Newspaper Page Text
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National Topics Interpreted /-I]
by William Bruckart
National Press Building Washington, D. C. -ZZterrnfiTTF
Washington. Many observers
around Washington lately have no
. ticed something of
Cnang'e tn a change in Presi-
Roosevelt dent Roosevelt’s
attitude since the
election which so overwhelmingly
returned him to office. From most
any standpoint you assume, you will
note, I believe, a more critical atti
tude on the part of the President
concerning the schemes advanced
by his advisers. He is apparently
examining the suggestions, the pro
posals and programs laid before
him much more cautiously and care
fully than was his record during
the past three years.
It is yet too early to catalog this
attitude as a change on Mr. Roose
velt’s part but surely it is notice
able. If he continues it, it is all
to the good for the country. If he
continues it, it cannot fail to mean
better administration, better legis
lation, sounder national policies. It
necessarily must mean as well, that
there will be fewer of the half
baked ideas, plans which the Presi
dent had not considered fully, pro
grams he had not thought through.
One of the important indicators of
this changed attitude on the part
of Mr. Roosevelt comes in the form
of an announcement in which Mr.
Roosevelt named a committee of
outstanding agricultural authorities
and citizens whose job is to pre
pare a long-term program for al
leviation of the farm tenant prob
lem, if not its complete eradica
tion. Secretary Wallace will head
this committee which is to report
early in February and the appoint
ment of Mr. Wallace to this job in
cidentally seems to assure his re
tention as head of the Department
of Agriculture—and there had been
some question whether he would re
main.
Os course, the farm tenant prob
lem long has been a cancerous
growth on American agriculture. It
has been spreading. Previously, I
have reported in these columns how
official figures disclosed an increas
ing number of farms operated by
tenants and owned by absentee
landlords. It has been a problem
for some years and seems to be
growing more acute. Hence, the
President’s move would seem to
mean that the federal government
is going to put its hand to the
oar and try, at least, to do some
thing pbout it.
• • •
Now, it may mean that the fed
eral government will create another
billion dollar gov
tv naf It ernment - owned
May Mean corporation or it
may mean subsi
dies or any one of a number of
other federal aids. I do not want
to prejudge it, however, because
certainly the President is to be com
mended in approaching the problem
in a sensible way, namely, the cre
ation of a committee to give the
question a thoroughgoing analysis
before legislation to alleviate the
condition is proposed.
That is what makes it so signifi
cant. A year or two or three ago,
some braintruster sitting in a cob
webby office would have suddenly
had a thought about the “renters”
and other types of farm tenants;
he would have felt very sorry for
them and would have determined
in his own mind that they must be
made the beneficiaries of “the more
abundant life” right quickly. He
would have sought and obtained an
appointment with the President;
would have related the beautiful pic
ture he had conceived in his own
limited mentality and, in all prob
ability, Mr. Roosevelt would have
shouted, “fine, fine.”
The next thing that would have
happened would have been the
drafting of a piece of legislation for
submission to congress. It would
have gone to Capitol Hill with the
stamp of administration approval
and all of the automatons of the
house and senate who owed their
positions to Roosevelt blessings,
would have voted for it. It would
have become law without serious
debate and, as in most cases, with
out most of the representatives and
senators having understood what it
was all about. The results of such
legislation are beginning to show
and it is going to be necessary to
remake a great deal of it. The
trouble was that these theorists and
impractical men never were able to
see more than one narrow phase
of the problem with which they were
dealing and Mr. Roosevelt did not
take the time to find out for him
self what all of the factors were.
It is quite evident, therefore, that
one thing the New Deal sadly needs
is more co-ordination among its
own people.
• • •
I referred above to the necessity
for co - ordination among gov
ernmental depart-
Changes ments as to poli-
Needed c i es and that leads
into the long-time
need for actual reorganization of
the physical structure known as the
federal government. There are cer
tain signs emerging from the seeth
ing now occurring, as is usual, in
advance of a congressional session
that indicate President Roosevelt
may be making a definite move to-
wards this much needed reorganiza
tion.
It is highly important that it be
done. I think everyone agrees with
that statement. Mr. Roosevelt is in
a position to do it. He is one of
the few Presidents of recent years
who has been in a position to do it.
He is in that position because of
the tremendous majority his party
possesses in house and senate and I
think it can be said unequivocably,
if Mr. Roosevelt cannot do it or
does not do it, it never will be done.
It goes without saying that there
are scores of unnecessary agencies
now in existence, most of them the
children of the New Deal. There
is overlapping; there is conflict of
jurisdiction and there is a super
abundance of ideas from every
source that affect or influence op
erations of other agencies. It is a
tangled skein and the untangling is
going to be a difficult job. The whole
setup is shot through with politics
and politicians and to decapitate po
litical patronage is a man-sized job.
The job now may be made even
worse in this regard by the fact
that never in history have there
been so many shades of opinion in
congress. The natural result of this
sort of thing is that the various
groups of blocs insist on carrying
out particular pet schemes and
those pet schemes nearly always
mean a new governmental bureau,
commission or what have you.
