Evening star., 1943-01-10


in It's swaddling clothes. 1t promises,
however, to be lusty body, with far
greater degree of independence than its
more immediate predecessors.
President Roosevelt, apparently in
formed of the threats of insurgency on
Capitol Hill against the New Deal, in
his annual message delivered to the Con-
gress on Thursday, indicated that If
there was to be a fight he would be in
there pitching for the New Deal team
as usual. The immediate reaction among
members of Congress, however, was that
his message was more conciliatory than
had been expected. Indeed, some men,
bers interpreted it to mean that the
President is not intending to press for
further social legislation at this time.
In other quarters 1t was pointed out
that the President had told the Con-
gress the need for doing something now
to make it certain that when the war
is over there shall not be collapse, with
millions thrown out of work. His posi-
ton has been made clear. He has
recommended that Congress not wait
until after the war and the conditions
which should be avoided have become a
fact. In other words, the New Dealers
assert that the llext move is up to Con-
gress-or the blame will fall on that
body and not on the President.
Legislation Prepared.
Social security legislation already has
been prepared 1t was ready for pres
entation had the President gone forward
with demand that Congress take action
now. Prediction had been made he
would do so. The word, however, had
been carried to the President by Demo-
cratic members of Congress that this
legislation could not pass now.
One of the first direct slaps aimed at
the New Deal in the new Congress was
the move by Senator Vandenberg of
Michigan, Republican, in the Senate, and
Resident Commissioner Bolivar Pagan of
Puerto Rico in the House to remove from
Office Gov Rexford G. Tugwell of Puerto
Rico. Gov Tugwell to many members
of Congress, personifieS the New Deal.
The bill which has been introduced in
both houses fixes the term of office for
a Governor of Puerto Rico at two years.
If it becomes law, as it's sponsors are
claiming it will, Gov. TugWelrs term
would automatically terminate. The
President, if he wishes, could then re-
appoint Mr.. Tugwell, and the fight would
come in the Senate on confirmation, or
he could veto the bill if it passes Con-
gress and try to make the veto stick.
The Congress has still to receive the
Presidents budget message for the fiscal
year 1914, which begins next July l. 1t
is expected he will send the message to
the Capitol tomorrow. His recommen-
dations dealing with governmental ex-
penditures and with revenue raising are
awaited with the keenest interest. 1t is
expected that the totals of appropria-
tions will be larger than ever before in
the history of the country-running as
high as $50 ,OOO,O 900 900 to 100000 900 900.
Manpower Issue.
Nothing was said by the President in
his message on the State Of the Nation
regarding finances, either appropriations
or taxation or bond issues. Nor did he
deal in his message with the all-impor-
tant question of manpower. Members
of Congress have been much excited over
the distribution of manpower-especially
for the farms, where approximately s.
900 men have left to enter military
service or the war production factories.
The best information obtainable at
present is that the administration is
not asking for manpower legislation
for draft of labor. AS things stand
today, Congress would not pass it. More
likely Congress will attempt to soften
the manpower problem through the
amendment of some of the labor laws,
especially the 44-hour work week, which
DEGREES that all time worked over 40
hours in a single week must be paid at
the rate of time and half. The admin
istration has in the past resisted any
effort to suspend or amend this law. 1t
did demand that the payment of double
time for work on Sundays and holidays
be eliminated-and the unions fell in
line 1t may be expected that efforts
will be made to enact legislation dealing
with the hours of labor before the Con-
gress has gone much further. Also leg
islation which would outlaw work stop
pages in war plants will be advanced.
Such changes in the laws have been
strongly resisted by the New Dealers in
the past.
Economy Bloc" Stronger.
The economy bloc" in Congress has
grown in size, augmented by the Repub-
lican gains in both houses and also by
the feeling among Democrats that every
thing possible must be done to cut to
the bone appropriations and expendi-
lures for Government non-war activities.
The President has indicated the budget
will call for economies along this line.
Whether they will be great enough to
satisfy the Congress-which as it stands
today contains anti-New Deal ma ajorities
in both houses-remains to be seen.
The probabilities are they will not be
satisfied.
The farm bloc has blood In its eye.
It is preparing to insist not only that
the farmers the necessary labor to pro-
duce food in huge quantities but also
it is preparing to fight for a new def
milton of farm parity" the formula
by which the farmers dollar is supposed
to be made equal in purchasing power
with that of the industrial worker. Into
this formula the farm leaders are asking
that the farm labor cost be written The
administration firmly resisted such an
effort in the last Congress. After what