Evening star., 1942-11-06

New Deal nd So :'*
tried to stem the David Lawrence.
tide, is taken, there will be a worse
defeat for the Democrats in 1914.
This kind of comment is being
heard on Capitol Hill, where, among
the Democrats in particular, the
feeling is one of resentment and
bitterness against presidentially ap-
pointed administrators who, without
experience with the psychological
reactions of the public gained in
running for Office, have piled up red
tape and restrictions without war
rant of law anc without regard to
the effects on the electorate.
Basically, the Democrats in Con-
gress from the South, who are nom
radical, are the ones who are loudest
In their protestations that the de-
feat of their Northern brethren is
due to mismanagement of the civil
ian economy by New Dealers. Re
newed demand is being made that
the 40-hour- week law be amended
and that the tremendous expense of
e-and-a- half in overtime either
be curtailed or at least revised so
that longer work weeks can solve
the manpoWer shortage.
Draft System Criticized.
There is revival, too, of criticism
Of the operations of the draft law,
with its unfair quota system and
lack of uniformity in applying oc-
cupational deferments, especially as
they relate to farm labor. Admin
istration of the draft probably
played as big a part as any single
thing in arousing resentment among
the voters, unless perhaps it was the
way Washington officials bungled
the rubber situation and gasoline
rationing.
There is no doubt that the New
Dealers have a defense for their
acts and that many wartime re-
strictions were necessary, but they
ignored the necessity of informing
the public and advising it of the
sacrifices needed to attain the war
time objectives. Thus, for instance,
the press would have been willing
and indeed has been anxious to CO.
operate in every way with the Gov
ernment in helping to prepare the
people for wartime restrictions. But
the administration seemed to think
1t was more important to start a
fight with the newspapers by making
more than thousand of the pub
fishers of daily newspaper defend
ants in a lawsuit over ancient issues
that could have waited to postwar
days for settlement.
The Administration policy to-
ward the press-a most important
channel of communication between
the Government and the people
just doesn't make sense. The Presi-
dent, as the leader of the Demo-
cratic party, has taken occasion to
antagonize the press, and after his
recent inspection trip he did not fail
to accuse writers and editors of
telling lies to the public. This is
hardly means of winning the CO.
operation of the press, because peo-
pie don't become enthusiastic CO.
opera tionists in America after being
beaten over the head with a crow
bar.
Investigations in Prospect.
It Is fair to say that the press has
been critical, but in a democracy
the way to avoid criticism is to see
to 1t that the evidence which gives
rise to the criticism is met by cor
rective or remedial policies. Sen
sittiveness and resentments have no
place in governmental operations.
It. is most unfortunate that in war
time the administration should be
believed by many publishers to be
carrying on a feud because the AS
sociated Press happened to deny
admission to newspaper politically
allied with the administration.
The congressional election results
will stir up domestic issues and
point a warning finger against the
bureaucrats who have been riding
high here in Washington in utter
disregard OF the peoples wishes
The war effort will not be impaired
but actually assisted when the new
Congress takes ONCE in January.
The Republicans. together with q
group of Southern Democrats, will
control the House. Undoubtedly
there will be a wave Of investiga-
tions to get at the manner In which
public power has been used by the
bureaucrats. Heretofore the ad-
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