Evening star., 1939-03-04

IlcllG CIlC ~ JILL Il ~. }0lQ9I
ises made by the r co,,a ,,,..,,
new Secretary of ~ '
Commerce, Harry l.. Hopkins, to aid
business, and the country will be
watching to see whether there is to
be real breathing spell for business
this time or whether the administra-
tion will crack down in some new
spot.
The President returns, too, to find
the opponents of his spending policy
actively combining to cut all appro-
priations. Senator Pat Harrison of
Mississippi, chairman of the Senate
Finance Committee, on the very eve
of the Presidents arrival in Wash
ington, came forward with a five
point program which he says is in
the interests of business recovery. 1t
is the Mississippi Senator's idea.
Whether it will meet the approval of
the President is more than doubtful.
Mr.. Harrison's first proposal is to
remove taxes which act as bar to
business.
Limits ProbIematical.
Both Secretary of the Treasury
Morgenthau and Secretary Hopkins
have spoken kindly of amending the
tax laws so as to relieve business
Harrison and many Of his Demo-
cratic colleagues have favored such
program for more than year and
in the last session OF Congress put
through a bill, which became a law
without the signature of the PreSi-
dent, aimed at the relief of business.
The President at that time wrote a
blast directed at Mr.. Harrison and
the supporters of the measure. How
far the President will be willing to go
in the matter of amending taxes to
help business remains to be seen.
The President said just before he
embarked on his cruise in the Car
ibean that business had nothing
to fear at the hands of Government.
Mr.. Hopkins still later asserted that
the administration is not intent on
more reforms and will exert every
nerve to bring about recovery. The
business interests are still intent,
however, upon hearing what the
President has to say in this matter.
After all, his is the all-important
voice when it comes to administra-
ton policy. Mr.. Harrison has given
a prominent place in his program
to assurance to business that it is
not to be disturbed by new reform
measures.
Debt Limit Fight in Offing.
Further Mr.. Harrison has declared
himself fatty opposed to an in
crease in the national debt limit
now set by law This limit is $45,-
900 900 ,0O0 Under the present spend
ing plans of the administration this
limit will be reached within COM
paratively short time. Harrison and
his supporters are likely to clash
seriously with the President over
this issue, if the President asks for
an increase in the debt limit at
this session of Congress.
And finally, Mr.. Harrison wants
to cut all appropriations and to
bring about concerted action by the
House and Senate, so he proposes ap-
pointment of a joint committee of
the two houses. This is fatty con-
trary to the reiterated declarations
of the President since the first of
the year that the Government
spending program must 60 on. De-
cidedly the fur will fly if Harrison
and the anti-New Deal Democrats
line up with the Republican mi
nority to curtail Government ex-
penditures. Such a combination was
signally successful at the opening
of the present session. 1t cut by
$3.50, 900 900 the w. P. A. appropria-
ton asked by the President. AL
most Immediately the President is
sued a new demand that this money
be allowed by Congress. Nothing
yet has been done about it and judg-
ing from the temper of the House
and Senate, nothing is likely to be
done. Mr.. Harrison has practically
said that he and his supporters in
the demand for greater economy are
not going to give the President what
he wants.
SIashing Proves Difficult.
The great difficulty in slashing
expenditures, or rather in prevail
ing upon Congress to slash them,
was demonstrated recently when the
Senate restored to the independent
Offices appropriation bill $l7,000,-
OOO-plus for the T. v. A. and addi-
tional dam construction which the
House had stricken from the bill.