As far as present conditions have
developed, none can foretell exactly
what Mr. Roosevelt has in mind
concerning the new government
structure. It goes without saying,
of course, that the major depart
ments, each headed by a cabinet
officer, will constitute the basic
framework of whatever co-ordina
tion or consolidation Mr. Roosevelt
eventually proposes. But it is out
side of this framework where the
real co-ordination is needed. It is
among the countless alphabetical
soup agencies that the pruning knife
and the axe must be wielded with
utter abandon. A lot of needless
and, in many cases, irresponsible
government policies are worked out
here. It is among these agencies
as well where waste in the form of
reckless spending and badly con
ceived programs has taken place
to the greatest extent under the
Roosevelt administration.
• • •
Such co-ordination and consolida
tion as the President attempts,
therefore, can ac-
Rehef for complish a very
Taxpayers great deal in the
way of budgetary
reforms and relief for the taxpayers
if the job is undertaken seriously.
Indeed, as the situation now shapes
up, elimination of about 50 per cent
of these so-called emergency agen
cies and complete eradication of
their parasitic policies constitute an
important approach to a balancing
of the Treasury budget.
Since this is a fact, it must be
recognized that the proposed con
solidation movement has obstacles
outside of political patronage. Pol
iticians enjoy spending money and
when they see various of their pet
bureaus or commissions going the
way of all flesh, they naturally will
be frightened and it will take all of
the strength Mr. Roosevelt pos
sesses to keep them in line when
they realize that money is being tak
en out from under their very noses.
Nevertheless, Mr. Roosevelt can
reorganize the government. He has
328 Democratic representatives in
the house and 75 Democratic sena
tors. Against this legislative strength
of the party in power are 89 Re
publican representatives and 17 Re
publican senators, minus three or
four senators who wear the Repub
lican label but who are New Dealers
at heart.
If Mr. Roosevelt is serious about
this government reorganization and
if he wants to force it through, I
have no doubt at all that he can
gain public support for his program.
I have no doubt at all that if he
were to go on the radio and deliver
an address about the plan, there
would be such a deluge of mail to
representatives and senators from
their constituents that they would
not dare oppose the scheme. There
would be more than one reason for
support of the President in this ac
tivity. Next to the fact that people
out through the country generally
hate bureaucrats and led tape in
their government, the important
reason for the support which Mr.
Roosevelt surely could have would
come from the taxpayers who are
beginning to realize what the fed
eral government is costing them.
That is one job that the Republi
cans did in their campaign to elect
Governor Landon of Kansas. They
made the country tax conscious and
it is an influence that is going to
rise up and haunt the New Deal
administration and members of con
gress for some months to come.
As a conclusion, then, it seems to
me that Mr. Roosevelt has pre
pared a test for himself whethei
he conceived it on that basis or
otherwise. Unless he drives through
a serious consolidation and elimina
tion of needless agencies, many
doubts are going to arise as to his
sincerity. v , •
© We«ttm Newspaper Unioa.
THE SUMMERVILLE NEWS: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1936
Quilt
by
Blanche Tanner Dillin -
THE snow was beautiful but
made one feel somewhat
lonely, Nancy Atwell thought
as she stood at the window watch
ing the falling snow. For an in
stant she regretted refusing the ur
gent invitations of her two brothers
and two sisters to spend the holi
days with them. Each of them
had been insistent, but were all so
far away it was out of the ques
tion, financially, and she didn’t
want them to furnish the money—
and then for years she had spent
Christmas here in the Connecticut
hills with grandmother and she
couldn’t imagine it seeming like
Christmas any place else.
Peggy North, her old and dear
friend, had written that she could
not get away for the holidays, so
hoped that Nancy could be with
her.
Nancy had done little toward any
sort of festivities and had left put
ting up the decorations until the
last minute. In fact she hadn’t
bought anything new—the old ones
would do well enough. Perhaps
she might just as well go up to the
attic now and see what there was.
It might seem more like Christmas
with some decorations around.
As she opened a drawer in an old
chest her hand touched grand
mother’s old quilt—-“ Grandmot
her’s happiness quilt,” as she al
ways called it. It was just such a
day as this so long ago, when sit
ting at grandmother’s feet down
in the “setting” room she had
heard the history of the pieces in
the quilt. There was no place here
in the attic to look at it, so togeth
er with wreaths and garlands of
She Had Heard the History of the
Pieces.
tinsel she carried the quilt down to
the room where she had heard its
history for the first time, and
spread it out on the bed.
Here was a piece from the dress
grandmother had worn when
grandfather proposed. Here was
the piece of grandmother’s wed
ding dress—others from Christen
ing robes, party dresses, wedding
dresses and dresses worn on other
happy occasions—some almost in
shreds, but still enough left to re
call the stories to Nancy as Grand
mother Atwell had told them. How
grandmother had loved telling
them and how she had laughed at
some memory. Nancy had com
mented on what a happy life
grandmother had had. No one ever
had a happier one, grandmother
assured her. How cheerful, unself
ish, grandmother had been, never
dwelling on her own troubles, but
ready to help others in theirs.
