The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-07-29
WNU Service, Union Trust Building
washington. d. G..


Washington, d. c.
Wars and rumors of war, war pro-
duction, man power. postwar plans,
race riots. roll backs, gas rationing,
strikes, floods. offensives-you can
think of a lot more probably. All
right, pour them all into the hopper
Grind them up. This is a pretty
dish to set before a voter in 1914!
Don't worry. he can take it. But
take away his bread-basket, and he
is a different animal
Food will win the war.
Lack of it can postpone victory if
it doesn't spell defeat
And food. or lack of it. can lose
an election, that is what you are
hearing in Washington these days.
An electorate, like an army,
moves on its stomach. On an empty
stomach, it moves away from the
inns, hollers for the outs to
bring back the bacon. And when
you get customer with both all
empty stomach and a full pocket
book hammering on the table and
demanding service, you have hard
customer to please.
Slowly. the Washington politicians
are beginning to awaken to that fact
that food is going to be the big
issue in the next election.
President SaW Ii First
The President and his keen-eyed,
ears-to-the-ground political scouts
recognized it first, and when Phil
Murray, head of the CIO. and Will
liam Green of the ALL began to
call for the roll-back of prices. the
administration was quick to prom
Use that they would be served right
away Meanwhile, some of the 9TH
er guests are beginning to feel neg
lected.
But before roll-backs au gratin
could be served, congress stuck its
foot out and tried to spill the tray.
For a while, it looked as If there
was going to be embarrassment in
the political kitchen.
Even if the administration is able
to silence the demands and threats
of labor, there are lot of other
Oliver Twists who want some
more" and who will twist out OF
their straight-ticket voting and start
looking for "a better OLE unless
fh5e fnnI rx,Yar4tav, raI.
the ides of November MCMXLIV.
Through the days when congress
was first trying to fold its tent and
steal away from the banks of the
Potomac. one thing was clear. I'M
less the administration pulled a
nice, fat and succulent rabbit out of
the hat which could be served up
to the electorate with enough bas-
ketsfull left over for the fighting
forces and the hungry Allies and
other prospective clients, the Gallup
poll vaulters which had re-re-re-
elected the New Deal in advance
would have to start their polling all
over again.
The enemies of the administration
are building up barrage to the eff
feet that Mr. Roosevelt has babied
labor and has left his old friends,
the farmers, in the lurch They say
that because he was afraid to Of
fend labor, he listened to their de-
mands for lower prices and turned
deaf ear to the farmers troubles.
This, Of course, since it comes
from hardly non-partisan quarters,
has to be taken with a grain Of salt,
but whatever the working man says,
when he sees the cost of living eat
ing up his former raises" if he has
had them, the record will show that
despite John Lewis polysyllabic at
lacks on the President, labor has
not been treated exactly as a STEP
child.
But what has the farmer been
getting meanwhile?
A couple Of assists, at least which
have benefited him and the war eff
fort at the same time.