Evening star., 1938-01-23
REPEATING LAWS is HIS AIM
Bruce Barton Friendly Legislator From New York. Has Already
Launched His Campaign to Relieve Americans of
Useless and Harmful Laws.

never have done since the war. We
can do it only by moving into gov
ernment, giving Of ourselves and not
merely OF our money; accepting the
fact that government will continue to
be very much in business and trying,
as far as is in our power, to con-
tribute to politics something of the
energy, efficiency and economy which
are the secret of business success"
He urged then the business mans
point of view in government service
Business he said, seeks to SIM
Government tends to become always
more complicated and expensive. II
the automobile had developed IN the
same way that the political machine
has developed it would now weigh 10
tons and cost $4,000: 1t would
have attached to it steam roller, a
lawn mover, an egg beater. and the
services OF five or six high-priced
men would be required to get it ou.
Of the garage onto the street."
A MONG the extra appurtenances
and unnecessary baggage Of pres
ent-day government, Barton believes.
one must count the excess laws Of the
land. laws that no longer serve any
intelligent or worthy purpose, mean
ingless laws, laws passed to tide over
emergencies long since forgotten, laws.
in short, that impede present-day
progress and clutter up the statute
books for no reason whatsoever. Such
laws it is his expressed intention to
wipe out.
His first move in this direction came
on January II. when he moved to
repeal one and to liquidate another
The greenback imitation provisions of
the Agricultural Adjustment Act he
quotes as one example of emergency
legislation now useless.
In the hit-and-run days Of 1888"
he says, Congress rushed through the
Agricultural Adjustment Act with the
Thomas amendment, giving the Presi-
dent unrestricted power to start the
printing presses and turn out green
backs to the tune of $4,000, ,0Oo,o 900.
Cali the economic history Of the
world proves that when the printing
presses start, the Big Bust is Just
around the corner Yet every period
Of hard times produces some prophet
who proclaims that dose of infla-
ton will set everything right. It
sounds so simple and so good that
may fall for it. Hence the adoption
Of the Thomas amendment. Presi-
dent Roosevelt has not yet taken adj
vantage of the authority granted under
the amendment, but We ought to re-
move temptation. Congress should
take back its constitutional powers
tC control the currency. The Thomas
amendment should be promptly and
unanimously repealed.
CAS- for the Commodity Credit Corp.
there again you have New Deal
bureau that deserves quick and mer-'
ciful death. 1t was created by Execu-
tive order, dated october 16, 1888, is
sued pursuant to the Agricultural Ad-
justment Act of 1888 and the National
Industrial Recovery Act of June lG,
1888; its purpose was to make loans
on agricultural commodities and 50
increase the price Of food to the con-
sumer. The corporation was recoc-
nized law in the act of January 81.
1885, and by the act of January g..
1887, its life was extended to Janu-
AIRY. 1899. 1t serves no useful pur-
pose that cannot be performed by the
Farm Credit Administration and the
agencies subsidiary thereto. And it,
should be liquidated."
Barton declares that these two,
moves are only starters" that he is
studying other useless" laws and will
continue in his effort to remove them
from the statute books, Just as he
promised in his famous 'doorbell-
ringing campaign in New York last.
year.
WITH all the zest Of an advertising,
man. Barton declares that the Re-.
publican party needs "repackaging ~
That Is to say, in his opinion. and in
the advertising argot, the public has.
grown tired of the same old brand =.
and it should be dressed up in new
and attractive carton. He cites long
list of what he terms 'social-minded
and humanitarian reforms" initiated
by the Republican party, including the,
Railway Labor Act, which outlawed
company unions and required. COLL
lective bargaining. And he adds that
the Democrats picked up our bali
and ran 1t out of bounds while we
stood on the sidelines saying. You
can't do that" =
AS might be expected Of Bruce.
Barton, he has coined some very apt
phrases in connection with this legis-.
lative business mot everything that
calls itself liberal is good" he told q.
New York reporter last year. And
again, mot all reforms are progress. !.
He has a wonderful sense of humor,.
and this quality guarantees that there,
be never a dull moment when he is.
discussing politics. On the day this.
writer dropped in for a chat he was
likewise visited by a Congressional,
colleague from across the hall and a.,
friend of long standing from New.
York. "You know" observed Barton.
speculatively in the presence of these
casual callers before I came to WashSv
ington had. heard . lot about the
'emolumerts OF Office Well our friend |,
;, Iaee BARTON. Page C-s17 80 -