Evening star., 1938-04-10

need Of the country now Is to break
the influence Of President Roosevelt.
The reorganization bill offered q
chance to deal the prestige OF the
President another blow. When nearly
half Of the Presidents own party
rises, as in this case, to defy and
f1ount him to his face, we are clearly
as far from Hitlerdom as any land
could be.
Des Moines TribuneAThe fate of
the Presidents pet legislative meas
ures shows that unless the "reces-
sion" is conquered speedily-snd per-
haps in that caSe-the period Of re
form" is temporarily over 1t is re
covery' the people want, mainly, now.
All things taken together, the
President, while still undoubtedly the
strongest political parsonage in the
country by far, Is no longer SO strong
that it is not safe to frustrate him.
Kansas City Star-It defeat of the
bilD Is a terrific blow for Mr.. Roose-
welt. Because of its cumulative effect,
it Is even more damaging TO his pres
tige than was defeat Of the court pro-
posal 1t marks the virtual end of
executive domination OF the legislative
branch Of the Government.
Minnea polls Journal-In the main,
as amended, the reorganization bill
was q move in the right direction. 1t
is unfortunate that the defeat post
pones reorganization until the next
Congress.
Politically the revolt has great sig
niflcance. Congress in the first Roose-
welt term yielded vast powers to the
President, willingly. The chain OF
events leading to Fridays debacle be-
gan with the Presidents attack on
the Supreme Court. early in 1887, and
the fight then waged to maintain the
constitutional balance That desperate
struggle wakened the Nation and
awakened Congress to the dangers OF
centralized authority.
SOUTH.
Louisville tky.) Times-The defeat
Of the reorganization bill in the House
Of Representatives presents the spec
tacle, which unfortunately has not
been novel in its history, Of Congress
yielding to pressure politics.
Are the l08 Democrats who accepted
the leadership Of Frank E. Gannett,
Father Coughlin. ct al. perfectly con-
vinced that such leadership is pref
70 hot ~ hn
whose coat tails most of them rode
into Office?
Richmond (Va.) News Leader-A
flrst-class sensation in Congress has
ended dark and vexing week.
When the last name was tailed,
startled leaders realized that the long
feared. long rebellion against
the increase Of executive power had
come. = A defeat of the President
as definite as that on the bill for
the Supreme Court was q matter OF
record.
Roanoke tVa.) World News-The
Senate last year rebuked him for his
effort to create costly new spending
agencies and to abolish pre-auditing
OF public funds. Yesterdays vote
shows that the channels of public
opinion are still open, and that when
the people are aroused. they will not
hesitate to express themselves. even
against so popular, 80 magnetic and
SO socially minded q leader as the
President of the United States.
New Orleans States-The Presi-
dents third and worst major defeat
during the present session, which
came last night when the House killed
the reorganization bill. signals the
end of the Roosevelt program for the
present. - 1t is heartening to busi-
ness and stimulating to progress.
st. Petersburg tFla.) Evening Inde-
pendent-For the sixth time in less
than q generation, Congress has de-
feated Government reorganiza ton
bill designed to provide more efficient
Government and less opportunity for
political patronage. This time the bill
was killed by Congress which seems
determined to defeat every Roosevelt
measure; but there is good ground for
suspecting that il that explanation had
not been available, some other pre-
text would have been found and the
bill defeated anyhow.
Little Rock Arkansas Democrat
The patriots Of the lower branch OF
our National Legislature have-at
least until the next session-saved us
from dictatorship, so they feel. The
sardonic note is in the fact that there
never was any chance of a dictator
ship under the Presidents bill. What
Congress resented was that it was re-
minded OF task which it has faced
many times before and each time
has sidestepped
New Orleans Item-While it is idle
to regard it (the reorganization bills
defeaD as anything but q clear ex-
preston by the House OF lack of con-
| fidence in the President.
Lynchburg tVa.) News-It was nee
essary to call halt to the delegation
OF legislative authority to the Execu-
tive. 1t was necessary to call a halt
to centralization tendencies. It was
necessary for the Congress to assert
its independence when that independ-
ence was threatened. But it is not nee
essary to keep the feud alive or to
oppose the President merely for the
purpose OF opposition. The latest Ex-
ecutive putsch for power has been
stopped in its tracks. Now forget 1t
and get down to business. The
Congress should proceed to put
through tax legislation of the kind
the Senate committee has reported
perform a few necessary functions and
adjourn.
Raleigh IN. c. News and Observer
The News and Observer believes
that the people are still in overwhelm-
ing numbers devoted to Franklin
Roosevelt. The election will give them
opportunity to show their devotion.
His leadership depends upon their
following not only Loyalty but intelli-
gently. The only good sense for his
supporters Is to give him captains in
Congress devoted and united.