The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-03-17

dictates rather a unified effort to re-
store the country's confidence. It
apparently is going to guide the pol
icies and work out solutions for the
various problems that are viewed as
destructive of a feeling of assurance
among the bulk of the people. In
other words, congress seems to have
assumed a leadership in national
life that it has not had in recent
years, and is moving sincerely to
bring back prosperity.
President Hoouer's Plans
Wrecked BY Stock Market
The course Of events that has led
UP to the latest development "a de-
velopment that has both political
and economic significance) has been
rather a wandering trail. It had its
headwaters back in 1880 and 1881,
when Herbert Hoover, then Presi-
dent, sought to stem the tide of
rushing waters Of depression by in
viting dozens Of business leaders to
Washington for consultation. He
was seeking to restore confidence, to
encourage the country to feel safe.
Those were days, it will be recalled
when prosperity was just around
the corner" Mr.. Hoover wanted to
bring it out where it could be OF
some use.
Well, Mr.. Hoover failed because
the stock market crash had so de-
stroyed the confidence of the country
in him and in his policies of govern
ment that there was no possibility
Of recreating it. The folks simply
would not believe in him, nor in any
of his works at that time.
Along came the elections Of 1892
and Mr.. Roosevelt took over the
job in 1888. Those days need not be
reviewed, except to point out that
no man ever had the complete con-
fidence of people as the new Presi-
dent held it. Congress did as it was
told, thereafter. OF course, there
were ups and downs but the scene
was dominated by the personality Of
Mr.. Roosevelt, condition that con-
tinued through about six years.
That brings us to the mistakes in
politics which Mr.. Roosevelt made
in INSTRUMENTATION Of the gov
eminent, proposed expanding Of the
Supreme court by appointment Of
six justices Of his own choosing,
charges that business leaders were
attempting to submarine the New
Deal policies and destroy the Roose-
welt administration. This was the
beginning. In quick succession,
there came important gains for the
Republicans in the 1888 elections,
fear among many old line Demo-
Gratis that their seats in congress
were being jeopardized by mistakes
of various New Deal agencies and
laws, and in general a doubt that
their party should be allowed to re-
main under New Deal leadership.
Old-Line Democrats Decide
To Assume Leadership
And believe it is the latter con-
dition of belief among the old line
Democrats that is chiefly response
BILE for the sudden blossoming Of
congressional determination to take
leadership. Some observers hold the
conviction that many members Of
the house and senate feel they should
protect their own hides and that,
to accomplish this, they must as
sumo national leadership instead Of
leaving the policies to be theorized
and blue-printed by such as Jerome
Frank, Thurmond Arnold, Tommy
Corcoran, Secretary Ickes, and 9TH
ers of that type. That is only say
ing numerous house and senate
members believe the country has
lost confidence in that sort of leader
ship.
Only recently, it may be recalled,
Mr.. Roosevelt voiced an assurance
that business would have no new
taxes to burden it. He spoke conf
IDENTIFY about the future. Others, re-
fleeing the Presidents position, in
GLIDING Secretary Hopkins and Sec
rotary Ickes spoke pieces Of an as