Evening star., 1937-10-13

ter feasible unless human nature
changes overnight.
The idea that a special or regular
session of Congress is bad for the
tranquility of the country is, as the
President says, somewhat fallaciouS
nowadays. 1t may have been true in
the days when Presidents were beset
with eXtravagant or irresponsible
Congresses. but now when the rubber
stamp Congress meets it doesn't make
much difference what the members
say or do as long as they ratify the
measures conceived and written by
the executive branch of the Govern
ment.
Chance Congress Will Awaken.
There is always the possibility that
Congress may wake up and become in
dependent. So. when Congress is in
session there is at least possibility
of checking the Executive if he goes
wrong.
Mr.. Roosevelt does not have the
power as yet to rule by decree as do
Mr.. Mussolini and Mr.. Hitler, so it is
necessary to call the National Legisla-
ture into session to get certain changes
In the fundamental law ratified and
certain acts passed granting more and
more discretionary power to the Ex-
ecutive. who in turn delegates it to the
bureaus he controls.
The President is right when he says
1.-THE kind of prosperity we want is the
sound and permanent kind" but opin-
ions will differ whether the United
States is on the road to the latter. Mr.
Roosevelt discloses an awareness that
the cost of living is rising and he rec
ognizes the need for balanced econ
omy. His proposal. however, to achieve
1t is startling In those casual sentences
which are aimed at making plausible
case for a sound prosperity" the
President reveals his inner purpose.
He wants democracy to function in
such way that it will have all the
advantages of fascism, if any, and
none of the disadvantages. The key
to his thinking is in the following SEN
tence which represents by far the most
important declaration of the whole
speech:
of course, speaking seriously. what
you and l want is such governmental
rules of the game that labor, agricul-
ture and industry will produce a
balanced abundance without waste"
Proposes Federal Regulation.
Coupled with what preceded and
followed that single excerpt, it is clear
that the President proposes regulation
Of output for the farm, the factory
and the mineS-a regulated economy
IN which the regulating is done by
governmental rules"
Mr.. Roosevelt offers wage and hour
legislation on the one hand and crop
control on the other hand as his solu-
ton. Clearly wage and hour laws
mean Federal regulation of production
costs and that is but the first step
toward regulating production Labor
need not think it is going to be
exempt. The President said the people
want such governmental rules of the
game that labor. agriculture and in
dustry' will produce balanced
abundance" In Germany and Italy
as well as in communistic Russia
where planned economy" exists, labor
is regulated. 1t does not have the right
to force prices up by demanding what
ever wage scales it wishes irrespective
OF whether the manufacturer can af-
ford them or the consumer can pay
them.
The President through his spokes-
men, Governor Eccles of the Federal
Reserve Board, and others, has been
moving closer and closer toward price
control ever since last Spring. 1t is
an inevitable trend. One piece of gov
ernmental regulation leads to another.
AS the cost of food and necessities of
life increases, the government is ap-
pealed to as means OF restraining
the upward rise. If labor costs are
too high, then government finds it
necessary to put restraining hand
on labor.
Nature In Direct Conflict.
But human nature and individual
lism are in direct conflict with fascism.
ulated economy, criticism must be sup
pressed and a free hand given the
Executive. This leads to censorship
OF the press and instruments for the
formation of public opinion. The New
Deal processes a great devotion to
democracy. But little by little planned
economy forces the curtailment of in
dividual liberty.
1t Will be assumed by many that
MIR. Roosevelt does not intend a fas-
clst state. He says: II recognize that
democratic processes are necessarily
and rightly slower than dictatorial
processes. But I refuse to believe that
democratic processes need be danger
ously SLOW"
II the Presidents reorganization
scheme for administering all the
agencies and departments of the gov-
ernment did not provide for the i'm
pairment of quasi-judicial commissions
and tribunals and if proper audit
and check on governmental expendi-
lures were maintained, there would
be little objection to it from many
quarters. But the scheme in some re-
spects looks dangerously like the
Presidents plan to streamline the
Supreme Court and pack it with JUS
tices who will make decisions render
ing 1t unnecessary to observe the lin
itations of the Federal Constitution.
Fails to Answer Question.
Mr.. Roosevelt is confident American
prosperity can be attained by gov
OeumeutAl aid and for that reason It