The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-01-11
sAUK CENTRE HERALD. Sank Centre. MINI.

ENTIRE HERALD, Sank Cent,
lion dollars. Evidently, Chairman
Pat Harrison CD Mississippi, Of
the Senate Finance Committee. Is
not satisfied with the budget sub
mitted as he proposes the creation
of a special joint committee, to in
clude the chairman Of the four
Congressional fiscal committees to
scrutinize and report on the ad-
visibility Of Mr.. Roosevelt's rec
concentrations. A three billion dol
lar deficit Is not to be sneezed at.
As / figure it, it win mean going in
to the red $5,7O7.7S for every min
ute during the next fiscal year. It
is true that the President did pare
the estimates on all items save that
OF national defense, as compared
with the budget of last year. That
Is particularly true of the relief and
agricultural programs, but it seems
to me that he should also have
made "a substantial cut in the item
If national defense, which is the
largest single item. I say this be-
cause I cannot conceive Of any
country daring to challenge us on
land, on the sea, or in the air. We
already hold a substantial lead in
these branches of our national de-
tense.
Then, too, the potential enemies
who might attack us are practically
bankrupt and the battleships and
aeroplanes that the President
wants to build will be obsolete and
useless by the time these nations
can hope tc have sufficiently re-
covered to even hint at any aggres-
sion directed toward US.
THE BIG BATTLE
The Administration will direct its
full weight toward the fight to Sc
cure an extension of life for the
Reciprocal Trade Law. Every ex-
pert in the Departments of State,
Agriculture, and Commerce, not to
mention the army of experts in the
Tariff Commission, have been draf-
ted to prepare ammunition in sup
port of the Presidents foreign
trade program. Hardly a day
passes but that some New Dealer
takes to the air in an attempt to
sell the plan to the American Far
mer, who has been the hardest hit
by the program. An idea of their
desperation may be gained from
the fact that the Administrator
did not dare to include foreign cop
per in the list on which it is pre-
posed to reduce import duties. The
American copper bloc is fabulously
rich, and they have been heavy
contributors to the past two Dem
ocratic campaigns There are at
least ten Senators, and twice that
many Representatives, from the
copper producing states who would
have voted against the Presidents
plan had copper been included.
That would have meant defeat in
the Senate.
With the new lineup it is doubt
full if enough votes can be mustered
in either House to scuttle the res
clution to continue the Reciprocal
Trade Law another three years, so
our fight must now be confined to
providing that all future trade
treaties must be ratified by the
Senate, as provided by the Con-
stitution, before they can become
effective. My readers will recall
that the Republicans in both
Houses of Congress were a unit in
demanding Senate approval when
the original act was passed back
in 1888, and again when it was re-
newed in 1886. was glad to note
in the papers the other day that
veteran Senator Glass of Virginia
has come round to our side. There
will be others.
JAPANESE-U. s. TREAT
The indications are that Japan
ese-American commercial and po-
litical relations will come in for a
genuine overhauling in this session.
Last July this government renoun-
ced the 1911 commercial treaty be-
tween the two countries so it will
expire by limitation on January 26.
1t is my understanding that the
Administration will be in no hurry
to sign a new treaty. AS a matter
of fact, there is a strong sentiment
in Congress against entering into
a new agreement with Japan so
long as that country continues its
ruthless policy in China. If a new
treaty is not entered into between
the two countries Japan will nc
longer be able to buy war materials
in this country, which is SO es-
sential to her military campaign in
China. For that reason am OPP
posed to renewing the treaty at
this time, and there are many mere
in Congress who feel the same way.
Because of President Roosevelt's
failure to issue a proclamation stat
ing that state of war exists be-
tween the two countries Japan has
had full and free access to cur
markets and her purchases Of war
material have been substantial. In