The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1938-05-12

PRESIDENT 6OOStNeit hos
from congress, there have been the
Supreme court enlargement, the 81. I
Lawrence seaway, and the World |
court. II is interesting that Roose-
velt's three predecessors, Harding.
Coolidge and Hoover, all favored
three of these four proposals-an
except that regarding the Supreme
court.
Gradually, sentiment for the Unit
ed States joining the World court
has become feebler and feebler as
the League of Nations has declined
in prestige. The St. Lawrence sea-
way has lost rather than gained IN
sentiment for reasons having moth
ing to do with politics.
When the seaWay was first pro-
posed, the most enthusiastic advo-
Gates were from the Middle and
Northwestern states. They wanted
to make it possible for ocean steam
ships to get into the Great Lakes,
their object being to cut the freight
rate on wheat from St. Paul and
Minneapolis and other centers IN the
wheat country, to Liverpool, as for
generations the world price OF wheat
has been the price at liverpool, less
the freightrate from the point of
origin to Liverpool.
But since the proposal was first
advocated the United States has
been almost a total loss SO far as
wheat exports are concerned. FOR
several years now we have exported
little or no wheat, sometimes actu-
ally importing a little nore-hard
wheat from Canada-than we ex-
ported.
Other farm exports have declined
as well, and there has never been
any necessity for cutting the freight
rate on the one line of exports that
has really held firm, manufactured
goods such as machinery, automo-
biles. etc. The real difficulty in the
path of increased exports here has
TO do with quotas rather than costs,
hence has to be left to negotiations
rather than to maneuvering to cut
the freight cost.
Opposition Continues
Which explains why Secretary of
State Cordell Hulls reciprocal trade
treaty policy has made such hi
with automobile and other manufac-
turers who believe they can COM
pete with the whole world If artifi-
cial limitations and barriers are re-
moved.
President Roosevelt's interest IN
the st. Lawrence seaway has always
been because of the electric power
possibilities rather than the idea OF
bringing ocean steamships to the
door of the Middle West. But the
political motive power back OF this
project has always been the cheap
ening of the freight rate on grain tc
Liverpool, the real value OF which
has now practically disappeared.
Meanwhile the economic oblec
tons to the St. Lawrence prolecf
have remained unchanged. There
may not be much grain moving
overseas, but the shipping interest!
of Boston, New York, Philadelphia
Wilmington, Baltimore, Norfolk, Sa
yannah, and even Jacksonville ant
New Orleans, have not relaxed il
their opposition to it.
Record Rather Good
Saving his face on the tax on I'm
distributed corporation earning
was an achievement for Presiden
Roosevelt which will probably nev
err be accurately measured. But tn
fact is that there were plenty Q
votes in both houses Of congress
before the conference committee
reached its compromise, to approve
total repeal of this tax. 1t is per
fectly true that the bill will provid
the end of this tax after 1899, blu
the retention of any part or shadow
OF it is actually flying in the face G
the will of a considerable majorit
of congress.
On the whole, II makes the recor
of the President, SO far as his relt
tions with congress are concerned
rather a good one-=uauch= belts
than the actual feeling on Capt.,
Hill justifies, and much better the
the country has come to think
the last month, especially since tt
house rejected the reorganizatie
bill
But while there was an unusu
amount OF publicity for this Viii
House rebuff on the reorganizatie
bill, actually the President hs
failed to get something which ever
President for good many yea
has wanted, and more than fe
tried to get, with little or no su
cess.
Everyone familiar with Washin
ton knows that government bure;
chiefs gradually acquire power wi
the house and senate. 1t is natur
and human, however bad it may
from time to time in its result
But there is not only patronage
be considered - the placing
friends of senators and represent
tives in good jobs on the FEEDER
nav roll, and the looking out I
them after they are placed, to
sure they get promotions and p
..xl.ax. Sc 1auaIlu y,pccf n