ECRETARY of Commerce Roper has lald before President Roose velt a plan to make drastic reductions in the expense of his department > which has long been pointed to as an out- standing example of the extravagant bu- reaucracy of Wash- ing. Mr. Roper proposes to slash the expendi tures of the Commerce department from £45, 000,000 in the current year to $26,000,000 in the next fiscal year, a reduction of $19,000, 000, or 42 per cent, If the report Is approved, and Sec- retary Roper Is successful In operat- ing his department at such a saving, it is believed he will proportionately far outdistance in economy promo: tion any of the other departments. The secretary plans to consolidate many activities of the department and to abandon others. The figure of $20,000,000, which he proposes spending in the 1034 fiscal year, be- ginning next July 1, is not only 42 per cent under the 1933 figure, but it is nearly $11,000,000 under the actual appropriations made for 1034 by the last congress. The appropria- jon bills carry an expenditure of $36,005,465 for the Commerce de- partment in 1034, This is the first time In the his tory of the government, according to Secretary Roper, that an administra. tion has suggested it is not wise or safe to use money which congress {tself has appropriated, but he de clared that the administration in- tended to carry out faithfully ts campaign pledges of economy. Mr. Roper plans to establish six bureaus to take over the work hereto- fore done by ten. The six bureaus will be the transportation, patents, census, standards, fisheries and for- eign and domestic commerce. The bureau of transportation will embody a supervision of the govern ment over all forms of transportation, land, air and water. The Roper plan contemplates merging under one sub- ordinate to become the new assistant gecretary of commerce for transporia- tion, supervision over the Interstate Commerce commission, and the activi tiles of the United States shipping board: the Agriculture department's bureau of weather and public roads; the federal radio commission, the Com- merce department's bureau of aero pauties, geodetic survey, lighthouses and navigation, steamboat inspection; the War department's inland water- ways corporation; the naval observa- tory, and the national advisory com- mittee for aeronautics. © Secretary Roper HE ambitious scheme, conceived by President Roosevelt, to make the Tennessee river valley the scene of an industrial, economical and social experiment, has been laid before congress w fo a brief message. Mr. Roosevelt's hope is to demonstrate In the Tennessee valley that great economic changes for the better can be made by con- serving and develop ing natural resources. “Such use, If en- vigioned In its en- tirety,” sald the Pres {dent In his message, “transcends mere power development; It enters the wide field of flood control, soil erosion, afforestation, elimination from agricul- tural use of marginal lands, and dis tribution and diversification of indus try. “in short, this power development of war days leads logically to national planning for a complete river water ghed involving many states and the future lives and welfare of millions it touches and gives life to all forms of human concerns, “1, therefore, suggest to the congress legislation to create a Tennessee val ley authority—a corporation clothed with the power of government but pos- sessed of the flexibility and initiative of a private enterprise, “jt should be charged with the broadest duty of planning for the proper use, conservation and develop- ment of the natural resources of the Tennessee river drainage basin and its adjoining territory for the general social and economic welfare of the na- tion. This authority should also be clothed with the necessary power to carry these plans into effect.” The President's plan Includes the running of electric power into every farm, to control crop productions, to build dams and promote forestation projects in the Interest of relieving unemployment. It Is a far-reaching plan which will take years to work out, but if a plan is agreed upon and Sen, Norris is fully tried out, the President ex. peets to apply similar projects to oth er river valleys of the nation, To carry out the President's scheme Senator Norris of Nebraska intro. duced In the genate a bill for govern. ment operation of the huge war-time power and nitrate plant ut Muscle Shoals, which to date has cost the American taxpayers some $150,000,000. In the house a bil) similar to the Nor- ris bill was introduced by Represent- ative MeSwain, Democrat, of South Carolina, ELIEF for small home owners who are staggering under $20,000,000, 000 of mortgage debts is asked by Pres ident Roosevelt in a special message to congress. Bills with that end In view were introduced in both houses. In his message the President laid down a new national policy to protect owners of homes valued at not more than $10,000 from foreclosure and ex cessive interest rates” as the next step in his program for economic recovery. The proposed legislation would set up the Home Owners’ Loan corpora tion, to be organized and operated by the federal home loan bank board, for the direct and Immediate relief of small owners and holders of small home mortgages. The corporation would have a capital of $200,000,000 subscribed by the treasury and would be authorized to issue 4 per cent bonds up to $200,000,000. These bonds would be exchanged for mortgages on homes not exceeding $10,000 in value, up to 80 per cent of the property value. Home owners would pay 5 per cent interest to the corporation, with fifteen years to pay off the loan. A special provision is made for a moratorium, not exceeding three years, on interest and principal payments, Direct loans, up to 80 per cent of the assessed value of the property, may be made by the corporation to home owners, if the property is not otherwise