Evening star., 1943-01-03
By Raym p. Brandt

Faces his most critical Congress.
victory over the Axis nations, whatever
the monetary cost. Underneath, how
ever, there will be shrewd maneuvering
by both parties and by the so-called ma
tionalistS" and 'internationalists" groups
to gain superior political vantage ground
for the presidential and congressional
elections of 1914
Between now and the national con-
ventions, only 18 months away, the
records will be written for the presiden-
tial candidates. President Roosevelt, if
he follows his precedent before 1910, will
not indicate his own position for 1914
Evidence is accumulating that Vice
President Wallace is no longer looked
upon as the Presidents successor and
that the mantle is to be passed on to
Economic Director James F. Byrnes, if
he measures up to it.
COP Possibilities.
Two Republican possibilities, Senators
Robert A. Taft of Ohio and Arthur H.
Vandenberg, have publicly renounced
claims on the 1914 nomination, but they
will use the Capitol as forum for their
kind of candidate, of the type of Gov
Bricker of Ohio, so that Wendell Willkie
and the "internationslists" will not con-
troll the next national convention.
The division between the "nationalists"
and 'internationalists" will be most
marked on continuance of the lease lend
program, granting of war powers to the
President over tariffs and immigration
and plans looking to collaboration with
foreign powers during and after the war
The "nationalists" will claim that Uncle
Sam shouldn't be a Santa Claus and the
Roosevelt spokesmen will insist that our
advances and credits are the actions of
wise and farseeing banker. The differ
ences of opinion will be basic.
The most bitter controversies are most
certain to be over domestic issues. The
November elections strengthened the
farm bloc and lessened the representa-
tion of organized labor. If strikes flare
up in war and essential civilian indus
tries as is likely, bills for outlawing of
strikes, for a compulsory 48-hour work
week, for publicity of union finances will
obtain greater support than in the past.
If the strikes continue and are serious,
some such legislation will be enacted.
President Expected to Lead.
There will be much talk about cutting
down appropriations for the non-war
agencies in Government The President
is expected to take the lead on his state
of-the-Union and budget messages, with
particular reference to the Rural Eec-
trification Administration, the Interior
Department Reclamation Service, the
Commerce Department Bureau of For
eign and Domestic Commerce. the Ma
tional Youth Administration. the Justice
Department Antitrust Division and
other agencies can be revived or re-
expanded after the war.
While economy" is a popular and
desired end, there is grave danger that
the farm bloc and other special inter-
ests will make big play on this issue,
yet fail to act on bigger problems such
as the curbing of imitation. Thus while
boasting of saving so or 100 million dol
lars they would leave unchecked forces
ultimately raising the cost of living 10
times that amount.
Whatever the security given war and
non-war legislation and appropriations
by the new Congress, the country will
be faced with ever-mounting taxes and
ever-mounting deficits. War costs dur
ing the current fiscal year will approach
if not exceed the $50 900, ,000, 900 forecast
BY the President in October. During the
next fiscal year, beginning July l, the
war spending schedule calls for an out
lay of s10O,0OO,C0oo oOO The rate of
spending is now more than $4,000 900 900
a month and the prospects are for de-
ficits of $5300O,0OO,OC this year and
$4,000 100000 for the year ending June
80, 1914. BY the last named date the
national debt will come near to a quarter
of trillion dollars.
Heavy Taxes Seen.
All except the out-and-out inf1ation-
lists agree that as much in taxes as
possible must be raised to meet the war
expenditures. Disagreements will come
over methods. The Treasury wants a
spending tax plus compulsory savings;
an ever-increasing congressional group
advocates sales taxes and "pay-as-you-
CO. in come tax-the Ruml plan. The
Treasury wishfully thinks of a new tax
bill by March Is, but Congress undoubt-
edly will wait until the March Is tax
returns indicate the collections under
the present law. The President would
extend the $4,000 net salary limitation
to all income regardless Of. source but
the chances are greater for statute