Evening star., 1945-04-13

and Mr.. Farley, was unanimously
chosen as candidate for Vice Presi-
dent.
Returning to Albany for the New
York State DemocraticP Party Conven-
ton, he met and shook hands with
his estranged friend, former Gov
Smith. 1t was generally supposed
that their mutual interest in the
nomination of Herbert H. Lehman
for Governor was responsible for the
"burying of the hatchet." Mr.. Smith
subsequently made series of speeches
In behalf of the national ticket.
Credit for Mr.. Roosevelt's political
success must be given, not only to Mr.
Farley, but also to Louis Howe, a
neWspaperman who had been his in
innate friend and adviser since wal
days. Mr.. Roosevelt enjoyed an
easy relationship with news writer's
The correspondents who accompanied
him on his 1920 travels formed per-
manent club and annually dined to-
gether on his birthday.
A week before the election political
observers forecast Mr.. Roosevelt
victory. Their judgment was sus-
tanned by the people at the polls No
vember 8. The Democrats carried
AZ States-all but Connecticut, Della
ware. Maine. New Hampshire, Penn
sylvania and Vermont. Mr.. Roose-
welt had 472 electoral votes, Mr.
Hoover only SO.
Mr.. Roosevelt established a new
precedent, when, before proceeding to
the Capitol to take the oath Of office,
he attended divine service at St.
Johns Church with his family and
close friends. At the White House
he did not leave his car. Mr.. Hoover
rode with him up Pennsylvania ave-
nue. and both men were warmly greet
ed by the throngs along the curbs
On March the President his wife
end mother. with other members OF
his family, attended St. Thomas
Church. In the afternoon a cabinet
meeting was held and early in the
evening it was announced later, that
because of the stringency Of the bank
ing situation Mr. Roosevelt had pro-
claimed a moratorium on the ship
ment of gold and closed the banks
of the country for a period Of four
days. 1t also was announced that
Congress would be called into session
on March 9.
Congress appropriated billions of
dollars for relief and recovery and
President Roosevelt was given full
authority to spend it to the best ad-
vantage in meeting the unemploy-
ment and business crises.
Through it all the President main
tanned his characteristic calm, and his
supporters began to lay the ground
work fer his reelection. Roosevelt
is said to have entertained no doubts
at any time as to his selection by the
people for a second term in the White
House.
The conflict in views between Presi-
dent Roosevelt and majority Of the
Supreme Court as to what could be
done under the Constitution by ma
tional legislation designed to change
economic and social conditions then
precipitated one of the major con-
troversies in American history.
Time after time the high tribunal
decreed that New Deal legislation
violated the basic law and must be
discarded. Less frequently, the court
sided with the President.
The storm over the Supreme Court
broke with sudden fury on February
5. 1887, when President Roosevelt
asked Congress to enact legislation
giving him authority to name six ad-
ditlonal justices of the court if in
cumbents past 70 refused to retire.
He asked permission to pursue
similar plan for infusion Of new
blood" in lower courts and to instruct
procedural reforms.
Five days after announcement OF
the Presidents plan the House passed
bill permitting Supreme Court
justices to retire on full pay at 10,
after serving 10 years on the bench.
Shortly thereafter Senator Wheeler
Democrat. of Montana joined the op-
position TO the Presidents plan. He
became one of the leaders in the
fight.
Vice President Garner on July 20,
1887. advised Mr.. Roosevelt of the
Senates irreconcilable opposition to
the bill. After a second visit from
Mr.. Garner and other leaders the
President was reported ready to COM
promise.
The Senate voted, 70 to 20, to re-
commit the bill TO the Senate Judiciary
Committee on July %, thus interring
the measure and bringing to an end
one of the bitterest congressional
executive battles Of modern times.
Cheap Power Seen Emptying Cities.
Belief that the Government should
not part with its sovereignty and con-
troll over its power resources" was
basic with Roosevelt That would not
happen, he said, while he was Presi-
dent.
He thought it essential that rates be
reduced and that il the power COM
panies failed to solve the problem the
Government itself should step in.
Thus IVA, Grand Coulee, Bon
neville, Casper -Alcova and other Gov
ernment dams we're to be "yardstickS"
to determine a fair cost of producing
power
Roosevelt believed that his power
program had evolved naturally out of
scientific progress, that scientists had
found the means whereby to develop
natural resources and that it was es-
sential to use these resources to the
best advantage.
Prophetically, the blue eagle, when
1t was designed to symbolic NRA,
held shaft Of lightning in one claw.
Together with AAA, the NRA
machinery was to form the pair of
goal posts through which Roosevelt
hoped to carry the ball Of recovery to
a touchdown. AAA was to raise
farm income. NRA was to do the
same for city workers.
The two plans burst like summer
lightning on Washington a few weeks
after President Roosevelt took office
cracked in and out of official councils
for a little more than two years and
then faded from the sky, overcome by
adverse rSupreme Court rulings.