Evening star., 1940-01-03

having Ine
Charles G. Ross. campaign in
mind, the President will propose
no social-reform legislation CAL
culated to open up old sores among
the Democrats. The practical poll
tician in him is now in the as
cendant above the crusading re-
former and the stubborn Dutch
man.
There will be much sounding-off
for and against third term, but
nothing that is said in or out Of
Congress will smoke Mr.. Roosevelt
out. He won't make his position
clear till he is good and ready,
and nobody-probably not even Mr..
Roosevelt-knows when that will
be.
The Hull trade policy will be
ratified, through continuance of the
Trade Agreements Act beyond its
June expiration date, and the Sec
retary of State will grow in politi-
cal stature.
The McNutt boom will continue
to fade.
Wheeler Boom.
The Wheeler boom has possibili-
ties, though it might be exploded
by too-vociferous opposition of
the Senator to the trade agree
ments. His alliance with the Re-
publicans on this issue may help
him in the West, but it's hard to
see how it can do him any good
nationally. Senator Wheeler will
need to watch his step if he is to
become a serious contender for the
presidential nomination. AS of to-
day, he has good outside chance.
The Dies committee will be con-
tinued. Whether or not there is any
formal action toward putting curb
on the committee, there will be
numerous expressions by members of
Congress that will tend to impose
on 1t decent regard for individual
rights. Or so, at least, it is earnestly
to be hoped.
The Neutrality Act will stand
practically, if not exactly, as now
written
There will be no income tax in
creases
Anti-Lynching Bill.
The hardy perennial, the anti
lynching bill, will come up again
and will be passed by the House. AS
always, it will be smothered in the
Senate. Joined with the sincere
sentiment for this bill, there will be
the usual mixture of politics-and
cheap politics, at that There is
new argument against the bill
which Senator Borah says would be
an unconstitutional invasion Of
States rights-in the fact that the
States against which it is aimed
are showing an increased awareness
of their duty to wipe out the lynch
ing evil. Doubtless the agitation for
the bill has had good deal to do
with this wholesome result. Last
year the number of lynchings in the
United States fell to three.
Some amendments will be made in
the Wagner Labor Relations Act,
but none that will cripple its essen
tial purpose of safeguarding labor's
right of collective bargaining. No
effort to repeal the act could hope
to succeed.
Wage-Hour Law.
The same is true of the wage and
hour law. Some exemptions will be
provided-as certainly they should
be in the case of large numbers of
white-collar workers drawing sizable
salaries-but to what extent cannot
be foretold. Shortsighted efforts
to riddle the act with amendments,
like those proposed by Representa-
tive Barden of North Carolina in
the first session, will be renewed.
All such efforts will be warmly re-
sisted by the House Labor Commit
tee, and their success is unlikely.
Representative Joseph w. Martin,
jr.. of Massachusetts, the House
minority leader, will continue to
shepherd his flock with great politi-
cal skill and his shade as a dark
horse prospect for the Republican
presidential nomination will grow
lighter.
There will be the usual torrent
of talk about economy but very little
economizing in practice.
Something will be done for Fin
land.
Aid for Farmers.
Very substantial things will be
done for the American farmer. Any
one who has any doubt of this should
review the record of the 1896 cam
paign, in which Candidate Landon
outpromised Candidate Roosevelt on
farm relief.
Senator McNary. the Republican
leader of the Senate, will not allow
his opposition to the New Deal to
range him against material benefits
for the Pacific Northwest.
The Garner boom will be seen
increasingly for what it is-a move
ment primarily so far as Mr.. Garner
is concerned, to destroy the influence
Of the Roosevelt palace guard in the
Democratic party. Mr.. Garner will
not himself be nominated for Presi-
dent. Unless the third-term move
ment gets out of hand, he will, how
ever, have great deal to say about
who is nominated.
There will be no letup in the
congressional demand that the coun-
try remain at peace.
The SeSSion-and the year-Will
end with the country at peace