The Ely miner., 1939-05-25
OUR CONGRESSMAN
Monthly Written Ely by
WILLIAM A. PITTENGER
Member Congress- Eighth Minnesota District

Either the present New Deal in
Washington will go down in history as
the most grotesque comedy of errors
imaginable, or else as clumsy and
abortive attempt to force upon the
American people economic and govern
mental programs entirely contrary to
their concepts and traditions
This is the conclusion an increasing
number of observers both on the local
scene and throughout the country are
coming to these days. The record of
the present regime in our nations
capital is so filled with obvious con-
tradictions and seeming errors or judg-
ment as to be almost unbelievable were
they not common knowledge.
1t is not necessary to go into detail; /;
to mention but two of the most recent
official fiasco stufficeS for these COM
ments. I refer to the purchase by the
navy of supply of canned beef from a
seem that such a display of military
display put on here in Washington when
the president of Nicaragua made his
official visit to this country.
These colossal blunders occurring
adds to the ominousneSS of their i'm
plications. In view of the clearly mani
tested antagonism of the American
people to war and all its works, it would
seem that such a display military
force and oStentation as that put on for
the president of Nicaragua, should have
been the last thing an administration
desiring popular approval and acclaim
should have been responsible for
Either there is a complete failure tc
understand the popular attitude here
or else the powers that be feel that the
people "are too damned dumb" to know
what they want or what is good fol
them.
If anything, the canned beef inciden
is even worse from the standpoint O.
flounting public opinion In recen
months the American people have made
it abundantly clear that they have be-
come fed Up with that internationalis
propaganda of eliminating the barrier
to trade" and want no more of it. The!
want Americans to "buy American
lpatronize domestic industry instead O
sending their money abroad to provide
payrolls for foreign workers while thei
own have to subsist on public relief
To have the government, under sucf
conditions, instruct the navy depart.
ment to buy its canned beef from {
foreign country, appars like premedi
I tated assault on good American horse
sense, throwing it out of the window
/, in fact. From the standpoint of politi
, cal strategy, it looks like a studied in
! suit to their intelligence, slap in tht
voters face No wonder people every,
where are perplexed and wondering
what our administrators aims are
While it is true this this navy mea
deal is so small as to cut no materia
difference on our national economy a.
| a whole, taken in conjunction with tht
free trade policies adhered to by tht
administration the past six years, i
becomes horse of another color en-.
tirely. For if it were applied to al
other of our foreign trade, it woulc
spell complete ruin of American in.
, dustry and business. And that is wha
is being gradually accomplished b!
: those reciprocal trade treaties" tn,
administration is negotiating Ou
tariff protection for domestic industr,
would be completely abolished by thes,
treaties eventually and would have t.
compete with the foreign right here a