecy long and meritorious
service, he ventured
a prophecy. 1t was this:
'The cost of government has in
creased every year, and it will con-
tinue to increase. l care not what
party is in power, that result will OBJ
tain"
AS / recall, Senator Shoots state
ment was made about eight years ago
and 1t was made at a time when the
Republicans, of whom the Utah senator
was one, were in control in the SEN
ate. His statement came as a result
of an immense amount of jibes that
were being hurled at the Republican
majority. The Democrats were hav-
ing a grand time, kidding the Repub-
licans who were then in complete con-
troll of the government.
Senator Smoot recognized that which
few in responsible positions in the
government recognized, or If they did
recognize the fact. they chose not to
admit it. Nevertheless, the senator's
statement is true today as it was true
when he made it and for many years
before.
The Smoot prophecy comes to mind
now because of the sudden accelera-
ton of moves to curtail government
expenses, to reorganize the scads of
New Deal and emergency agencies, to
eliminate overlapping functions among
these agencies, and, in general. to put
the house of government in order.
Two such efforts are underway. One
Of them was initiated by Senator Harry
F. Byrd, Virginia Democrat, who sue
ceeded in obtaining senate recognition
of his charges that there was ire
mendous waste, that there were USE
less agencies and that, in addition,
governmental functions were being
generally messed up because none ex-
cept the old-established units of gov
eminent knew what they were doing.
The Virginia senator obtained adop-
ton of resolution providing for
general survey and recommended
for the cleanup. 1t was a situation in
which even the most ardent New Deal
ing to it. So the senator took the lead.
Subsequently, President Roosevelt
reached the conclusion that something
ought to be done in the way of IN
tangling the tangled skein of govern
mental functions so he proposed a sur
vey under his direction. He appointed
committee of so-called experts to go
over the problem.
Thus, at the start, at least, it ap-
pears that the taxpayers are going to
be favored by a break. l think it
ought to be added, however, that no
one has had the temerity to suggest
that either the Byrd survey or that en-
gineered by Mr.. Roosevelt will yield
very much.
The survey promoted by Senator
Byrd will dig up a good many helpful
facts but there is
Ing Up every reason to be-
Helpful Facts lieve that the vir-
ginia senator will
find many obstacles placed in his way
and that he and his committee will
be unable to present any comprehen-
sive statement on their findings to the
country In advance of the November
elections. The same is true concern
ing the survey directed by the Presi.
dent, only more so. The cold fact is
that there is no chance at all for the
Presidents committee to even approach
the stage of making recommendations
from their survey until long after the
elections are held. Frankly, each of
these surveys is permeated with poll
tics, so much so that a straightfor-
ward accounting or general description
of the affairs of government will not
be allowed to become public property
and thereby become a campaign issue.
OF the two, Senator Byrd's proposal
has the better chance, but that is
rather small.
Adverting to the Smoot prophecy, 1t
is therefore of no great Importance
whether a thoroughgoing examination
of the governmental structure that has
grown up in the last three years under
President Roosevelt is made in ad-
vance VI the eleCIlOHS. IHeSe New
Deal agencies have been created and
these New Deal agencies, like many
of the "Old Deal" agencies, are with
US to stay and suck up taxpayers
money for quite some time I need
only remind you that we still have In
existence the War Finance corpora
ton and the railroad administration
that were created as wartime agen-
cies, not to mention a dozen other SIM
liar units.
1t is possible, indeed. think 1t is
probable, that there will be a trimming
of pay rolls in many of the New Deal
agencies Immediately after election.
There certainly ought to be important
curtailment of expenses and of the
list of employees, but accomplishing
that is matter much more easily de-
scribed than DONE So, feel safe in
saying that all of this ado about a re-
duction in governmental swelling
amounts to nothing more than just ado.
In making the statement above that the
outcry about reducing the government
pay roll and untang-
NeU Deoi ling the functions is
Spirits Rise just so much bally-
hOo,-I think IL ought