The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1942-02-19
Justified Resentment


ln Washington. For the past eight
years it has seemed that nothing could
pierce their Indifference; that those in
authority could break almost any
precedent and violate with impunity
the most elemental laws Of prophets.
False pretense, broken promises
blatant demagoguely all went unre-
luked. So completely had New Deal
policies anesthatized the people that
there seemed no limit to what could
hcSdone. All Of which makes the more
encouraging the popular resentment
manifested in various parts of the
country over the recent action Of Con.
gress in voting retirement pensions TO
its own membership. This, considering
the period, was, of course, a shocking
thing to do, but for a while it ap-
peared that, like so many other
shameless performances, after the
usual denunciations, it would be ac-
ccpted, too.
However, it has not turned out
quite that way. No sooner had the
President signed the bill than the peo-
pie began to wake up. Ridicule as well
as abuse began to pour in on men,
hers Of Congress. Out in Spokane,
Washington, the Athletic Round Table
started its Bundles for Congress"
movement, Whatever happens, said
the club president, 'our ailing Con-
grfssmen must be made comforta-
blG.' Other organizations maze them
selves heard from and a bill for re
pcaf was introduced in the House
The County officers Association of the
State Of New York passed a resolu-
ton denouncing the Congressional ac-
ton and favoring the repeal.
Representative Smith, of Ohio, who
introduced the repeal bill, has now
presented a petition for House vote
on his proposal. This is a direct re-
fcetion of public resentment and is
an. exceedingly healthy sign. This
summer and fall every member of the
Hons and onc-third of the Senate
come up for denomination and cleo
ton. \ record Of having voted for or
acduiesccd in the Congressional pen
sion proposal is likely to be real
political liability A considerable num-
Der Of Congressman, looking forward
to fights in close districts, are anX-
ious. to rid themselves Of this weak
ness.
The average Congressman has no
desire to present his opponent III
either primary or general election an
opportunity to make the charge that
in the midst Of q great national crisis,
when every non-war expenditure
should be "cut to the bone" he voted
himself a pension. Clearly, that will
not be an easy charge to handle when
pressed by vigorous opponent who,
as The is sure to do, tells the voters
that if they send him to Congress iii
stead Of the cringing incumbent he
wilfi vote to repeal this indefensible
act..Visualizing this kind Of attack it
is hot strange the repeal movement
should find favor with many sitting
members.
The thing that puts them in par
ticislarly vulnerable position in this
matter in the effort to sneak it through
without roll call. They succeeded II
doing this in the House, and would
have done so in the Senate but for
Senator Byrd, Of Virginia, who made
a Protest and demanded a roll call,
H eawas supported by Senator Norris,
of Nebraska. and a number of others,
butthe vote showed AZ for the pen
siolls and only "a against. Of course,
popular feeling may evaporate. Inc
whole thing, like many others, may be
forgotten in a short time and the re-
peal proposal be abandoned. But at
thesmoment members Of Congress ara
sweating dreadfully over the situa-
ton,
And it is not lessening their discom-
fort that this pension vote in their
own interests has centered public at
tention more strongly upon other acts
which disregard the declared policy
of'the President that war eXpendl-
lures necessitate rigid reduction in
normal expenditures. Instead, one
branch Of Congress or the other has
passed bills which involve so profit
gate a use Of the public funds as 90
endanger the credit Of the country ard
threaten to nullify every effort to
maintain even a semblance of finan-
cial equilibrium.
81 aa
For example, there is the proposal
to- pension all civilian workers-ol
their widows-who were engaged in
construction Of the Panama Cana
twenty-eight years ago. This would
add close to two million a year to the
pension load. Through insistence Of
Senator Pepper. of Florida, it was