Evening star., 1954-01-10
Depression Cry Traced
To Selfish Politicians
Writer Says Democrats Wont
Slump for Purtisun Uses


Writer Says Democrats Won't
Slump for Purtisun Uses
By Fronk R. Kent
Perhaps it has not been pointed out
with sufffcient clarity, but it does seem
that already there has accumulated
sufficient evidence to prove to most de-
tached persons that the one group in
the country most strongly in favor of
a depression is composed Of the Demo-
cratic politicians of the New Deal-Fair
Deal persuasion who see in it their big
chance of regaining control Of the
Government.
That was the way they gained con-
troll in 1882. The theme then was that
Herbert Hoover had brought on the
depression. Totally false as was that
contention, they succeeded in riding
into Office on it. Once in, the old Harry
Hopkins formula of "tax, tax. tax.
spend, spend. spend. elect, elect, elect"
was put into operation. The result
was that, aided by the war. a spurious
prosperity was maintained and great
groups of voters welded to the Demo-
cratic side. It was not until last year
that with Gen. Eisenhower as a candi-
date the Republicans were able to break
through that formidable setup and elect
President who. wants to keep in the
middle of the road instead Of travelling
faster and faster to the left.
Considering the facts it is natural the
Democrats should concentrate on the
effort to get back at the earliest pos
sible moment. Natural, too, is their
belief that the thing most helpful to
them would be another nice depression.
Accordingly, there seems fairly well
organized attempt to talk the country
into one. Depression forecasts flavor
all the Democratic National Committee
bers Of Congress ever make a speech
without stressing collapse and vast
army Of unemployed.
Two Of the most insistent of the de-
preston prophets are Mrs Franklin D.
Roosevelt and Walter Reuther. Both
are members of the so-called Americans
for Democratic Action, whose publicity
experts are spreading the depression
doctrine far and wide. Others, includ-
ing some Of the more conspicuous Tru-
man economic advisers" are doing
what they can to promote the idea that
a collapse Of our economic system is
just around the corner. Shortly, the
ADA will hold one of it's conventions
at which its hero, Adlai Stevenson, will
"emote" in his usual noble way, but
the organization which so wholeheart-
edly supports him will pass resolutions
about the deplorable state into which
our economy has gotten and loudly call
for prompt measures to save the
country.
Most of the ADA proposals will be
based on those which Mr.. Reuther,
who is also member of Mrs. Roose-
velt's new National Issues Committee,
laid before the CIO convention two
weeks ago and which, as usual with
Mr.. Reuther'S conventions, were unani-
mously adopted. Fifteen of these Reu-
ther resolutions involved large expen-
ditures of Federal cash. The 18th
urged that personal exemptions in the
income tax law be raised from $500 to
81 1000. This would lower the Govern
ment revenue by $9.5 million a year.
spend more and take in less. This does
not make sense and it never did. New
ertheleSS, it is basic in the New Deal
philosophy and. despite the fact that
the ultimate end of this road is ma
tional bankruptcy, one very dear to
the hearts Of the labor union dema-
gogues. Some of them actually believe
(which raises the question: How
dumb can you get?
When last week the President referred
to the 'peddlers of gloom" there is no
doubt he was referring to the type of
person who wants to promote himself
politically at the'expense of the Ameri-
can people. Because that is what it
amounts to. If the country could be
talked or maneuvered into a big-time
depression. probably the Eisenhower
administration would be blamed and
the next election go against the Repub-
licans. That is the way it worked in
1882 and it may be that will happen
again. But there are several things
that ought to be considered in connec-
tion with the present depression predic-
tionS:
Cd They largely come from politi-
clans anxious to get back to power: (2)
in the judgment of Secretary Humphrey
and other informed men in the admin
istration they are utterly without foun-
dation; 80 the political self-interest
of those who lead in the depression cry
is so clear that it is not likely to have
effect. Another thing worth noting is
that the only persons who outdo these
Democratic "peddlers of gloom are
the Communists. From the Soviet
press in Moscow and New York come
weekly outpourings to the effect that
the United States is on the verge Of
economic disaster. AS one clear head
ed man of business expresses 1.-THE
answer to that is "Nuts!"