Evening star., 1937-11-15

President Rooseyelt's special session
message doesn't exactly say so, but 1t
strongly hints that the New Deals
present theme song is Unhappy Days
Are Here Again" All OF F. D. RS
major recommendations the fields Of
farm legislation, revenue revision and
wages and hours-ref1ect administration
realization that the times are sadly and
badly out Of joint. Weekend recovery
in security prices on the stock exchange,
due to supposedly conciliatory White
House confabs with financial and COM
mercial leaders and to Secretary Nor
genthau's budget balancing and tax
liberalization reassuranceS. somewhat re-
lieve both political and economic tension
as Congress swings into action.
But trade recession is still marked,
with few indications Of substantial i'm
provement until well into the new year.
if then. The tremendous drop in steel
output, automobile production. car load
ings and other barometrical indices cam
not be blinked out of existence, or recti-
fed by flreside chats and sporadic
profYers of olive branches and breathing
spells to the utilities and other key
branches of industry. Many authorities
inside and outside the Government par
ticularly fear the ides of December,
especially il Unemployment Census
Director Biggers' bad news becomes
available just in time to make Christmas
even less merrier than the President
and the business world now anticipate.
Depressing thoughts like these over
shadow the congressional skies at the
outset OF the extraordinary session, to
the exclusion of nearly everything else.
One of the things that will not be
blotted out even by economic clouds is
the politics that will color House and
Senate proceedings from the word 60.
With fights for reelection just around
the corner for 435 Representatives and
"a or IS Senators, it's next years con-
gressional contest that will be upper
most in the minds of both branches, and
largely control their action. Along with
1898 campaign considerations, Capitol
Hill will have 1910 constantly, though
not so Immediately, in pind. The
Democratic majority will Witch its step
at every turn, with q view to self
perpetuation. while the emaciated Re-
publican minority will omit no strata
gem to harass the New Deal and pave
the way for congressional victory next
year and q national comeback three
years hence The G. O. p faces about
the gloomiest outlook in its contempo-
rary history. Captains of 4 party that
Is leaderless and issueless and shot from
stem to stern with mutiny and discord.
Leaders McNary and Smell confront
winter of sleaxy shedding and almost
hopeless opposition.
Dear Alben" Barkley Is at last up
against the real thing now, in the way
Of an acid test OF his leadership mettle.
He'll need every ounce Of whatever he
has on the ball, for Roosevelt sup
porters," like the old gray mare, amt
what they used to be. During the clos
ing weeks of the late regular session, the
Kentuckian functioned more or less
- . mere place-warmer for his departed
captain. Senator Joe Robinson. From
today forth the. generalissimo Of the
Senate majority is on his own, with
arduous work cut out for him in the
field of what Disraeli once termed "the
tedious art Of managing men," Barley
has . powerful incentive to make good.
II he does 70 he'll automatically become
Democratic presidential timber-always
with the big III" that the White House
incumbent does not choose to run for q
third term, as to which distinguished
deponent still sayeth not.
- ~
Remaining months Of the Seventy
dfth Congress will probably 60 far toward
determining Republican presidential