Evening star., 1940-02-20
Program for Republicans

Program for Republicans
DR.. Glenn Frank and a group Of
two hundred representative Repub-
lican associates have made public a
program for the rehabilitation of the
United States which is a significant
step in the right direction. This pro-
gram, product Of two years of careful
study, may or may not be ratified by
the G. O. P. But If 1t is-if the party
leaders incorporate it in the platform
for 1910 and if the next Republican
nominee subscribes to its salient fea-
tures-the hour OF. the passing Of
"Old Guard Republicanism" may well
be at hand.
DR.. Franks report offers no blanket
Indictment of the New Deals legisla-
tive accomplishments, although it
does announce unequivocal opposi-
ton to what the Republican COM
mittee conceives to be the ultimate
objective of the New Dealers
eventual replacement of the present
American economic system with a
form of governmental paternalism.
But the committee avoids the mis-
take of opposing in principle such
social reforms as those reflected in
the theory of the Wagner Labor Rela-
tions Act, the social security laws, a
farm program based on subsidization
until such time as there can be
established a "real parity" between
the prices of farm products and the
cost of farm purchases, and a relief
policy which recognizes the need of
Federal participation.
This general Endorsement of the
legislative program enacted under
the New Deal is modified, of course,
by proposals for amendments which
would curtail some of these activities
and expand others. But, with one
notable exception, it cannot fairly be
said that the committees reserva-
tions are calculated to nullify the
Endorsement in principle which is
given to the great body of Roosevelt
reforms. On the contrary, what the
Republicans propose is that the
country should pause now to consol-
idate its social gains, that the legisla-
tive reforms now on the statute books
be examined with a view to the adop-
ton of perfecting amendments for
which there is such obvious need.
The most important exception to
the general soundness of DR.. Franks
proposals concerns the recommended
ton with respect to the reciprocal
trade agreements program. In its
discussion of this subject the COM
mittee acknowledges that the United
States, if it is to enjoy any substan-
tial foreign trade, must import as
well as export, that we cannot hope
to sell our surplus products while
refusing to purchase the goods of
our customers. The committee also
comedies that progress toward such
increased foreign trade can be made
only through the negotiation of trade
agreements offering genuine reci-
procity benefits, but urges that any
such agreements be subjected ito the
safeguard of approval by concurrent
resolution of both Houses of Con-
gress."
This reservation ignores the fact
that the success of the Hull trade
program is attributable in very large
measure to the fact that the agree
ments are not submitted to Congress
for approval. If experience proves
anything, a requirement that con-
currence of the House and Senate
be obtained before the agreements
can become effective would kill the
trade program as effectively as out
right repeal of the authorizing
legislation.
But this one flaw, important
though 1t is, does not undermine the
entire program recommended by the
Frank committee. On the whole, the
recommendations are liberal-so
liberal, in fact, that serious opposi-
ton to them may come from the
more conservative elements of the
party, and the real measure of Re-
publican liberalism will be revealed
by the extent to which the party
as a whole accepts this report of its
Program Committee.