The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1940-07-11

affair and appoints to draft military
CONSUMPTION plan a rampant New
Dealer, ardent third-termer and radi-
cal labor leader-Mr. Sidney Hillman
born in Russia and once personal
friend Of Lenin. Some years ago Mr..
Hillman organized corporation here
to raise capital for the economic benz
eft of the Soviet Union and collected
considerable money for that purpose.
Many who believe CONSUMPTION desir-
able think Hillman selection a mis-
take not obviated even by the naming
of Mr.. Owen D. Dung as his aide. The
idea of Making Mr.. Young the aide of
Mr.. Hillman seems so complete q re-
versal of their proper positions that
it can be explained only by some queer
notion of political expediency. There
is no other way to account for such an
absurd setup. AS for the financial
phase of the defense program, that is
so amazing as to defy explanation.
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Already the President has asked
Congress to appropriate fourteen bill
lions. 1t is not only that no coherent
and comprehensive plans for spending
so vast sum have been made, but
there is the unreasonableness Of ask
ing Congress to appropriate billions
which cannot be used for many years
to come. 1t is difficult not to believe
that the main purpose of asking these
additional billions at this time is
political. The Democratic Convention
is just ahead. Mr.. Roosevelt seems the
inevitable candidate Much of the ex-
cuse for third-term effort has dis
appeared. Only by creating a feeling
that Mr.. Roosevelt must remain in
order to carry out the gigantic defense
program and meet a great emergency
can the attempt to break the tradition
appear reasonably justified. Belief that
the President is not dealing with this
business in the nonpartisan spirit he
urges in others is strengthened by his
strange course on the matter of taxa
ton and retrenchment.
**A
First, he asked for a two-billion ap-
preparation, casually saying that the
question of taxes could be taken up
later and suggesting that Congress
adjourn. Then he acquiesced in the in
adequate and hastily thrown togther
tax bill initiated by Congress with no
encouragement from him. Third, he
used his personal influence to kill
Senator Byrd's proposal to cut Gov
ernmental expenditures ten per cent,
although he had said he was making a
survey with that in view. Finally, he
now advocates the immediate enact
ment Of an excise profit tax, which
his own Treasury officials say cannot
be intelligently prepared in sixty days.
Congress hardly could enact such a
tax before the campaign ends and the
expert opinion is that if enacted, it
would slow down the very industrial
production we are trying to speed up.
Obviously, it is a political gesture.
! Understood clearly, what has hap
pened in the last two weeks is de-
pressing, indeed, to a people anxious
to achieve adequate defense in the
shortest possible time at minimum
cost. 1t is record Of confusion and
incompetency. But what else can be
expected with the head of the nation
an almost open candidate to succeed
himself, and compelled to consider and
conciliate the pressure groups? I'm
questionably, it is a national tragedy
that an election looms in which the
President has a personal stake.