Evening star., 1937-06-27
Everybody Out of Step
but the President
BY OVEN L. SCOTT.

As a growing number of his party fol-
lowers in Congress look at it. President
Roosevelt Is increasingly imbued with the
idea that nearly everybody but himself
Is getting out OF step. Their idea is that
the President refuses to realize he is
marching out ahead of the procession
that leads to the promised land.
Therein lies the heart OF the trouble
between the White House and the Capt.
tol-complicated, too. by practical con-
siderations OF pressure politics.
More than 800 Democratic members
OF the House and ~ Democratic members
of the Senate must face the voters next
year. They have good and remunerative
jobs that most Of them would like to
keep. But many are bewildered by what
they hear from back home. They are be-
ing called upon by the President to make
decisions that strike deep down into the
prejudices and the passions of groups of
voters on whom they depend for re-
nomination and reelection
Instinct and the still small voice that
comes over the grapevine from the folks
IN the home districts suggest this may
be the time to 60 slow. Yet, until now,
Mr.. Roosevelt has insisted upon driving
ahead In the face OF multiplying signs of
lethargy or opposition from a growing
portion Of the public
Ihere is no longer any denying the
lethargic or even hostile public reaction
to many recent presidential policies.
The tremendous kick-back that de-
veloped from the attack on the Supreme
Court was sufficient to stop Mr.. Roose-
Velt S plan dead in its tracks. Cries that
have gone up over evidences of alliance
With John L. Lewis and his runaway
labor movement were sufficient to speed
Vice President Garner toward home and
to send shivers up and down the backs
OF large proportion of the members OF
both houses of Congress.
That's bad enough by itself, from a
political point OF view, but what most
bothers the Senators and Representa-
tlVes is the same thing that is bothering
the President himself. That thing is
the apathy on the part OF the very groups
that the presidential policies--involving
construction of New Deal No. 2-are sup
posed to help
Mr.. Roosevelt wheeled out his plan
Tor putting bottom under industrial
wages and top on hours as means of
helping about three million workers in
what ne refers to as the submerged third
OF the population. And what happened?
John Lewis after all the President had
done for him, stuck knife In the plan
and William Green. head of the A. F.
OF L.. then turned it around by oppos-
Ing the grant OF flexible powers to
board that would adjust wages and
hours IN the light OF practical considera-
tlons. This attitude on the part of Or
ganlzed labor stiffened the Democratic
opposition and added to the Presidents
troubles. AS result Mr.. Roosevelt NAV
have his eyes opened to the fact that
labor leaders are chiefly interested in the
upper crust OF the workers of the coun-
try whose income gains can be made at
the expense OF the unorganized masses
among the submerged third in whom he
processes most interest
The lowest income groups appear to
be making little noise and to have few
spokesmen in Congress. So far as any
one can tell they are not on the war
path to back up the Presidents wage
control plan.
somewhat similar reaction has de-
veloped toward the new program of farm
control. which both Mr.. Roosevelt and
Henry Wallace, his Secretary of Agri-
culture, have Endorsed in principle.
This plan OF control over marketing
and production OF major farm products
was paraded with a fanfare Then the
White House and the A. A. A. waited
for the farmers to imbue their Congress
men with zeal for action. Instead there
has followed an eloquent silence that
Is accepted In Congress as signal that
the farm population just now is not
particularly excited.
When newspaper men asked Mr. Wal
lace what might be wrong, the Secretary
replied:
Il think the farmers have assumed
that all that Is necessary is to have
the Secretary OF Agriculture offer the
legislation to get it enacted and they
don't understand the way things are
divided up between the executive and
legislative branches. OF course, matters
OF this sort are handled by Congress and
not by the President or the Secretary
Of Agriculture"
In other words. farmers, like workers.
have been educated In recent years to
expect that every presidential wish would
automatically become law
But that is not the full story. Actually,
farmers were found to be among the
most vociferous OF the objectors against
the Presidents plan intended to add new
Judges to the Supreme Court. They
showed they could write letters in oppo-
sition to plan designed to redress
grievance against the judges And in
this instance organized labor did not
come through with the expected effect.
~ ~
The explanation? simply-so many
Congressman feel-that the country is
no longer in step with Mr.. Roosevelt
Large groups OF people are better off,
Agriculture is more prosperous than at
any time since 1919. Organized workers
are making more real income than they
made during the 1920s The emergency
has passed and with 1t the crusading
mood so helpful to the President during
his early years in Office. The result is
members of Congress find no special
reason why they should move faster than
the voters back home insist they shall
move.
And for that reason. among others,
the Democratic Senators who joined In
writing history by their outspoken as
sault on the Presidents motives and
methods In this court change program
feel they may be doing Mr.. Roosevelt an
actual good turn.
These seven Democrats who collabo-
rated with three Republicans in a
devaxfatinc analvsis Of the Presidenf,c