The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-12-02
Congress
Is Balky

tangent, 1t seems,
Congress even when one po-
Is BaIky litical party is nu-
merically in SUI
preme control of the national gov
eminent. President Roosevelt called
congress into extra session with
very definite detectives outlined,
and he repeated them in his regular
message on the state of the Union.
He wanted crop control legislation
for relief of agriculture and he
wanted wages and hours controlled
by federal statute for the relief of
labor. But congress, or part of
it, has turned out to be a balky
mule. 1t has one foot out of the
traces already and the driver is
having a lot of trouble to keep the
animal hitched.
The above is by way of saying
that scores of Democratic members
of the house and many senators with
seats on the majority side have
come back from a summer on the
hustings quite convinced that it is
not popular with the voters to be a
rubber stamp. do not mean by
that statement that the President
has lost control of his party machin-
cry, or that he can not crack the
whip and get things done; mean
that instead of having few recalci-
trants within his own party to deal
with, he now has many, and men,
bers of congress are about Like coy
otes - their courage increases as
their number increases.
1t might be mentioned in passing
that at least half a dozen Demo
cratic members of the house have
come back from home with plans
to run for their party's nomination
to the senate next year. The rea-
son given by those with whom I
have talked is almost the same in
each instance. The incumbent SEN
ator who is up for reelection has
been too much of a New Dealer.
"Our people are calling for some
thing besides rubber stamps"
These potential senatorial candi-
dates have records showing opposi-
ton to the President in some vitality
important New Deal policies while
supporting him intellectually in
other phases of his program.
No one can say how far this
movement will get, but anyone who
has observed congresses perform in
other cases where the President was
in his second term can not dis
miss the circumstance as without
significance. It is the usual prac-
tice for sitting members of the
house and senate to stick close to
the President, as party leader, in
his first term-because they must
seek reelection with his support.
But now many of them regard Pres
ident Roosevelt as through and they
are starting early to make their
record look good to the voters whom
they will canvass next year.
These few paragraphs above must
serve to introduce evidence of a
much deeper fact. In many impor-
tant places and among many power
full or influential men in congress
one hears frequent references and
observations to this effect: If Mr..
Roosevelt is going to retain his con-
troll of the party and carry through
on the propositions which he will
make from time to time, he must
cast aside a part, at least, of his
radical advisers and the schemes
they concoct.
AS I related, the President out
lined his detectives for the special
session. Two or
Different three years ago,
NoU they would have
been received by
the Representatives and senators
with loud acclaim, with ballyhoo.
But in the first few weeks of the ex-
ira session, there has been just as
much condemnation as there has
been approval.
Nor can we overlook another
phase of the situation. Not only
have many of the men at the CAPT.
toll declined to affirm the Presidents
propositions; they have gone in the
other direction. They have offered
programs of their own. They are
prepared to battle for them. In pol
itics, that sort of a thing often has
proved fatal to the plans of the
man who then occupied the White
House. 1t may not turn out that
way this time but there are many
observers are sure the President is
going to be forced into accepting
some things he did not want or
does not want just now.
Take the question of taxes, for
instance. Rightly or wrongly, the
President is being blamed for the
current business depression and
criticism of this sort is rolling up
like SNOWFALL going down hill. 1t
is being said that two tax levies
which were forced through congress
are largely responsible. The tax on
undivided profits of corporations and
the capital gains tax are used as
horrible examples of these unsound
policies fostered by Mr.. Roosevelt.
Well, the President is responsible
to the extent that he approved of
them. They were the product, how
ever, of some of the dozen or so
peek-a-boo artists to whom the
President frequently has listened as
advisors.
I think it has been generally dem
onstrated that the two taxes in ques-
ton have been ruinous, especially
to the small business. It is equally
true, / believe, that business must
be given some consideration if it
ever is to get on sound basis
again and that it ought to share at
tention of legislators with labor
leaders even though business has
fewer votes. In any event, the bur-