Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1937-05-06

Scattered. There was no target
mentioned except in a general way.
There has been some talk that
possibly Mr.. Roosevelt's message
and promise to use every means at
his command for curtailing ex-
penditures may have been intended
as message to his own subordi-
mates that definite orders were to
follow; that he intended his subor-
dinates should see where they them
selves could lop off spending plans,
and could put their own houses in
order. hope it works out that way.
On the other hand, I entertain very
serious doubt that such procedure
will ever cause such individuals as
the impetuous Mr.. Harry Hopkins,
relief administrator, to cut down on
his spending. Mr.. Hopkins loves to
spend money. He seems to be hap
piest when he has billions to spread
around, regardless of whether the
spending plans really accomplish
aid for the destitute. suspect that
congress alone can curb Mr.. Hop
kins and the only way congress can
do so is by declining to appropriate
extra money for him.
What I am trying to say in using
Mr.. Hopkins as the horrible ex-
AMPLE" is that Mr.. Roosevelt has
taught his subordinates to spend
money as freely as they can. To a
considerable extent, he has let con-
gress have taste of new spending
morsels and what politician does not
like to spend money! Therefore, the
President is confronted with the ne
cessity of educating both his own
subordinates and congress to the
new order of conserving taxpayers
money. If he does not accomplish
this, we will be saying in another
six months what we have said many
times-that we are confronted with
national bankruptcy.
I cannot believe that the budget
airy situation looks any different
than it did last January. The diff
ference in the picture is that Mr..
Roosevelt at last has begun to see
some of the dangers in the situation
which he either failed to see or
elected to ignore last January.
There were few who believed in jan
uary that the tax receipts were go
ing to amount to the estimate given
congress by the President. The fact
that they have fallen short Of his
calculations by four or five hundred
million is serious thing but it is
not so serious that a remedy can
not be worked out. The remedy, it
seems to me, is simple use of a
simple practice among Americans:
When you do not have the money,
deny yourself some of the things
you would buy if you had the cash.
Mr.. Roosevelt's message asking
for a billion and a half for relief
served to get the
Netref collective mind Of
Message congress off the
Supreme gu
packing plan only temporarily. The
relief message caused quite stir
in the house of representatives
where there has been a decided
move already to continue appropri-
ating huge sums of federal money
for relief purposes, but 1t held the
senate off the court question no
longer than one business day.
/ think there has been no ques-
ton more frequently asked in my
time in Washington than: "Will the
Presidents bill to pack the Supreme
court pass?"
have watched the ebb and flow
Of the tide Of sentiment in the SEN
ate constantly since the court pack
ing plan was submitted. AS the
situation now stands, ! believe Mr..
Roosevelt has the odds in his favor.
There is probably margin of from
five to ten votes on the Presidents
side. Whether that will be the state
of affairs when a vote comes,
think no one can foreten because
the vote in the senate is going to
be close.
Many informal polls of the senate
have been taken. The results have
varied somewhat. They have va
ried of necessity because there are
many senators who remain nom
committal, and who are unwilling
at this time to take a position for
or against the Presidents scheme.
One may properly ask why this
is. The answer is politics. A good
many senators do not know how
their home states feel about the
plan. That is, they are not able to
determine whether there has been
a capitalization of sentiment for
or against the thing.
Consequently, these senators are
trying to wait outside of the playing
field until they can tell whether
they can be justified in going
against presidential wishes or ca
pitulating to the Presidents COM
mand. 1t is to be remembered that
if they turn against the President,
they antagonize the administration
and particularly the Farley politi-
cal machine. 1t is rather unhealthy
for a New Dealer or Democrat to
oppose the Farley machine.
Another reason why many sena-
tors are keeping their own counsel
on the court packing A'heme is that
they believe there will something
Il.