The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1937-08-19

HdI WAS Tie pleuSe He gave 81 Lar dS
relief is concerned, two years ago
when he was given that first stipend
Gus e-million-dollar appropriation.
But that did not prevent relief from
becoming thoroughly saturated with
politics in every section of the coun-
try. Nor did it interfere with its COM
plete political capitalization in his be-
half during the last campaign.The SIM
pie truth is that in 1884 and in 1886
both the relief organization and the
machinery set up under the AAA were
tremendous political factors, utilized
to the limit by the New Deal politicians
in all the States. Barring energetic
and determined action upon the part
of the President, it is as natural and
inevitable that the politicians attached
to his Administration should do that
as it is that they should breathe.
The relief organization in the cities
and the AAA organization in the rural
districts were far more efficient po-
litical instruments than the Democrat
ic National Committee could possibly
have provided, and they had the great
merlin political eyes-of not requir
ing private or party funds to operate.
In all the States, the political leaders
have now come to count upon these
two organizations for primary and
general election results. In two cam
paigns they have been tried out, tested
and proved. They are better than the
best Of the old-time political machines,
larger and more easily managed. Some
of the more candid and clear-headed
among the politicians believe that the
agricultural machine is even more eff
fective than that built up around re-
lief.
Upon it, even more than on relief,
Administration politicians rely for the
nomination and election of New Deal
members of the House and Senate next
year-and for the defeat of anti-New
Dealers. This accounts for the earnest
ness with which his political repre-
sentatives are pushing the Presidents
demand that Congress give him a
pledge to enact crop-control legisla-
tions as it's first business in the ses-
| sion that convenes next January. Since
the Supreme Court invalidated the old
AAA it's machine has lost some of it's
effectiveness. The new AAA, spon-
sored by Mr.. Wallace and urged by the
/ President, would solidify, strengthen
and expand the organization far be-
yond its previous proportions. In the
matter of control over the food supply
of the nation it would be infinitely
stronger. The Secretary of Agricul-
ture under it would be able to estab-
fish for every farmer in the country
exactly how much he can plant and
how much he can sell-not, as in the
original AAA, of four crops, but Of
six.
A farmer who refused to obey Mr..
Wallace cannot be put in jail but it is
made clear that if he does obey he
will be paid and loaned so much money
out of the Treasury for not planting or
not marketing that he would be fool
to refuse. The amount each farmer
gets is determined by the Secretary,
not by the law. 1t is a lump-sum, I'M
limited appropriation Of taxpayers
money which one individual is per-
mitted to hand out according to his
own judgment and in order to induce
Corporation" with his plans. The
money is to be derived from what, in
effect, is sales tax upon raw mater
ials and will place the Secretary in
position to distribute as high as bill
lion a year. "To dish out this dough"
as General Johnson says, the Secre-
tary appoints his own community
committees" Here, says the general,
"is plenty of power to organize every
township in the nation politically, to
elect himself Fuehrer to make or break
any national candidate and thus con-
troll Congress"
Perhaps that is somewhat exagger-
ated, but it is not exaggeration to
say that the New Deal politicians are
exceedingly anxious to get the new
crop-control plan into operation be-
fore the 1888 primaries, and the frank
err among them do not disguise their
conviction that, once this bill is thru,
| the organization essential to make it
function can be made into the great
est political asset any Administration
ever dreamed of. Even to the layman
in politics its potentialities are obvi-
GUS. One wonders why Congressman,
with minds of their own, should con-
tinue to vote to any Administration
power Of this kind which can be used
to crush them the moment they draw
an independent breath. 1t seems a
boobish thing to do.
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