Evening star., 1937-01-11
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

annual message-held only one surprise.
the Presidents declaration that he did
not believe a constitutional amendment
necessary. 1t may be incorrect to call
even that surprise. For the President
heretofore had not indicated he would
seek such an amendment, although some
of the Democratic leaders including Sem
ator Robinson of Arkansas, the Senate
leader, had expressed the opinion that
the better way of validating some of the
New Deal laws was by constitutional
amendment.
Even now there are those Democrats
who insist the President did not by any
means close the door to a constitutional
amendment. They say he urged upon
the Supreme Court more liberal inter-
probation of the Constitution, but that
If liberal Interpretation is not forth
coming he may return to the amend
ment. Generally speaking, however, his
message has been interpreted as placing
the President in opposition to a consti-
tutional amendment at this time ANY,
way, his speech put rather damper on
the movement in Congress for an amend
ment.
The rest of his message, and also his
budget message, failed to reveal any
specific measures of his program, with
the exception of plan to reorganiZe the
executive departments, to continue GER
tain nuisance taxes, to continue and
make permanent the C. C. c. and to
enact an amendment to the neutrality
law giving the President authority to
ban shipments Of arms and munitions
to the warning factions in Spain. All Of
these recommendations had been ex-
pected. The rest of the Presidents pro-
gram still remains unknown. He inti-
mated clearly that something must be
done to revive the basic principles of the
N. r. A. But what will be done still is
entirely nebulous.
The message on the reorganization Of
the executive departments will be
awaited with much interest. It has been
reported he will ask Congress to set
up two new major departments, with
their heads members of the Presidents
cabinet. One is Department of Public
Welfare and the other Department of
Public Works. The President has said
several times that he does not expect
great saving from the departmental
avn ally. IL are W
be two new major departments created,
taking in the great spending agencies of
the Government set up to meet the
emergency growing out of the depres-
sion, it seems pretty clear there is to be
no shrinkage of the executive branch
Of the Government. Rather it may be
expected to increase.
The Presidents messages have indi-
Gated that he believes the Federal Gov
ernment must take over more and more
the business of regulating matters that
have in the past been left to the States
and must give more and more service to
the people. This means, of course,
greater centralization of the Govern
ment-in Washington. A Democratic
Senator. commenting recently on the in
creasing growth of the Federal Govern
ment and its encroachment upon the
States said: IF I were a comedian in
vaudeville and wanted to get laugh out
OF audiences in any part OF the country,
I would simply go on the stage and say:
I am for States rights States rights
are dead issue. and the country is
beginning to regard them as such. The
capitalization of Government will con-
tinue. There seems no other way. 1t
may be that the State boundaries will
not be wiped out-at least not yet"
y *
The speed with which Congress put
through the Spanish neutrality resolu-
tion, acting Immediately after the Presi-
dent had delivered his message, may or
may not be indicative of future willing
ness to follow the lead of the President.
The great desire of Congress and the
American people to avoid any entangle-
ment abroad that might lead this
country into war naturally played its
part in speeding that resolution through.
However, that quick action seemed to be
an augury Of future acquiescence in the
plans of the administration for legis-
lation. Certainly it could not be con-
strued as a willingness to say no. With
the great popularity of the President in
mind and the results of the national
election by no means yet forgotten, it
seems entirely probable the administra-
ton will have little trouble getting what
it wants at the hands of Congress. That
goes for the Senate as well as for the
House.
Reverting to the question of constitu-
tional amendment or some other means
of getting more liberal laws, the progress
sive bloc is intent upon quick action at
the present session to rewrite or to
validate the New Deal laws as they
relate to labor and industry, to hours
of labor and wages. The members of the
bloc are calling upon the veteran Sem
ator Norris of Nebraska to take FORE
most part in this drive. Senator Norris
already has his name attached to one
amendment to the Constitution-the
lame duck" amendment, which did
away with the old short" sessions of
Congress and put the newly elected
President in Office in January instead of
waiting until March. 1t would be an
extraordinary thing If Norris name
should be so closely associated with a
second amendment to the Constitution
although that may happen. Thinking
back on other amendments, in recent
years, the name of only one other Sen
ator is so intimately attached as to come
instantly to mind-Senator Morris
Sheppard of Texas, who fathered the
eighteenth amendment providing for ma
tional prohibition. That amendment is
now no more.
1t seems increasingly clear, however,
that the Progressives do not intend to
let the grass grow under their feet in the
session Of Congress now convened. One
way or another they intend to force
through labor legislation and legislation