Evening star., 1937-04-23
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN,

minds OF some of the Senators and
Representatives off the Supreme Court
but only temporarily. There has been
growing restlesSness on Capitol Hill,
as we'll as among some of the Presidents
principal financial advisers, over the fiscal
situation of the Government. They did
not see that the situation was getting
any better. When it became apparent
that 1t was, in reality, getting worse be-
cause the revenues from taxation were
not meeting expectations the demands
that there be curtailment of Govern
ment expenditures began to mount.
Those who have been worried over the
situation have received the Presidents
message with great deal of satisfaction.
At the same time, they would have been
delighted If the President had seen
fit to reduce the estimates of appropria-
tions for work relief below the $780,
100000 which he has now recommended.
Democratic Senators who believe that
the relief appropriation should be cut
are expressing confidence that when
the issue comes before the Senate
enough votes will be found to reduce
the appropriation to $l,000,000 900. If
anything like that happens, it will be
due to Democratic Senators, of course.
There are not enough Republicans
to do more than swell the opposition to
the higher figure. And of the Re-
publlcans. few may be expected to
vote for the larger relief appropriations,
coming from States that have been hard
hit by drought or flood. Senator Byrnes
OF South Carolina already has an
nounced that he will offer an amendment
to cut the relief appropriation to billion
dollars. 1t was a foregone conclusion
that some members of Congress in both
Houses would seek to boost the relief
appropriation above the figures advo-
Gated by the President. The effort. there
fore, to reduce the appropriation by
$500, 100000 may we'll have the effect
OF choking of any larger sum than
that recommended by the Chief Execu-
tive.
The economy road is hard and bitter
road for politicians. There was a real
demand for economy on the part of
the public in 1888 when President
Roosevelt first took office. This public
sentiment made it possible for the
President to get through his economy act
at that time. Later the spenders got
to work, and the appropriations for all
kind OF relief and recovery measures
went to unheard of heights The
pendulum is swinging back toward
economy. due first to fear that II there
is not a serious attempt to balance
the budget the country may face dis
astrous imitation. and, second, to the
fear of more and new taxes. If this
kind of public sentiment continues to
manifest itself, the members of Con-
gress as we'll as the President will find
their task of cutting expenditures more
and more easy. The Presidents demand
for economy has been well received
except in the case of those Governors
and Mayors of cities who have been
clamoring for a continuance of the
very large relief appropriations by the
Federal Government.
If the President and Congress 20 to
work cutting down in all Government
Offices, it will mean the virtual fold
ing up of some of the so-called
emergency agencies Of the Government.
And it will have very considerable effect,
too on the bill for the reorganization
Of the executive departments of the
Government. That bill has been under
consideration by joint committee of
the Senate and House for weeks and
months. AS originally presented to Con-
gress py the President the program of
reorganization called for setting up two
new major departments of the Govern
ment, whose heads would have place in
the cabinet. Some of the emergency
agencies would be absorbed into these
two new departments. public welfare
and public works. Those who have de-
manded real economy in the reorganiza-
ton Of the executive departments have
argued that the establishment of two
new big departments would result in
increased rather than diminished ex-
penditures. The reorganization bill has
been considered in executive sessions
Of the joint committee. with no public
hearings.
Senator King of Utah Is one of the
Democrats now insisting upon economy
in Government expenditures. II he has
his way, the appropriation for work
relief will be cut materially and even
below the billion dollars proposed by
Senator Byrnes. Furthermore, Senator
King has In mind plan whereby such
funds would not be handed out to the
States unless they agreed to match
them dollar for dollar It is his con-
vention that the Federal Government
must get out of the job of relief and
turn it back to the States-and that
1t can only be done by making the
States raise the funds required.
The Presidents bill to increase the
membership of the Supreme Court is
about to pass from one phase into
another-the hearings on the bill be-
fore the Senate Judiciary Committee are
virtually concluded. The next step will
be the consideration of the bill in
| executive session of the committee.
| There seems no particularly good reason
why this second phase should be long
continued. The members of the COM
| mittee-eighteen in all-have, generally
| speaking, made up their minds one way
| or another on the plan to increase the
Supreme Court. There will be amend
ments offered by those who do not wish
to turn the President down t1at-amend-
ments such as those advanced by Sena-
tors McCarran of Nevada, Hatch of
| New Mexico and McGill of Kansas
ranging from a fiat increase of two
! justices in the court to plans whereby
| the President would be able to increase
| the court only by one justice in a
| calendar year to two justices in four
| years, provided members who have
reached the retirement age fail to get