Milford chronicle., 1937-06-25
ECONOMIC HICHLIGHTS
Happenings That Affect The Dinner
Pals, Dividend Checks and Tax
Bills of Every Individual

4 1T is impossible to miss the fac
that the Democratic party, so united
3 in 1882 and so overwhelmingly tri-
umphant in 1896, is now split from
stem to stern," wrote Frank Kent
recently in a syndicated column
Most of the other political commen-
tators have also been discussing his
situation.
Superfically, cause of the split was
the judicial reorganization proposal,
which alienated many Democratic
Senators and Representatives from
the Administration. But the matter
goes deeper than that. A split has
been brewing for a long time-even
before the last election. Congress-
men were becoming restive, though
they didn't say so publicly, under
what they regarded as too much
bossing. They were losing their lik-
ing for having major bills written
by presidential advisors with minor
official jobs instead of by Senators
or Representatives. They began to
frown at White House must" or
ders.
1t is likely that if the Republicans
had made any kind of a showing in
1886, the Democratic split would
never have occurred. When party's
majority is slim and the going is
hard, it sticks together from sheer
necessity. But now, with Republican
representation in both branches at
all-time lows, and with the Demo-
cratic majority so overwhelming,
Congressman are speaking their
minds and airing resentments and
differences.
This is seen in other matters than
the Supreme Court bill. In the past,
Mr.. Roosevelt has always obtained
appropriations on a blank check !
basis-that is, Congress voted the !
money requested, with the proviso |
that it be spent at the Presidents |
discretion. This session White ,
House effort to avoid having a sub
stantial portion of relief funds ear
marked specifically allocated to .
certain projects) has failed, and
ceeding in the future. And some of
the most biting criticism of the
President has come from Democrats.
The potential political repercus-
sions that can follow this are unpre-
dictable. 1t is no longer regarded as
that the Democratic party
will become permanently divided in
two camps, roughly classified as
conservative" and radical" and
that a new political alignment and
new political party will result.
To quote Mr.. Kent again, "Mr
Farley insists that support of
Mr. Roosevelt's Supreme Court is
sue is a question of party loyalty,
which clearly is designed to read
opposing Democrats out of the par
ty" Next year a number of promi-
nent Democratic Senators come up
for reelection, who have lately
shown disinclination to follow the
White House lead Writing in Col
lier's, George Creel, who is perhaps
closer to the President than any
other newspaperman, asserts that
Mr. Roosevelt will oppose these lOen
and use his power to beat them in
the primaries. The list includes Sem
ators Wheeler, Burke, Byrd, King,
Gerry and Tydings. All of them,
with the exception of Senator Wheel
ar, belong to the conservative wing
If the party. Senator Wheeler has
llways been regarded as liberal
he ran for vice president on Ia
'ollette's 1924 Independent ticket. .
avors government ownership OF
ailroads and power systems, etc.
,ut the fact that he led the opposi-
ion to the court proposal has put .
i'm in the Administration dog house.
So there is talk now-and it comes
rom informed inexcitable circles
hat some sort of political coalition
etween detecting Democrats and
he remains of the Republicans is an a
imminent possibility. Under any cir .
a cleavage in the ma n
1rity party has occurred, and 1t
ant be closed with words. There is
DO much at stake, and too many >
eeply opposed PHILOSOPHERS, for all .
he Democrats To continue to live .
eaceably under the same party .
amer. This has happened in the q
asst with the Republicans, and II
)ntributed In large measure TO :he a
epublican rout, but it has never .
appened to the Democrats in post
ivil War history.
The United States News has made .
survey of Americas Diminishing .
ork Week" Its moral, if any, .
ems to be that evolution of indus =
v and invention is the principal o
ent responsible for shortening the
lmber of hours the average worker Q
ust put in at his desk or machine
ring each seven days.
During the last century, the work
eek has been almost cut in half. In
%. the average worker put in six .
hour days, for total of " hours
+ week In that year, the first or .
nized revolt against a long week .
rs felt. A machinists' union in .
liladelphia passed resolution de-
inding a i0-h0ur day and GO q
ur week.
This resolution got nowhere, and =
long lifetime was to pass before
E 60-hOur week became standard in
ljor industry-1890. And in that 3
ar, the A. F. of L. went on record
favor of the 48-hour week. AS in
= past, many years passed before
Is objective was reached. In 1914,
: work week averaged 533 hours. Q
1919, it had dropped to 50R
urs. In 1929, at the height of the .