Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1937-01-07

the federal government alone can
deal with problems better than
states can deal with them individual
ly. But after all, conditions are not
the same in any two states Of the
Union and it seems to, me that the
states ought to give careful thought
to any proposition that takes away
from them forever whatever rights
are left to them under the Constitu-
ton. They ought to be free as far, as
they may be to handle their own
problems on the basis of local re-
quirements. And this is written, let
me emphasize, not in opposition to
any proposal that would abolish
child labor. ,s4
The country cannot know definite
ly until President Roosevelt deliv-
s- a. ers his message to
SOCIAL the new congress,
Welfare dealing withs h e
state of the Union,
| exactly what his position is going to
be on the so-called social welfare
problems of the country. This is a
general category and involves such
things as the so-called social secur-
| ity legislation and legislation giving
the federal government greater con-
troll over private business. The two
phases go hand in hand and as lar
as have been able to discover, it
will be impossible to deal with one
without in some manner dealing
with the other. .4e ;.
For example, the present social
security statutes have direct effect
upon business through their taxation
provisions. While basically they are
designed to protect against the, sui
ferings of unemployment and the
restitution Of the aged who are with
out resources, it can be readily seen
that somebody must pay the bill.
The Roosevelt administrations the
DRY is that private employers, mean
ing business as a whole, shall be the
logical source from which to draw
the financial protection that is con-
ceived to be necessary.
But in this theory there is involved
very definitely the right of the fed
eral government to enter into the
fields that are now occupied or may
be occupied by the states. It IS
largely taxing proposition that the
federal government must use if it is
going to reach those classes able to
pay. But the Constitution, federal
laws and traditional practices OF
our people have built up certain
lines of demarcation between fed
eral and state rights. The question
therefore becomes simply one that
requires determination by the peo-
pie whether they are going to allow
the federal government to encroach
| further upon the fields that hitherto
have been reserved for the states. s
We hear much talk about a revival
Of MIRA; a revival of it on a basis
that will make it constitutional and
one with provisions that will reach
greater percentage Of business
than was reached by the original
MIRA. Organized labor seems to be
in favor of this proposition and ma
turally will exert considerable pow
er in congress, but some lawyers
among the representatives and sch
ators tell me that they do not see
how the purpose can be ac-
compEshed without a constitutional
amendment.
On the basis of all Of the informa-
ton and opinion that I have been
able to gather, my guess would be
that before this session of congress
is over something tangible in the
way of a new constitutional amend
ment will be offered. It would seem
on the basis of the present trends,
that it will be possible for the diff.
ferent schools of thought on this sub.
ject to get together only upon con
stitutional resolution. My guess is
further, that it is utterly impossible
for all of the groups and blocs tt
reach an understanding on legisla
: ton along these lines. Few of then
are willing to compromise and with
out the attitude of compromise OF
highly controversial legislation
, nothing except stalemates results
, Some observers even now hold thu
U6llSl tlldt ~ WILL NC 1ll1EOSoAOAC AO
. any agreement to be reached with
| in congress on any Of these socia
: welfare propositions simply because
. the range of views as to what i
) good for the country is SO wide.
There are certain bits Of evidenc
now to be seen that indicate a NOR
determined p o s
What About ton on the part Q
Business? business itself.
e think it could b
a said without equivocation that tn
business interests have been tn
5 target for political demagoguery i
1 the last few years to a greater e1
e tent than ever in history. OF course
o business has not come forth wit
/ clean hands. Yet, it is made I
appear now that business has take
n about all of the maltreatment t
e which it is entitled and it woul
e seem, therefore, that the time ha
+ arrived for it to be given some col
n sideration by the government whic
l. has supervision over it as well 6
1t lis as individuals.