Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1937-04-29

\ situation is developing here
(which, to some observers, seems to
be tending toward a parallel with
the situation which existed in the
Wilson and Hoover administrations.
In the last two years of his second
term Mr.. Wilson had a definitely
hostile Congress standing between
him and his plans. and for three OF
Mr.. Hoover's four years he had no
influence with the majority in Con-
gress.
For the past four years Mr..
Roosevelt has had Congress eating
out of his hand. 1t would be put
ting it too strongly to say that he
cannot still force Congress to do
what he wants to have done, If he is
willing to put on the necessary pres
sure. But ii Is fair to say that re-
~sistance to Presidential pressure is
increasing in both houses of Con-
gress, and among members of the
Presidents W party. 1t can no
longer be safely predicted that
whatever the President wants Con-
gress will give 1t to him.
This situation is mainly Of the
Presidents own creation. 1t arises
from two definite circumstances.
One is the honest and sincere oppo-
sition to his proposal for packing
the Supreme Court. That opposi-
ton is increasing in strength in
both Senate and House. 1t has been
strengthened by the demonstration
furnished by the Court itself. in its
decisions on the Labor Relations
Act. that the justices are abreast of
the times and fully aware of chang
ing conditions.
The other circumstance which
has weakened the Presidents auth
GRITTY over Congress is the growing
resentment felt by influential Sen
ators and House leaders at the
readiness with which, as they be-
lieve, the President continues to
listen TO and be guided by counsel
ors who are regarded on Capitol
Hill as theorists rather than prac-
tical politicians. On these advisers
rather than the President himself.
his friends in Congress place the re-
sponsibility for the failure of the
undistributed profits tax law. enact
ed last Summer. to yield the even
ne expected. Government income
for the fiscal year is short nearly
five hundred million dollars of the
estimates. That makes the national
financial situation even more cloudy
and uncertain than it was before.
President Recommends Economy
Tho praciIapt'c lnfnct ~aDnm-
mendations for economy. if adopted.
would cut the expenses of govern
ment by about half of this years
deficit. But unless government Dor
rowing is to continue on a huge
scale, recourse must be had to much
broader and heavier taxes and far
greater curtailment of spending. IN
any event. all hope seems to have
been lost of bringing the budget
into balance before the fiscal year
1889.
Continued increase in the nation
al debt by borrowing money for
current expenditures is feared be-
cause it is regarded as the certain
road to initiation, with runaway
prices for all sorts of commodities.
Increased taxation is feared because
of its political u~npopularity. II is
realized by most members of Con-
gress that the large accumulations
of wealth cannot stand much more
taxation and keep on doing BUSH
ness. but they fear that their con-
stituents do not realize that, and
would resent any new kinds OF
taxes which appeared to put the
burden on the poor. And they fear
a reduction OF expenditures for re-
lief for the same political reason.
The indications now are that the
relief appropriations for next year
will be at the rate of two billion dol
lars or more. Their necessity is be