encumbered. ECRETARY of the Treasury Woodin has laid down the law to the New York clearing house, com- posed of twenty of the biggest banks in the city. He bas or told the clearing house banks, in diplomatic language, that they must keep their word and make good the de posits of the Harri man National Bank and Trust company, now in the hands of a federal conservator. The pressure brought by Woodin, It Is ex- pected, will cost the = Secrelary clearing house banks Woodin in the vicinity of $6,000,000, The firm stand of the secretary was made known simultaneously with the arraignment In court of Joseph Ww. Harriman, former chalrman and presi- dent of the bank bearing his name. Mr. Harriman, ill since his arrest, was brought into court in a wheel chair. The indictment charges that he caused false entries to be made in the bank's books, covering the use of $1,713.225 of the depositors’ money for specula- tion In the bank's stock. Secretary Woodin's action Is based on a pledge given to the controller of the treasury at a time when the bank was In financial difficulties, that the clearing house would support the bank. RTITIONS have been filed with the United States senate from citizens of Louisiana demanding the removal of Huey P. Long as senator from that state. The petitions accuse the sen ator of personal dishonesty and cor ruptness, The petitioners assertgd they could furnish witnesses to establish that Long “was personally dishonest, cor- rupt and Immoral,” and added Long's continuance In office “is repulsive to the respectable and law-abiding citl zens of Louisiana and to the nation” They contended, among other things, that Long had “created and main tained In Louisiana a system of cor ruption and debauchery unparalleled in the history of the state” EDERAL legislation for a 30-hour working week in industry was as sured when the administration placed itself squarely behind the measure The bill has already passed the sen ate, and It is expected to be quickly approved by the house and signed by the President. The bill, regarded as one of the most radical labor measures to win the ad- ministration support, provides in its present form that for an emergency period of two years no articles may be received In Interstate shipment which have been manufactured or pro- duced by labor working more than six hours in any day, or more than five days in any week. Bf A vote of 90 to 1 Michigan's constitutional convention went on record as favoring the abolition of the Eighteenth amendment, and so Michi gan has the distinction of being the first state to ratify the Twenty-first, or repeater, amendment submitted by con. gress, There were great cheers and hand clapping when the roll was called on the ratifieation of the Twenty-first amendment. The lone dry vote was cast by Eugene Davenport of Hastings, Barry county, former dean of the col lege of agriculture of the University of Niinois CTION on the farm relief bill was delayed by a controversy aroused over the Simpson price-fixing plan which has been written into the ad- ministration bill. This developed at a time when the Roosevelt program for increasing the farmers’ income and lifting the burden of mortgages was bumping along on a rough road sprin- kled with demands for currency ex- pansion as & means of restoring agri- culture. The mortgage section of the admin- istration bill is almost certain to have the approval of the house, In anticipation of the passage of the bill, Henry Morgenthau, chairman of the federal farm board, is getting his department fully prepared to speed the actual application of the relief. Some delays in putting Into effect all the credit rellef facilities planned by President Roosevelt and Mr. Mor-. genthau will be occasioned by reason of the fact that the consolidation or- der under which the President joined all farina eredit activities doesn’t be- come effective for a period of about six weeks, But Mr. Morgenthau has reached out into the ‘other agencies which soon will come under his head, and as soon as the credit bill becomes law he ex- pects to bring about a prompt organi- zation of the work of issuing 4% per cent bonds to be exchanged for the present farm mortgages averaging higher than 6% per cent President Roosevelt 18 reported to be firmly of the opinion that the big- gest help that can be given to the farmers at this time is a loosening of their credit. Once the farmers’ debts are erased, debts contracted when land values were high and crop prices up, it may not be necessary, in the opin- fon of many of the administration ad- visers outside the group controlled by Secretary of Agriculture Wallace, to resort to price fixing and allotment schemes, to help the farmer. A 2.CENT postal rate within cities, retaining the 3-cent rate for in- terdistrict postage, 18 recommended in a plan for balancing the post office budget submitted to President Roose- veit by Postmaster General Farley. | It is Mr. Farley's hope that by in l creased postal revenues and a program | of economy, to balance the budget, | which at the present rate is running | into an annual deficit of $132,000,000. The postmaster general sald be had | received opinions that if the postal rate Is cut the volume of business will | be so restored as to yield greatly in- | creased revenues, and he added that i some advisers felt that a flat 2-cen? | letter postal rate over the country | would bring in enough revenue to bal- ance the postal budget. i The postmaster general also dis | closed a study is being made on wheth- | er the department shall continue the i heretofore somewhat farcical practice | of giving examinations to first aud | second-class postmusters, { i DUCATION, literature and religion Jost one of its most distinguished leaders in the death of Dr. Henry Van Dyke, war-time ambassador to the Netheriands and Luzemburg. He died in his sleep at Avalon, his home in Princeton, N. J. He was eighty years