Evening star., 1938-12-31

OC1dIAC primaries *#
last summer, SUI ,,,,
premacy of the W. "'''o A'"e0'n'
New Dealers in the new Congress is
very much In doubt. The answer to
the question is likely to come when
the New Deal administration insists
upon a pet legislative measure-or,
vice-versa, when the anti-New Deal
forces undertake to amend New Deal
measures already in existence.
An early test Of strength may
come when the continuance Of the
relief program of the administration
Is advanced for action by Congress.
It may come also when efforts are
made to amend the National Labor
Relations Act, dear to the heart of
the New Dealers, and particularly
to the hearts of Miss Perkins, Sec
retary of Labor, and John L. Lewis,
head of the c. I. o. The President
may set the stage for such test in
the Senate if he sends in the nomi-
nation of Donald Wakefield Smith
to succeed himself as member OF
the National Labor Relations Board.
Baked Last Session.
Even in the last Congress the New
Dealers-or the administration-lost
control and failed to be supported
by a majority on several occasions.
These were notably the failure of
the Presidents court bill-regarded
as strictly New Deal-and failure
also of the Presidents reorganiza-
ton bill. In the earlier days of the
Roosevelt administration, Democrats
were measured by the standard OF
support accorded the President
before Chicago" meaning before
Mr.. Roosevelt won his first nomina-
ton for President. More recently,
however, Democrats have been
measured by the New Deal powers
according to their support or lack
of support Of the court and reor-
ganization bills.
It is easy to argue that II the
President failed to win support OF
the Senate for his court bill when
there were only Is Republican mem
bers of the Upper House, he would
have much greater difnculty put
ting through q radical New Dea'
measure now that there are eight
more Republican Senators. Par
ticularly is this so since 1t was DEM
onstrated in the last elections that
the President was unable to defeat
Democratic Senators for renomi-
nation who had opposed his pei
measures. It is even easier to figure
that with 169 Republicans in the
House instead of 80 as in the ole
Congress, the President would have
terrible time getting his reorgani-
zation bill-in it's original form
through that body.
In Belligerent Mood
The new Congress, which has ye
to find itself, is coming to Washing
ton with a chip on its shoulder
Many of its members feel they have
been given a mandate to show al
independent spirit; that is to reviv'
again a spirit of independence O
executive domination. Whether tn
President will knock this chip off tn,
congressional shoulder and precipi
tate knockdown-drag-out fight i
yet to be developed. There hav'
been a few gestures on the part O
the White House looking to con
ciliation. One was declaration tina
hereafter, officials of the admins
tration would not draft bills to b'
sent to Congress for consideration
and approval; Congress, it was said
will be left to draft the bills. A no
table example of administration bill
drafting was found in the bill to re-
vamp the Supreme Court by add
ing to its membership.
On the other hand, the Presiden
apparently is bent on putting 100 PEI
cent New Dealers in his cabinet ane
other high offices. His appointment
of Harry L. Hopkins to be Secretar!
of Commerce is a-case in point Hi
expected appointment of Franz
Murphy, retiring Governor of Mich
igan, to be Attorney General, is an
other 1t has been reported tina
the President will appoint Harolt
M. Stephens, associate justice of th'
Court Of Appeals, District of Colum
bia, to the present vacancy in tn
Supreme Court of the United States
If he does he will please one of tn,
most ardent anti-New Deal Demo
Gratis in the Senate, Senator William
H. King Of Utah.
King Paved Appointment Way.
Justice Stephens is from Utah
He was named Assistant Attorney
General by President Roosevelt ir
1888, at the earnest solicitation o1
Senator King, who has a high re-
gard for Justice Stephens legal