The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-06-23

CuSlIlS UPON Tic Illuminating I'll
maries and the November election.
The more thoughtful political OBJ
servers are examining the trend OF
political sentiment in the nation,
with an eye to the outlook not only
for the Congressional elections but
for the major contest between the
two great parties in 1910.
Bearing upon the whole political
situation are some of the things
which Congress did in the session
just ended, and some of the things
which it left undone. It's major ac-
complishments were the enactment
of the Farm Control Act, the Fed
eral Housing Act and the Wages
and-Hour Regulation Act.
The principal measures before it
which it left for the next Congress
to tackle are the Presidents pro-
posal for complete reorganization
of the administrative machinery OF
the Federal Government and the
plans for relieving the railroads.
Presidents Demands Fulfilled
To the list of accomplishments
must, of course be added the APP
propriated of an additional three
billion dollars and more for recove-
ny and relief the Presidents social
ed 'pump-priming' program and the
authorization of the construction Of
the greatest Navy in the world.
In spite of the show of independ-
ence of the Executive which mani
tested itself in the speeches and
votes of many members of the ma
jority party the Administration got
pretty nearly all that it demanded
from the 18th Congress.
It was pretty well demonstrated
in numerous instances, that the Ad-
ministration would not hesitate to
use the power which control of huge
relief expenditures gives it to pun
ish Senators and Congressman who
have attempted to block its pro-
gram, and to bring into the next
Congress members who will be more
sympathetic with New Deal policies.
In spite of such demonstrations
in the early primary contests, Con-
gress found it expedient to place no
restrictions upon the Presidents
personal power to allot great part
Of the billions appropriated at his
sole discretion. Even in the matter
of the expenditure of five hundred
million dollars for investigation of
monopolies, four-fifths of that sum
is to be placed by Presidential allot-
ment.
Administrative Bureaucracy
Those who take the long view OF
public affairs read into the history
of the six years which will end with
the November elections something
in the nature Of social revolution,
based upon concepts Of the func-
tons of Government which, in their
practical application at least, are
new in the American scheme Of
things. In this view the present Ad-
ministration and the New Deal have
merely given practical effect to
ideas and political concepts which
have been developing for years.
And those who have that view are
beginning to express the belief that
any effective opposition to the De-
mocratic party in the 1910 cleo
tons must be based upon a COM
plete recognition by the Republi-
can party leadership of social and
economic conditions which call for
remedial action by Government.
The major complaint against the
policies followed by the present Adj
ministratoin is that they place too
much control in the hands of an adj
ministrative bureaucracy. That
many of the things which it has been
attempting to remedy are real evils
calling for governmental action is
gaining recognition even among the
Republican members of Congress.
Representative Bruce Barton of
New York, listing the Seven Dead
ly Sores" in the present economic
system introduced failed to get act
ion upon a series of joint resolu-
tons creating commissions of Con-
gress to study and report on the
farm problem, unemployment and
relief, social security, taxes, foreign
trade policy, railroads and public
competition with private industry.
Government Control
The growing belief here is that
the Republican party will be COM
PEELED to recognize the growth and
strength of mass undercurrent of
public opinion which demands the
control by Government of so many
heretofore unrestricted activities as
to amount to a social revolution.
Federal responsibility for farm sub
sides, employment, relief Of the in
digent, promotion of labor unions
home loans, housing for the poor
old age pensions and unemployment