The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1938-01-06

cir hand Ono
may point, as the New Dealers do the modest curta
uent of public spending But Mr. Roosevelt in his nan
ming, forecast decrease in spending
varied explanations may be offered and all will hope
that those which lay upon temporary factors will
prove to be sound Still are left with the fact that
Mr. Roosevelt confidently undertook to abolish depressons
and failed
In these circumstances The Sun that it is in
order for Congress and for the public to revert to Amer
practices and to stand Mr. Roosevets Administration
and examine it, respectfully but without awe That has
been the practice when other Presidents have promised
prosperity and have had their promises destroyed by
pressons is not unreasonable the case the Pres-
dent who has been holder in promises than any of his
predecessors.
such examination be made of this Administration
primary and fundamental question be: What is
the Administrations faith? What does it
lieve? Soon late that question must be answered by
Government You live under competitive capitalism,
You live under monoposc capitalism although you
likely to find yourself headed into socialism
state capitalism You live under either of the latter
twins, which delight to make theological faces at each
other You live under variations One another may
be the better for given nation. But you going to
wobbe badly if you do not know which of these systems
you live under and wish to live under And that fact
counts-in addition all special factors such stock
market coapses and excess inventories for much of
the present trouble There has been extraordinary
fusion about fundamentals
For example, Mr.. Roosevelt recently talked about the
plight the railroads and their future He against
Specialization of the railroads, e. public ownership He
described regarding Specialization of the railroads
abhorrent But Mr. Roosevelt is understood to regard
specialization of power companies contamination de-
vouty be wished Certainly of his favored sub
ordnates regard the setting up of socialized power
system in the Tennessee Valley to be used as yardstic
against the privately owned companies merely boys
job and preliminary to nationwide sociazation Why
c,o,,1 1i1a+io
and specialization of power utility be desirable? Is Mr.
Roosevelt clear in his mind?
When there has confusion between ideas OF
state socialism and capitalism, there often has been con-
fusion between the ideas OF competitive capitalism ana
monopolistic capitalism.
Mr. Roosevelt came into office pledged to support OF
the historic system of competitive capitalism Before the
first spring had passed into summer he was the flaming
evange of the colossal unprecedented system of
onopostic capitalism that went under the name OF MIA
Later important subordnates have come full circle ana
are preaching the antmonoposm to which the President
was pledged the 1882 platform And having discovered
that monopoes evil these furious converts are UNDER
taking to dispose of them peremptoy as IN the great
DAVIS of 1888 depessons to be banned once and Tor
all Not for these zeaots the patient study and the
aent approach that Secretary Hull has wisely given to
the related evil of excessive protectionsm.
Behind all such oscillations and crclmgs OF the ADMIN
israton proper there has been in Washington Vetaoe
weller of psuedontelectualism and semi-revoutonlsm
This has been the product of the relay after
relav of the horde makers-over whom the New Deal
imported Many of these ladies and gentlemen have been
stentorianly vocal on Mr.. Roosevets mission to con
diton" and to modify" capitalism. The principle upon
which this service should be performed has been lett
rnagnfcenty indefinite the particular proposal OF the
particular lady or gentleman at the particular time was
always an essential part of the business And for the
future the vision often has been of society freed OF the
profit motiveexcept the farmer whose profits were to
be guaranteed.
IT, on,or from such people has been so loud-and at
times their authority so Oympian-that in 1886 many
we're ashamed to say that they stood for competitive
capitalism the system which has given our people more
comforts and more opportunities than ever were known by
another people this earth Those who stood 1of he
s+ If connective capitalism which is being dis