Evening star., 1939-06-24
The Political Mill
Congress Members Dubious Of RooseveIt's
$3.50. .000. 900 Lending Spending Plan :

| toll briggs, etc. The travelling public
already pays tax of approximately
cents a gallon on gasoline, includ-
ing Federal and local taxes on that
fuel. How long will these travellers
wait before bringing that to the at
tention of generous Congress, after
they are called upon to pay tolls on
these new high-speed highways?
And how long will Congress be able
to resist such an appeal?
Would Dislocate Business.
Furthermore, a new system of
express highways will divert
through traffic from the present
highways and cause a dislocation OF
many businesses that already have
been built up to serve the travelling
public.
The Presidents new program not
only is put forward to improve con-
ditions and increase employment,
but also to head off the earmarking
OF relief funds for the Public Works
ADMINISTRATIONS carried in the
House relief bill, now awaiting ac-
ton in the Senate. The President is
strongly opposed to the House action
which takes $125 900 900 of the funds
he asked for w. P. A. and turn them
over to P. w. A. If this new program
goes through 1t will be argued there
Is no need of earmarking any part
of the relief bill funds for p. w. A.
and it will be so argued If the relief
bill is speeded in the Senate, with
the understanding that this spend
ing program is to follow without
delay.
Republicans were quick to see in
the program an effort on the part
of the New Deal administration to
arrange for huge funds to dis
tribute throughout the country next
year during the national political
campaign. These funds will be in
addition to the relief funds which
be available for expenditure during
the coming fiscal year, and the
relief budget which Congress will
have to enact next winter or spring
for the fiscal year which begins
July /, 1910.
1t is quite clear that If the pro-
gram is carried out, more people,
more State and local governments,
are going into more debt, with the
Federal Government obligated for
the whole debt. 1t is even proposed
to lend money to foreign countries,
with a proviso that the money be
expended here for materials of one
kind or another running those peo-
pie further into debt also. The
people as well as the State and
local governments are to be en-
couraged to buy things for which
they have not the money to pay.
This is dangerous advice, but the
kind of advice to which the New
Deal spenders are committed.
The last spending program to en-
courage business, started in 1898,
had its effect-a temporary effect
and now that effect is diminishing.
That program called for more than
81 900 10000 expenditures from the
Federal Treasury for public works
and authorized $3.50 900 900 for loans.
When the voters go to the polls
next year, they will pass on the issue
of spending and lending, brought
to huge proportions by the Roose-
welt administration. Spending was
carried on in a big way by the
Federal Government in 1886. the
last presidential election year. What
happened then is history-and the
spenders won by tremendous mar
gin. Last year, however, large gains
were made in congressional and
State elections by the opposition
despite the fact that Federal spend
ing for relief, for public works and
for other things was continuing
in big way.