Nancy recalled the times grand
mother had been the means of
making the path a little smoother,
the pain less keen, by the gift of
something Nancy especially want
ed or the fulfilling of some cher
ished plan of Nancy’s. And when
Nancy was left alone in the old
home and grandmother sent for
her she must have guessed just
how much Nancy wanted the rest
and quiet the hills would give her.
Nancy never forgot the smile and
embrace with which grandmother
greeted her no rehearsing of
painful experiences, but plans im
mediately made for happy days in
the future. Nancy’s loss had been
grandmother’s as well, but grand
mother had never let others know
the shadows that crossed her path.
What a satisfaction it must be to
be able to help others as grand
mother had. Then Nancy saw how
she could do the same, in a meas
ure at least. First she could give
Anna a vacation over the holidays.
Next she would wire Peggy she
would be with her over Christmas.
As she laid the quilt away after
carrying out her plans, deep grati
tude filled her heart for if she
hadn’t found the quilt she would
never have known the happiness
she now felt.
© Western Newspaper Union.
CHRISTMAS TIME
I HAVE always thought of |
Christmas time, when it has I
come around, apart from the |
veneration due to its sacred |
name and origin—if anything be- |
longing to it can be apart from i
that—as a good time, a kind, for- j
giving, charitable, pleasant time. ?
‘ —Charles Dickens.
Several Standby Designs
1 I
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SEWING CIRCLE fans \—\ / V, J,./*
will get a “lift” out of 1993 \\ (I [I
this week’s selection of ■; -~l V~|L ,~i
dapper designs for home *' 7 C A 1
sewing. It’s not a bit too V / I
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your first-of-the-year re- W* I, ....I
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The cleverly cut slip, Pattern
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pattern is available in sizes 14, 16,
18, 20, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44,
and 46. Size 16 requires 2% yards
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The slick princess frock, Pat
tern 1993, has everything it takes
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"Quotations"
v
Fashions are inseparable from
manners; manners from morals;
morals from spiritual ideals. —
Emily Post.
The right mental attitude has a lot
to do with a long life.— De Wolf
Hopper.
Mastery over self is not readily
won; it is a life-work.— Cardinal
Hayes.
Art creates what is not and science
only discovers what already is.—
Albert Einstein.
It is good for us, every now and
then, to see our ideals laughed at —
Aldous Huxley.
You can keep young if you take
your blows with your chin up.—
Irene Rich.
/ 50 CRUNCHy DELICIOUS .ctK?
MANY PEOPLE Pon'T REALIZE.
nourishing Quaker
I PUFFEP U/HEAT REALLY /5.
J r COMPARE /Mk -Jfci T’-'vß V
FINE FOODS. /l PROTON
rVT for growth
CALORIES for ENERGY IRON for STRENGTH \ Cheese
Sp!nach - 102 ) 3.19 gms. per oe.
jV/fHAT-- 1 4.sy dms. per oz.
QUAKER ORIGINATED THE
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f THAT MAKES QUAKER PUFFED W
CARtSS WHEAT SO TASTY AND UghJA
It-J FLAVORY. ASK FOR THE
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ITHAT GUARDS ITS ’ '■
wji
designed for sizes 14, 16, 18, 20,
32, 34, 36, 38, 40, and 42. Size 16
requires 314 yds. of 54 inch or 514
yds. of 39 inch fabric.
The charming morning frock for
matrons, Pattern 1841, speaks for
itself. A one-piece model, five
pieces to the pattern, it too offers
a choice of long or short sleeves
and slides through your machine
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comfort combined with a pleasing
appearance, this delightful pat
tern is available in sizes 34, 36,
38, 40, 42, 44, and 46. Size 36,
with short sleeves, requires 3%
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cale, rayon, poplin, gingham, tub
silk, or seersucker.
Send for the Barbara Bell Fall
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children, young women, and ma
trons. Send fifteen cents in coins
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Send your order to The Sewing
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Adams St., Chicago, 111. Price of
patterns, 15 cents (in coins) each.
© Bell Syndicate.—WNU Service.
—with this
finer shortening
in the bright red Jewel carton!
• Many a famous Southern cook has made her reputation with Jewel
pastry, cakes, and hot breads. A Special-Blend of vegetable fat with
other bland cooking fats, Jewel actually creams foster; makes more tender
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\PREFERRED TO THE COSTLIEST
Foreign Words
and Phrases
A la francaise. (F.) In the
French style.
Caeteris paribus (L.) Other
things being equal.
Dies faustus. (L.) A lucky day.
Ex pede Herculem. (L.) To
judge of the whole from a part.
Flitterwoch. (Ger.) A honey
moon.
Gutta cavat lapidem non vi sed
saepe cadendo. (L.) Constant
dripping wears away the stone;
persistence will accomplish more
than force.
Haute nouveaute. (F.) The lat
est novelty.
Insouciance. (F.) Unconcernj
indifference.
Lucus a non lucendo. (L.) A
false etymology, assuming that
lucus. a dark grove, is so called
because of the absence of lux,
light; any false or illogical deduo
tion.
Tant soit peu. (F.) Never so
little.
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