The Washington times., 1938-01-04

1t is not evident yet and you
will not find supporting testi.
mony in the comment on the
Presidents message. That is
because it Is a silent strike, not
an open sit-down, but something
like those line-strikes in the
auto plants where mechanics
in the assembly line failed to
tighten a necessary bolt or left
out a pin screw.
You will find it cut when the
legislative program reaches the
end of the congressional line.
The leaders have known
what they were UP against
since the farm bill survived re.
committal in the House by only
nine votes and the McAdoo
farm substitute fell only six
votes short in the Senate while
the WageS-HourS bill was actu-
ally defeated by the House.
Frankly, no one now knows
what legislation will come out
Of a situation like this.
Only advice now safe for bust.
ness men and others is to keep
all fingers crossed until certain
leadership shenanigans now be-
ing worked up, can be tried.
0NE shenanigan being tested
~ may lift the Wage-H bill
out of the ash can. Speaker
Bankhead and Others have been
playing with the idea of group
ing farm and labor support be-
hind White House pressure.
They figure if they can get
the farm crowd plus the labor
crowd plus the power of the
White House into one flying
wedge, they can break the
strike. Both parts of the Presi-
dents program could thus be
thrust through with as few
screws missing as possible.
That is what was behind the
little story of few days back,
about the National Farmers
Union and Labor's Non-partisan
League jointly approving both
bills. The White House was in
on it.
DIG fellows in Congress have
Dbeen seen throughout the holi-
days trooping in and out of the
hotel suite where Jack Gar.
ner. the VP, has his sub-execu-
tive mansion. Mr.. G's hotel is
on one side of the Treasury and
the White House is on the other.
There seems to be something in
that. Troopers coming back to
Capitol Hill have reported
Mr.. G is organizing what he
calls "the damndest drive ever
conducted in Congress" to bal
ance the budget
Talked-of economies include
curtailment OF farm appropria.
tions to $500, 900, 900; slashing
at least $200,00O,OOO from the
proposed budget by systematic
ally limiting all regular depart
mental expenditures; holding
relief TO one billion.
Limiting road appropriations
Is however, definitely out. The
President wants it and so do
the leaders. but Congress will
not take it. Also the econo-
mixers have declared hands-off
national d tense appropria-
tionS. and want no new taxes.
TIIE movement has gained
= wide support among the
congressman, but few expect it
can accomplish much more than
O. strong unter-balance to the
southpaW Spenders in the other
wing Of the Presidents entour-
age, and Americas sixty fami-
lies, both of whom want spend
ing. While the Pres. and Vice
Pres. surround the Treasury on
two sides, the southpaWs have
their hands in it and are un-
willing to let go.
Garner started a similar move
last year, but did not put
enough steam in it to carry
through. This year his cohorts
report he has more steam up,
but more difficulties ahead.
4 X
7 TITLE or no trustworthy in
~ formation ever slips out Of
Russia concerning conditions
there. The reds have censor
ship that bites. But they can
not conceal their own telltale
official actions, like the recent
one, diSpatching a boy general
of the red army to China as a
diplomatic ambassador.
That news told two big stories
here. One is that the Soviets
are getting closer toward more
active military support of the
defeated Chinese. The other is
AnVERTIcEMENT