The Washington times., 1937-12-20
The Wage-HOur Defeat


is the most serious setback Roosevelt has suffered
so far and should give every member of the Admins
traon particularly the President cause for searching
diagnosis.
Here are the unvarnished unduted facts regarding
that defeat:
The Wages and Hours Bill of the major
for calling the special session of Congress- 1t
already had been passed by the Senate usually
critical of Roosevelt's policies than
XxOot rO 1:1ru: w the House. 1t was must legislation
of the most important Sort the
kind that brings the downfall of French and British
Governments when there is similar failure.
Furthermore, the Wages and Hours Bill was more i'm
portant than the Supreme Court bill because it
party The Supreme Court Bill surprise
sprung by the President personally 1t not part of
the Democratic platform. The Wages and Hours Bill
the other hand had been under consideration for
long period-in fact since Hugo Black introduced
the 3O-Hour Week Bill in 1888 Furthermore the prin
cipe Of this legislation unanimously indorsed by
the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in
1886.
Last weeks revolt of the House of Representatives
therefore, singing blow to Roosevelt, and puts
him in the position of being unable to control his own
party.
Furthermore rebellion of this kind is contagious 1t
will spread 1t will spread to both houses of Congress
on other measures and the folks at home get the
idea that Roosevelt can keep his party with him,
he will lose prestige and respect This is the last thing
be can afford His whip hand over Congress- to date,
has been its knowledge that the folks back home
strong for the man in the White House.
Reasons for Roosevelt's defeat on the WageHou Bill
60 back to:
l. The Administration overconfident, took too
much for granted Inegected the fact that the districts
back home have to be educated, must be modified
for the support of all controversial legislation.
There never a very clear
- "OI:. IT,: aS =. p:T derstanding the part of the
public as to what the bill all
about
2. Roosevelt has no one except Jim Farley who
take taxi up to Capitol Hill and mobilize votes.
Charley West the who is supposed to do this, is
good backsapper but doesn produce in the clinches
Jimmy Roosevelt has heen told to give the Hill wide
berth. And the Brain Trust boys stir up resentment
fight like that of last week where any President should
be able to rely his Cabinet But what Roosevets
Cabinet doing Last week Representative Sam McReynods
of Tennessee the forefront of the fight against the
President and his good friend Corde Hull of Tennessee
No. in the Cabinet did nothing. Then there all
the Representatives from South Carolina home State of Sec
unwilling bulge them And the congressional delegation
from Virginia also hostile to the President! Where
that great Virginia politician Secretary of the Navy
Claude Swanson? He also mpotent
Rooseves Cabinet long has been due for cleaning
And for the fact that he can't rely upon in emergencies
he has only himself to blame.
3. The vote which elected Roosevelt in 1882 brought to-
gether makeshft combination between Conservative Demo-
of the old South labor Democrats of the North Pro-
gressves of the Northwest and disgrunted Republicans
everywhere BY superb leadership during the first four
Roosevelt held together that makeshft combination and
reelected by an overwhelming majority.
BUT NOW
5. That leadership has pulled its punches.
This is the nescapabe conclusion drawn from the twelve
months of the New Deal since Roosevels triumphant victory
in November Instead of going forward the basis of that
victory sometimes he has acted he had been defeated
During the spring and summer of 1888 Roosevelt
dynamic fearless fortnight He completely the
of his Administration his Congress- his Party admitted
that sometimes he made mistakes But he pushed ahead
Always he two jumps ahead of his energetic leaders
Today Roosevelt is resting his He looks Con-
n, ~ . gress to push him into larger appropria-
NeeGS CnpdOLe iOns for relief and no President who
MGnpOLUer waits to be pushed expect to lead
Today. almost everyone around
Roosevelt admits that the budget be balanced
the President orsakng his usual franknes has be pushed
into saying
oda Nyha