Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-21
New Dealers
Fill Many
Ca+egories
Error TO Classify Them
as One-Minded Group
BY HUGH s. JOHNSON

, EOR more than elsh II years
there has been close 10 the
heart of this administration a
nest of people whom we have
called the New Dealers.
II is a mistake TO classify
them all in one lump as men
and women of the same cast OF
mind. They are far from that.
Their constant shifting and
coming and going would be
proof enough of that, if there
we're not evidence enough other
wise
They range from almost out
right Communists 10 Staunchly
partisan Democrats who have
no use whatever for any of
these theories but who believe
that A Democratic President can
do no wrong Others are intel
lectual theorists who believe
that our form of government
has become TOO hide-bound Cthey
are probably righD and are
hell bent on trying something
new
Still others are ambitious
men. even of the industrial type,
who deSpiSe the whole doctrine
but think II is the safest hide
away from the catastrophe they
fear. Others are immSture col
legians who can draw down
more salaries in the monStrouS
bureaucracy that has been built
than they ever dreamed of en-
Toying for years al least.
VARIED as has been their
' type. they are alike in one
thing They don't care A hang
for tho >olvency and credit OF
the United States They have
no hesitanCy in spending billions.
Some like Mr.. Harry Hopkins
who Is pretty nearly tops among
them. have spent or given away
more of other peoples money
than any other human beings
since the world began
Some indulge in this fabulous
sQuanderlng because they know
little of its effect and feel no
responsibility for II. Others.
like Mr.. A. a. BerlP, perhaps
the best informed and most
clear-headed of the lot, boldly
told Senate committee that its
effect. If not It's purpose, was 10
put the great industries Of the
country and. by implication, all
private property under such A
burden Of federal obligation that
the government would own or AT
least control il all.
They have gone very far
There is no limit in sight 10
federal debt The war advanced
their If there was plan
by leagues.
THROUGH mutual friendships,
Il If not community Of purpose,
they infiltrated into so many
key places IN the StupendouS
machine which the government
has built up that Withdrawing
the whole crew overnight would
be like taking the skeleton out
of a chicken II would collapse.
They have failed in many o.
their principal purposes. But
they are never dauntcd. II one
new and untricd theory doesn't
work, they blthely pass on TO
another
This is all an old story and
what has been said was by way
Of laundering preface. For never
forget this Is the real crew di-
reCting our eIori-IR this war
If one alphabetical war agency
doesn't work another Is set up,
but while the places are changed
on the chart, many Of the same
old names and faces remain. and
always behind the scenes sits the
Scpulchral figure OF Mr. Hopkins
pulling tho strings
4 FEW induStriahStS may fit
IA in. but they promptly fit
out if they are not acceptable TO
this group Any body who thinks
that Mr. Donald Nelson, indus
trialiSt though he Is WASH
weighed in their balance and
found not wanting, just doesn't
know his Washington groceries.
All Of which brings me up 10
the point OF this piece To pros
cCute this war without fantastic
failure should this gang 60? My
answer is cmphatlcally no In
the first place it is too late. They
and theirs are so much a part of
government, twined into its very
fiber, that such a housekeeping
would risk collapse and chaos.
In the second place il is i'm
possible. The No l man is re-
SponSible for them and you can't
get rid Of the President.
Hard as II is. we must do the
best VIC can with the tools We
have.
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Reproduction N whole IN part
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