The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-04-21

government Reorganization bill by
the House of Representatives after
the Senate had passed it by mar
row margin, is regarded here as
evidence that Congress has reas-
serted its independence and re-
sumed its status as an equal and
coordinate branch of the govern
ment.
The action of the house is, more
over, the most severe blow to the
Presidents prestige which Mr..
Roosevelt has yet received. Last
year the Senate refused to grant
him power to reorganize the SUI
preme Court. The lower House was
regarded as more amenable to the
wishes of the White House, espe-
cially this year when every men,
Der come up for reelection.
Congress Revolts
Defeat of the Reorganization bill
is merely one indication of the
growing revolt in Congress against
Executive control Another is the
action of the Senate in eliminating
from the current tax bill all of the
reform characteristics as well as all
other items on which the President
and his advisors had set much store.
What's more, several amendments
were drafted to relieve business of
certain tax burdens, a move Ger
tainly not contemplated by the orig
inal trainers.
In both the above cases, the split
between Congress and the Admins
tration has been squarely one of
policy. This is taken by many to
indicate that Congress has grown
out of sympathy to the earlier
avowed aims of the New Deal and
is determined to stop further en-
croachments by the Executive into
Legislative domains of power.
$4,000 Wire mo"
The belief that the Reorgani-
cation bill was but part of scheme
to concentrate more power into the
Executives hands is shaped by
many members of both Houses. It
certainly was shaped by many peo-
pie who deluged the offices of both
telegraph companies with 100000
wires, not to mention uncounted let
tiers, almost universally disapprov-
ing of the proposal
An eleventh-hour and strangely
unsolicited denial of dictatorial am
billions by the President encouraged
rather than allayed fears. The left
handed compliment to the Senate
that that body's approval of the Re-
organization bill proved that GER
tan interests could not purchase
Senatorial votes by organized let
tiers and kilograms" was particular
" resented in the House. It was
openly charged that the Presidents
emissaries had tried to influence
votes by threats of reprisals and
promises of patronage and allot-
ments of federal funds.
Students of political strategy here
are candid in their belief that the
Administration sensed ultimate de-
feat for the Reorganization bill even
while spokesman on the floor of the
House were claiming victory by
fantastic majorities.
New Pump Printing
They point to the well-timed an
nouncement by the President of
gigantic new pump-priming drive
to speed recovery. This had every
indication of having been devised
to divert popular attention from the
Reorganization debacle. The an
nouncement was devoid of exact de-
tails until sevekal days after the
first press release and the reports
differed greatly as to the actual
amount of money to be poured
down the dry economic well.
Figures ranging from one and a
half to six billions of dollars have
been mentioned but shrewd observ-
ers point out that whatever the
amount is finally named, a Congress
sional appropriation is finally
named, Congressional appropria-
ton is necessary before. actual
spending can begin.
No Blank Checks
With the present attitude of Con-
gress in mind, doubts are voiced in.
Capitol circles that the new multi
billion spending program will re-
semble those of the past in anything
save its color and position on the
Treasury report. Former relief APP
preparations were handed over to
the Executive in practically blank
check form. Even the Ultimate pur-
pose for which the money would be
spent was left largely to the discre-
ton of the president.
It is extremely doubtful if such
will be the case this time for Con-
gress is in no mood to surrender one
IF ifS dearest r,rnro0afivo xxylhioh 10