of age. Dr. Van Dyke had succeeded, as one of his friends said as “peect-critic-es sayist-novelist, educator-lecturer-fisher- | man-pulpiteer.” Dr. Van Dyke resigned | his diplomatic post in 1017 so that he | might say what he thought about the World war. Holding degrees from several Amer jean universities, he also had been hon- ored by Oxford and the University of Geneva. He was commander of the Legion of Honor, had been president of the National Institute of Arts and Letters, was moderator of the general assembly of the Presbyterian church in America In 1002 and 1903, and from 1000 to 1923 held the chair of English literature at Princeton university. tmn— TCE immense importance attached to the Washington conference by the British is indicated In the person- nel of the party accompanying Premier we MacDonald. No more fmportant group of British officials has ever gone abroad, and it is evident that much fs expected from the meeting between the British prime minister and President Roose velt. The chief delegate after MacDonald him- self is Sir Robert Vansittart, permanent MacDonald undersecretary of the foreign office. Sir Robert is the per. manent chief of the foreign office, no matter what foreign secretaries come and go, and all the threads of British diplomacy are In his hands. He knows America well, his first wife having been an American, The next member of the party is Sir Frederick Leith-Ross, treasury expert, who has represented Great Britain at all financial meetings for some years. The third member is A. B. Overton, as- sistant secretary of the board of trade, whose specialty is tariffs and inter national trade relations i, PrESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S invita: tion to Japan to join the trade and politienl conferences in Washington has caused a complete change in the attitude of Japan toward America practically overnight. Friends of Amer. fea express jubilation, seeing the first ray of hope for the return of relations between the two nations to the friend ly state existing before the Mukden incident on September 18, 1031. Japan not only is gladly accepting the Invitation but the question is being made of the greatest importance, Premier ©. 1933, Western Newspaper Union. = washington.—The arrival of the first of the foreign missions here for conferences with president Roosevelt provides some Ink- ling of how he Is going about the job of seeking an answer to the world economic problems. Of course, the Washington conferences are sald to be preliminary only to the world economic confer- ence, but the methods which the President has adopted make it appear that he is about to capitalize the very thing about which foreigners and many Americans, too—complained, namely economic and political isola- tion of America. Authorities here characterize his move as a bold stroke. They see al- most a transplanting of the main con- ference to the United States, jut they see also many possible pitfalls in the President's plan. In calling the heads of the governments of Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, China, Argentina, Brazil and Chile to the American capital, the President may be sald to have caught oppo sition plans off first base, If one may refer to baseball for a parallel play. Information available In high quar- ters here 1s to the effect that few, if Washington Conference Any analysis of the policy on which the President has embarked must needs include reference to the certain benefits that come from knowing all The President has set them. He believes the the later world confer learn ut, according to expressions being bandied about, one ought to look be- hind the scenes. In such conferences as are being held, there must be un- derstanding of tradition, of past ilnks or breaks between peoples. There might be touchy spots, or there might be points susceptible of being put to good use in the relations between na- tions. It seems that the danger lies, therefore, not so much In what Is hap pening now, but what has happened in years gone by. "0 European statesmen have played thelr own games of international poll- ties for years. They know all of the tricks, and they use them, It seems not unreasonable to assume they will use their old methods, those with which acquainted, in their dealings for the big stakes that are involved . In economic and debt parleys. It Is unfair to say in such an analysis as 1 have attempted to make Know All the Tricks the will be for ulterior pur the diverse Interest of the various The economic conferences basically involve something of a readjustment and gince the World war. Every one agrees the conferences concern not only a solution of the problems of the depression but they reach far into the future, Apparently evershody needs and wants foreign capital. We all want to borrow from one another, and all want to trade with one another, but each wants a prior advantage in do- ing it. It constitutes an exaggerated glamor upon which the eyes of all pations are set, and to think each one is going to give up something of im poriance is to expect an early arrival of a millenium, Nevertheless, in the opinion of stu by President Roosevelt to capitalize our hitherto economic and political tsolation has some chance for success in that its very boldness may partial iy disarm the statesmen who have been used to playing another sort of a game. The President thinks pretty fast and- it has “been suggested here that he'may foresee any traps and allow those who laid them to fall into their pits * » A backwash has set up from enact ment of the emergency banking law. That statute broad. Backwash From ened the powers of Banking Law the Federal Reserve banks and allowed them to discount certain types of com- mercial paper not heretofore eligible to be received for discounting. Since that was done, Washington is hearing from all parts of the coun- try to the effect that, If the