Evening star., 1937-02-19
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY C. GOULD LINCOLN.

| TAKE many uOntnS. he mas proposed
two major reorganization plans for the
| Government. The first deals with the
| executive branch of the Government
and the second with the judicial branch
If Congress had nothing else to do at
the present session, these measures
would occupy them for many months
In addition, the President has already
| proposed to Congress two measures fol-
agriculture, one for the relief of farm
tenants and the other for insurance OF
crops-more specifically, wheat as q
starter. Another farm proposal is COM
ing along soon. So far the admins
tration has not proposed legislation
| affecting labor and industry. Presum-
ably that is also to come presently.
Under the circumstances-andt this is
now well into the second month Con-
gress has been in session-the end Of
the present session Of Congress stretches
into the rather dim future. The leaders
who talked Of an adjournment the first
OF June, or even before that date, will
have to revise their estimates.
- -
There Is another thing they will have
to revise, in all probability, and that Il
the estimate Of governmental expendi-
lures. The disastrous floods in the Ohio
Valley threw the first monkey wrench
into the budget estimates. It is clear
enough that If the huge farm tenancy
program is to 60 forward, great deal
Of money is going to be needed to finance
1t, and the Federal Government will
have to find money for that. The crop
insurance program, 1t Is estimated, will
take $100000,000 to $50, 600 to
launch, and how much more later is not
known. The promise Of O balanced
budget in the fiscal year 1899 contained
in the Presidents budget message sent
to Congress last month may have to
be revised, too.
The President keeps hsmmering at the
idea that the Federal Government must
step out and deal with social and eco
nomic problems, and also keeps ham,
mering home the contention that the
Federal Government can, under the Con-
stitution, do these things. In the last
paragraph of his message to Congress
yesterday on crop insurance the Presi-
dent said, significantly: May repeat
what have suggested in former mes
sage; that because economic and social
national in scope and in administration.
the citizens Of our Nation believe that
our form Of government was never in
tended to prohibit their accomplish
ment." This Is not q deeply concealed
rap at the Supreme Court and its in
terpretations Of the Constitution.
The President is holding out hope Of
farm relief measures and Of measures
for the advancement Of labor-but al
ways with the suggestion that they can
not be accomplished II the present men,
bership Of the Supreme Court Is to con-
tinue to do business at the old stand.
The cumulative effect may well be to
arouse more and more sentiment for
his judiciary bill, containing his plan
to increase the membership Of the Su-
preme Court by six, unless, indeed, the
members Of the court over 10 years and
6 months retire or resign. He may well
be able to marshal q great number
Of citizens to back his demand with
regard to the Supreme Court. Already
the leaders Of organized labor are rally
ing to him, and 1t will be o surprise to
many here If several Of the big farm
organizations do not fall into line
although the head Of the National
Grange has spoken in disfavor Of the
Supreme Court revamping.
As things stand today, the opponents
Of the Presidents plan for the Supreme
Court in the Senate are estimated at
43 to IS. The only question in the minds
Of the leaders Of the opposition is how
many Of these opponents will stand firm
throughout the struggle. They fear that
the administration, through the exertion
Of one kind Of pressure or another, will
succeed in weaving them away. They
are confident, however, that II IS Sena-
tors will stick to their guns in the COM
ing fight over the judiciary bill, they
will be able to prevent favorable action
on 1t ct this session.
Both sides In the court fight are play
ing waiting game. Up to date, the
great majority Of expressions on the sub
1ect from the press and from the people
have been in opposition to tampering
with the court. The opponents Of the
President believe that this mass Of SEN
timent against the court plan will con.
tinue to increase. It Is what they are
banking on. The administration, on
the other hand, is content to wait until
the labor and farm organizations, and
the political leaders supporting the
President, have an opportunity to be
heard. For the present, each side is
a bit afraid Of the other. A great deal
will depend upon the swing of public
sentiment. In the meantime, a debate
in Congress that promises to be historic,
Is In the making.
II there are 43 Senators now opposed
to the Presidents Supreme Court plan,
1t means that at most the administra-
ton can count on only So Senators.
There are able strategists among the
opponents Of the President in this mat
ter. Some Of them are veterans Of ether
historic battles, among them the battle
over the League Of Nations. One thing
that may give the administration forces
concern is the large number Of proposals
to deal with the Supreme Court-and
the Constitutional some other way
than that proposed by the President.
Support Of such proposals gives the
Senators and Representatives a chance
to say to the farmers and to labor that
they are In entire sympathy with the
desires Of the President-more liberal
measures for the benefit Of the farmer
and the industrial worker They will
be able to point to their adherence to
these many-proposed amendments to the
Constitution when their stand is ques-
toned, If it is, in the future.