Evening star., 1938-12-25
By NC. X.

What January magazines are now
at hand carry the usual forecasts
as to the course of events in 1899
Mostly they agree that the RECORD
OF 1888 could hardly be Worsened
and, chiefly because OF the results
of the recent election, hope for bet
ter things in the next twelvemonth
Commentator has this to say about
the probable political future:
Despite reports to the contrary
there will be no coalition of Re-
publicans and conservative Demo-
Gratis in the 1889 Congress-unless
1t is forced by President Roosevelt
The right-Wing Democrats aim
primarily to regain control of their
party from the New Dealers, and
then to win with that party in
1910. It is no part of their plan
to give the country back to the
Republicans. In word, their
objective is to halt the New Deal
without alternating the New Dealers
from their Democratic allegiance.
1t will be a very neat trick-if they
can do il! 80"
"One factor will favor the pro-
noting of Democratic harmony
The President will bear down hard
on a program of rearmament and
industrial preparedness Most every
body - including Republicans - can
support him on that without a
qualm, at least in principle. But
it will be different story entirely
If he tries to put through another
share-the-Wealth tax bill or a plan
to increase the powers of the execu-
tive department. This Congress will
balk at leftist reforms"
Commentator says also that the
New Deal setback at the polls
last November will be reflected in
greater business confidence and
activity" though "a reduction in
relief appropriations may partly off =
set this by curtailing demand for
consumers goods 1t adds that
business conditions should be better
than in 1898, but that they will
probably not reach the high levels
they gained before the 1887 collapse
In the field of labor activities
Commentator prediction is that
the warfare between the c.. I. O.
and the A. F. of L. will come to
an end, adding that, in view Of the
political rebuke administered in the
Michigan election, violent strike tao
tics will probably be abandoned by
labor chiefs. The C. l. O., it says
will begin cleaning house to get rid
of the Communist influence in its
affairs"
These seem to be rather safe
prophecies and will hardly surprise
any reader who has been following
events with average closeness
Coming to the scene of interha
tional relations, however. Com
mentator indulges in prediction OF
a somewhat freer kind
"Nazi Germany will extend its
domination over Central and East
ern Europe" it says positively
Poland, Rumania, Yugoslavia. Bull
garia. Greece and Turkey-possibly
| the Baltic nations also-will be
drawn into Hitlers orbit to joir
Hungary and Czecho-Slovakia as
vassal states. No one continues
Commentator unqualifiedly, will
offer any effective resistance to this
sweep of empire.
The Berlin Toxic axis will bust
up with a bang" continues the
prediction. Japan will refuse te
give German interests preferential
treatment in the conquered Chinese
area and Hitler will retaliate by
seeking to thwart Japanese ambi-
tions-possibly in collaboration with
Britain"
And then this international crys.
/ tal-gaZing offers hint of an actor
which, if taken, would alter the
whole European picture. Yet it is
an action so eminently logical that
one cannot dismiss it without con-
sideration. AS Commentator puts it
After posing for years as the
arch-enemy of Communism. don't
be surprised if Hitler should move
to get together with Soviet Russia
Both Hitler and Stain are ruthless
realists, and there would be mutua.
| advantages in such an arrangement
Propaganda Minister Goebbels may
suddenly be ordered to discover a
New Russia. Developments along
such a line. says the article, Woulc
be Immediately ominous for Japan
and ultimately ominouS for the en-
tire civilized world"
AS for our own part in the inter-
national merry-go-round, the article
mentions Germany's effort to gair
foothold in South America, anc
says that she may succeed to point
where she will challenge the Mon
roe Doctrine, adding ominously "oul
rearmament program fits into that
picture
Commentator prophesying is not
limited to this one piece. In an ar
ticle by Ray Tucker called There
Are Republicans in Washington
Now are to be found more predic.
tions concerning the course of the
next Congress. Mr.. Tucker, quoting
the jokester's phrase for the Novem-
ber INSTRUMENTATION returns
says that the great result of these
returns will be regained congress
sional independence.
Anybody who has checked Con.
gress closely in the past six years,
he remarks, realizes that many
Rooseveltian schemes would have
been ditched if presidential par
tisans had been required to answer
a roll call. Next year they will no
be permitted to duck, thanks to tht
G. o. P. gain. 1t requires only one.
fifth of those present to force rec.
ord vote, and the Republicans nov
will mobilize that number on the
floors whereas in the past they coulc
not"
The Republicans gain will also
end summary suspension of rules
by the administration, says Mr.
Tucker, and will give the opposition
larger representation on major
committees handling taxes, tariffs
appropriations, labor legislation anc
regulation of business and industry
$50 the next Congress, in the ligh