1937-02-15 — Page 11

ij

THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 15, 1937.

Where Is Roosevelt Headed?

States the national mind. As "righting centralise responsibility-- Unques- Roose the course" to strange horizons and tionably he believes that the Fed-

new channels.

eral Government performs many services better than local authorit- ies. There is scant prospect of a halt in the process of centralisa- tion.

THERE is the United

headed? How will velt's second term differ from his first? Now that he need no longer measure the effects of his policies in terms of votes, will he be more conservative? Or will he be more and more radical?

:

Those are questions exciting the Americans to-day following his chal- lenge to the Supreme Court.

* *

*

Historic Role

This furnishes one clue to Mr. Concretely, it is now pretty cer- Roosevelt's conception of his own lain that in his second term Mr. historic role. The contention of his Roosevelt intends to try to accom- critics that he doesn't know where plish by other means and in another he is going, draws force from his form the ends embodied in the extraordinary susceptibility to new NRA. ideas and his impulse to go any

Does such control tend toward where and try anything so long as

fascism? Mr. Roosevelt's answer he's on his way. The new things" to-day are social and economic im- phatic No. On the contrary, he is to that question is No a very em- plements, and he is as fascinated of the opinion that the danger lies

by gadgets in this field as Thomas gadgets that were the new things Jefferson was by the mechanical

in his day.

It is generally believed that he has no specific plans but that de- velopments, taken as they come, will shape and govern his course. Sup

in failing to integrate and vitalise the processes of democratic govern- pose unemployment is not reduced

ment by gearing it to-contemporary speeds and strains. He doesn't ad- to some manageable minimum, so

Moreover, he takes a leaf from mit that the New Deal makes the that social security measures plan- the book of the dictators in cater- citizen more dependent on govern- ned to take up the slack will not ing to the popular craving for ac- ment but only that the New Deal

tion, for the sense

of movement recognises the conditions of modern

tres..

the

By A. McCormick

and militancy in government.

con-

In Mr. Roosevelt himself there

suffice to ease the burden or quiet the resentment of a class reduced to permanent dependency. Suppose another market boom ushers in an- other orgy of speculation followed

It life that increase individual de- by another slump, as some experis is not by accident that his

pendence. He senses what is vague- propnesy. Suppose labour disputes,

summate politician puts himself on the survival of the democratic sys- by sensed by all Americans that with employers and between unions, multiply and spread to the the crowded side of the street or tem depends on finding the synthe- danger point reached in other coun- that he began and ended his cam- sis between the force of the one-

paign with a fighting speech, de minded government and the free will probably be little change. There claring WAI in Philadelphia on dom of the many-minded.

is very small chance of "the new Mr. Roosevelt does not foresee a "economic royalists" and reiterat-

The second administration will Roosevelt both friends and enem- Labour party in the United States, ing at Madison Square Garden that

be marked by changes: the bal- les forecast. His exaltation is at the notion that he he had "just begun to fight." He scons

ancing of the budget, which the tempered by a political shrewdness might be found at the head of suen

He wants to reform and re- President expects sooner than peo a party. From his viewpoint the adjust, he is committed to change. ple mucipate; shifts in the Cabinet amounting to genius. With the New Deal embodies the logical de If his purposes can be deduced involving three

or four depart temper of the reformer, not of the velopment of the principles and dis from his acts, his talk, his general ments; a transfer of emphasis from revolutionist, he feels the tug of tinctive Slant of the Democratic outlook as revealed in the advances temporary operations to perman- his tradition even when he gives party, political haven of the unne. and retreats of the past four years, ent functions of government-all himself a long rope. dog. He quotes the historic hier it seems clear that the place in minor mutations compared to the he feels the tng of tradition in a archs of the Jeffersonian philosop history he covets is that of 器 to prove He is equally con- leader who presided over a revolu complete reshuffle that takes place nation which through all vielssi- in Washington when one party tudes, digressions and crazes is since 1932 there has tionary period and saved the coun-

supersedes another.

still jealous of that tradition. taken place a definite division of the try from revolution. country into liberal and conserva- tive parties. He thinks the cam-

vinced

paign showed this and showed also

*

*

that both alignments, thanks to the Mr. Hoover's ambition was to New Deal, are more progressive than they used to be.

His Own Bent

leave the nation 2s he found it. Mr. Roosevelt's is the opposite; he desires to live in the American chronicle as a great President who initiated sweeping renovations:

in government, found the country at the end of one epoch and led it safely into another.

War, continued unemployment, a false boom-these are among pos- If there is any change in his sibilities that might drive Mr. course, it will not be a swing right. Roosevelt right or left of the line Except in the Chicago speech hold- he inclines to pursue And that ing out the olive branch to busi- brings us to the factor outweighing ness, nothing in Mr. Roosevelt's all the rest in a forecast of the way campaign indicated that he did not ahead. For the next year or so, at intend to go forward, and to him least, this President is as free as going forward doesn't mean going a democratic ruler can be to follow conservative. The promise that he his own bent. The question, then, had just begun to fight was not resolves itself into an inquiry, into a rhetorical phra the real direction of his mind, the

true colour and substance of his

Raising

political philosophy The Level

It has been said that in their

Of himself the President says first terms Presidents think of re that his objectives remam the election and in their second of their game, but that the methods of at- place in history. As soon as a man taming them will be different, de moves into the White House, ever pending on circumstances. In gen- though up to that moment he has eral terms, the objectives as he been only an ambitious politician, describes them are, first, to "sim- he becomes conscious politician, he plify and humanise government, becomes conscious of himself as a and second, to raise the level of historic figure.

life least in the lowest valleys.

Mr. Roosevelt is sensitive to the past More than most Presidents, res himself by his official He thinks of them as sisting into policy and action lutions already far advanci

new

seems nullified by the ons and agen- the New Deal

it that Mr.

OCE

Even more

“D. C. L."

MALT EXTRACT

WITH

COD LIVER OIL

Is made from the finest selected Barley and malt-

ed with the greatest care. on the Company's own pre- mises by the most scienti- fic methods of manufac-

ture.

THE DISTILLERS COMPANY, LTD.

EDINBURGH.

Price:Ker 2 lb. Jar-$2.00 Per 1 lb. Jar-$1.10

Obtainable at all dispensaries & drug stun

SOLE AGENTS.

GANDE, PRICE & CO. LTD.

St. George's Building, Ice House Street, 20135

HONG KONG