Evening star., 1940-08-18
Political Issues
Fading Awoy
By ODen L. Scott.

to promote are disappearing before the
force of events at home and abroad.
The Republicans were all set to blast
MI. Roosevelt on the subject of the ma
tional debt. They were to view with
alarm debt that had come within gun
shot of $50 900 900 900 and were to point
with pride to Republican ability in the
past to practice economy and to reduce
the size OF the National Governments S
debt. This issue suddenly is gone
Instead of viewing debt with alarm, the
Republicans find themselves in the posi-
ton of having to criticize President
Roosevelt for being unable to create debt
rapidly enough. They must go to the
country as the party that can spend
money faster than the New Deal can
spend money, and rapid spending of
money means rapid creation of debt.
National defense forces this about face.
The Nation wants defense, and in a
hurry. Defense is expensive, much more
expensive than w. P. A. or P. w. A. or
other forms of subsidy for labor and
Industry and agriculture. A program of
$4,000, 100000 in defense spending al
ready is outlined-as start. These bill
lions must come either from borrowing
or from taxes. The Republicans had
promised to ease taxes, to remove busi-
ness "irritants and depressants." If
they reduce taxes and spend money at a
record rate the result would be an un-
precedented debt increase. Yet, If the
party promises to reverse its stand and
to increase taxes more rapidly than the
New Deal is increasing taxes, business
men may not be pleased.
Take another issue, that of aid to
farmers. The party out of power had
been unsparing in its criticism of Henry
Wallace's farm program. This program
really is the most radical phase of the
entire New Deal In it is planning of
the kind that the Republicans insist will
lead to regimentation of all business and
industry. In that program, too, is
collection of subsidies that amount to
about 81 900, 900 900 year.
If any part of the New Deal should
come under Republican attack, this
should be the one. Yet Candidate Willkie
has declared publicly that he would keep
this program intact until something bet
ter could be found. The result is that
this issue seems to fade from the 1910
campaign, so far as it can serve as q
point of attack.
Then turn to one more issue. The
party out of power has insisted that
American business needed nothing more
than relief from Government restraint
and regulation in order to gain a mo-
mentum that will absorb idle labor and
produce prosperity. 1t so happens, how
ever, that business is forging ahead re-
gardless of restraints and regulation.
There may be a sharp setback in case
of British defeat, but even this upset
would be brief because Of the effect of
large-scale Government spending for
arms.
Next year promises to push far ahead
Of 1929 in the rate Of industrial activity
Furthermore, the Gallup poll, upon which
many hopes are being built, shows that
SO per cent of the American people. in
cluding ma ajority Of those in the high
income groups, now feel that American
business should be subjected to more
rather than fewer, Government controls
and regulations. Apparently not much
can be done with this issue.
There was to be an attack upon the
New Deal for its policy of developing
public power. Mr.. Willkie gained fame
for his attack upon the electric power
development of the Tennessee Valley
Authority. He might have been expected
to use this issue as the horrible exam
pie" of Government interference with
private business. But suddenly it is dis
covered that T. v. A. is an important
factor in the national defense program.
r. v. A. power is needed to supply plants
making aluminium for the aircraft in
dustry Likewise, in the Far West, power
from Bonneville Dam today is starting to
operate giant new plant for produc-
tion of aluminium in that area. An at
tack upon public power policies is likely
to be difficult as a result
Candidate Willkie is in favor of more
So is Candidate Roosevelt, who has urged
decentralization since taking Office in
1888 and ordered some time ago that all
new armament plants built or financed
by the Government must be located west
of the Alleghanies. Both candidates ap-
pear to believe that the United States
should extend all aid, short Of war. to
Great Britain in her fight with Ger
many and Italy.
Mr.. Willkie might claim that he would
bring into Government larger percent
age Of businessmen than Mr.. Roosevelt
has brought. The truth is, however,
that Mr.. Roosevelt is giving jobs to an
impressive number Of men famous in
business and is handing something like
q blank check to William S. Knudsen
and Edward Stettinius in their defense
work. A new addition to the growing
number of businessmen in Government
is Nelson Rockefeller.
The point of all Of this is that the 1910
campaign might readily simmer down to
a battle over the issue Of third term
for any President and to the further is
sue that it is time to throw the ins out
and to throw the outs in.
The campaign readily can turn into
one of personalities rather than one of
issues, except for the one real issue of a
third term. There are many who feel
that this issue alone will be enough to
defeat President Roosevelt WhAther