The Daily Alaska empire., 1939-01-18
The Republicans Are Not What They Used To Be
Philadelphia Record)

Today The Record publishes its survey of the oltical complexions of the 79 Republican Congress- aen who their seats last November by defeating tting Democrats
 These are the Republican victories hailed by the eooseyet-haters as the turning of the tide against the New Deal. The bloc of 7s. was seen as solid anti-New Deal corps ready do die in Washington for dear old Herbert Hoover
 The Records survey will make the political experts take some of this wishful thinking back The picture isn't simple the phrase "a defeat for the New Deal" would make it.
 CD Fifty of the Democrats defeated by these Republicans their seats in 1886 by majorties of percent or under They were benefciaries of the 46-State Roosevelt landslide; they had vested title to their offices
 @ The Record survey (based a careful ex- animation of the campaign speeches and political advertisements of these Republican Congressmen) shows that of 76 of these new members Is must be classed liberals B middle -roaders and 45 as convinced conservatives
 (3) The entire Republican party has moved over toward center to certain extent the conservatives of today would have been considered liberals in some cases extreme liberals six years ago.
 
 The 18 liberals in favor of many of the New Deal measures The 13 middle the roaders are ready to consider New Deal legislation on its merits But most interesting the 45 conservatives
 These conservatives for Federal relief as a principle, though they would like to cut the size of current appropriations Remember the days when Hoover laid down the theory it proper for Wash ington to feed farm animals but not human beingsO
 These conservatives are for increased old-age pen sions almost to man; many flirted with the Town sendites; only two denounced social security Remember when all such welfare legislation was con- sidered strictly State matter'?)
 These conservatives want to amend the Wagner Labor Relations Act, but not one of them to our knowledge, said: Throw it out" Remember when the conservatives used to defend the open shop and denounce unions as labor monopolies"?)
 
 This is going to be rougher session than last; the increased bloc of Republicans will swing into action at certain points considered politically safe: they will not try to abolish WPA, but they will try to discredit it by investigations they may try to cripple IVA; they may try to starve the National Labor Relations Board, a flank attack on the Wagner Labor Relations Act.
 But they are not going to have too much thunder The President has already outrnaneuvered them by planning new form of WPA regulation himself The increased size of the Republican minority may tend to soidify the slimmed-down Democratic majority and to make it more sensitive to the need of party disc pline
 4
 The Democratic party remains the liberal party The Republican party is still the conservative party It has shifted to the Left its conservatives have moved over into ground But it remains the party of opposition to reforms
 The stronger the New Deal the more bashful the Republicans will be about direct attacks on liberal reforms. The New Deal still has the ball It is the Administrations cue to go down the line for sound work relief, for job for every man able and willing to work, for health insurance