Evening star., 1937-04-28

comes into the
Offices of other 'S"'eh'e'
people, simple little table of ex-
penses and receipts for the biggest
business in the world-the Govern
ment Of the United States. Many
another person would get the jitters
looking at these figures. Many
another person, if it were a private
business, would hesitate to venture
two blocks from his Office, let alone
take a vacation. Many another per-
son would have deep furroWs in his
forehead and wouldn't sleep nights.
But not President Roosevelt, who is
going on two weeks fishing trip.
What is the condition of the big
gest business in the world? Take
April "a for an example, though each
day IS more or less alike
The official Treasury figures say the
expenses this year are S6,l47, ,024 sos,
and at this time last year they were
S5,874, ,203 ,65l.
The official figures say that the
receipts are S4036 $40 $50, as COM
pared with S3294 ,6743 339
So it might be expected that with
the receipts about s842 000O00 higher
than they were last year the Treasury
ought to he that much better off.
Present Deficit.
But actually the deficit is now
t2l10,483, ,973, as compared with
s2579, ,529,3l1 last year, and the
raocC, &c ayDarcae CrouipC
even as receipts grow, too.
The most important figure that
stares one in the face, however, in
studying the daily announcements
from the Treasury, is the public debt.
Last year at this time it was S3l ,436,-
33l536, but now it is s34.877 002, 968.
If private business were faced
with a growing debt and a big deficit,
the executive in charge would be wor-
rying how to get rid of the debt or
how to make income and outgo bal
ance. If Mr.. Roosevelt worries about
it, nobody can observe it in his de-
meanor He is always buoyant and
cheerful as he meets the press. He
has faith in his own ability to see
things through and he has the same
engaging smile that he has always
had before he ever entered the White
House.
But the condition of the Treasury
Is not the only problem Mr.. Roosevelt
leaves behind as he goes fishing on
the Gulf of Mexico for the next two
weeks. He leaves behind a contro-
versv over which millions of his fell
low citizens have been bestirred,
namely, the change in the relation
ship between the judicial and the
other branches of the Government
The Senate committee has just fin
khed hearings. Mr.. Roosevelt's sup
porters are being besought by col
, leagues of the same party to work
out compromise.
Legislative Program.
Then there's the whole legislative
program. The President thinks the
antitrust laws ought to be rewritten.
He has soft-pedaled action on some
bills and left others to hang fire till
his return. 1t cannot be said that
he has informed the leadership in
Congress exactly what he wants done.
They must wait till he comes back
from his fishing trip.
Then there's the delicate situation
With respect TO gold. The problem OF
revaluing the dollar or letting it alone
At the present gold price i filling the
air with rumors. There may or may
not be anything urgent about this. but
anyway when Mr.. Roosevelt goes fish,
ing it is sign that he isn't prepared
to take action in these fields as yet.
Tax receipts constitute another
problem. The estimates were proved
wrong and now the task Is to find
other taxes or to revise the whole
YAK structure to bring in more taxes.
Mr.. Roosevelt has delegated all this
70 subordinates, but anybody else
would be conferring with them and
possibly with others to find a way to
keep the Government from running
along "on the road toward bank
ruptcy." Mr.. Roosevelt is different
He prefers to let Congress stew in Its
legislative juice, so to speak-Supreme
Court bill, relief spending, and all
whilst he goes off to the blue waters
Of the gulf to do battle with the tar
pons. Some day Mr.. Roosevelt will
70 away and find that Congress has
gone off the track and decided tc
assert its independence. But with the
tremendous leverage that the White
House has over members of Congress
because the latter have voted lump
sums to the Executive for his discre-
tionary use in their districts, the
chances of this happening soon are
remote.
Causes for Worry.
Why doesn't Mr.. Roosevelt worry
about the condition of the Treasur!
and the fact that the Government
bond market shows lack of conf
dence in his budget balancing predic'
tons? Maybe it is because Mr.. Roose
velt has philosophy of sunshine tina
doesn't permit of worry, but one ex
PLANTATION being advanced is that i
isn't his money-it is other people
money. His position is akin to tina
of the corporation executives whos'
bonds have been tioated to the public
and who do not themselves have any
thing invested in their corporation
Some of these executives do not Worr!
either, unless it is about their salaries
and In the case of President of th'
United States, the salary goes on fol
four years.
Mr. Roosevelt likes to travel. H,
likes to go to sea. He takes frequen
trips and vacations. He is PHYSICAL,
strong. But if everybody else VIII,
had big deficit to meet in his bust
ness went off on vacation, Americi
would find herself in the midst of !,
real "sit-down." Maybe the thing t,
do is to forget worries and 60 fishing
and trust to the wonders of nature t,
reveal the answer to the srithmetica
miracle whereby deficits in billions o
dollars and growing expenses seem Il
be a matter Of only incidental concern