Federal Reserve banks are to be allowed to discount practically all kinds of com. mercial paper, incorporated cities and towns ought to be allowed to discor:nt tax warrants and other obligations of the municipalities. Nearly every day resolutions to that effect are received in congress from some municipality. From a local standpoint, the propo sition Is one that is diffienit to deny. ‘fhe answer is simple, however, from the standpoint of national policy. Two reasons stand out why this sort of discounting should not be done: I. If unlimited powers were accorded the Federal Reserve banks In this dis rection, soon the Federal Reserve banks would be carrying the entire tairden of municipal indebledness, There would be no attempt to market thelr securities elsewhere, 2. If the Federal Reserve banks were author ized to take such paper, many municl- palities would be under no check or inhibition against spending; they could run high, wide and handsome, in car- rylng out local Improvements or local schemes without having to reckon thelr payment—at this time, So it be comes obvious that to permit such dis- counts, sooner or later those towns and cities which failed to live within their income would be compelled to burden thelr people with taxes far be- yond the present burden. Or the Fed. eral Reserve banks would have to lose and the currency issued against those warrants and other obligations would be worthless. * . ® The condition growing out of the emergency banking act insofar as it has developed the backwash of de- mands for additional discounting privilege demonstrates probably better than any other circumstance now at hand as to the short-sighted policy so many al- leged leaders have adopted. Here In congress, and elsewhere throughout the country there has been a continual outeropping of movements which seek to promote action by the Federal gov- ernment without consideration for the future. The bulk of them seem not to take into thought that ultimately the obligations thus created have to be pald at some time in the future, Of always has been Short-Sighted Leaders course, there ent conditions will eventually that what we know as prosperity will again prevail, In that event, it is ex- plained, some of the burden ought to be shared, The same argument Was presented many times in congress re- specting the reduction of debt. It was held during the treasury administration of Secretary Mellon that he was paying off the debt too fast: that some of the burden ought to be passed on to future generations because they share the benefits of World war victory, and that Is quite correct in the view of all observers here. Yet, po country and no people who have persisted In remaining ever tastingly In debt have survived when the crisis came anew unless they had pald off their debis. Right now the wisdom of the Mellon debt-paying policy is evident. Had not the national debt, which amounted roughly to £24.000,000,000 when Secre- tary Mellon took charge, been rapidly reduced, the federal government never could have met the drain of deficits like it has in the last three years. The tax burden, aside from running ex- penses for the government, would have been beyond comprehension of the American people. So apparently with- out attempting to analyze thelr pro- grams from the perspective of the fo- ture, many of these breeders of ideas are willing to establish themselves as community benefactors or national statesmen by postponing the evil days of payment. 1 have discussed these plans and the philosophy they Involve with a good many senators and representatives In congress. Privately, except in a few instances, they admit the fallacy of spending now and paying In the fo. ture If there Is any other way to oc complish necessary ends, Publicly. however, they may make much noise in support of such things as the dis counting of municipal tax warrants or bonds or other obligations, because they think their people want them to support such things - - * The corps of Washington newspaper correspondents is sorely puzzled over the problem of the newest addition to their ranks, George HH. Moses, former Republican senator from New Hamp ghire, has turned reporter after many years In the senate. ft is not that the regular cor respondents fear the competition of Mr. Moses In the regular run of news, but they foresee difficulties from ad. vantages which he holds at the very beginning. As a former senator, Mr, Moses is entitled to enter the senate chamber, a privilezs which no other writer has, and that will enable him to sit down and chat with the senators where the other members of the press gallery either must look on pro- ceedings from their seats in the gal lery or await the convenience of any senator whose presence Is desired. The senators nearly Riways respond to a request for an interview, sent them hy a page, but in the meantime the ordinary reporters “cool their heels” By a curious quirk, It was Mr. Moses who was largely responsible for the senate rule that prohibits cor respondents from enioring the senate chamber. He was chairman of the committee on rules at one time and during his chairmanship the committee was called upon to make an investiga. tion of how certain senatorial secrets leaked out of an executive session. One of the results of thai investiga tion was a rule barring the writers, put the rule doesn't apply to Mr, gos' wince another senate rule gives ex-senators the privilege of sitting in the chamber, though they do hot par. ticipate In proceedings, © 1939, Western Newspaper Unlos. = Puzzled About Moses Our Government — How It Operates By William Bruckars TO CHANGE INAUGURATION DATE HOSE of us whose span of life carries us beyond the end of 1985 are almost certain to witness an epochal change in our government After more than 150 years, our nation is about to alter a basic date in our system of government, the date upon which the our Presidents, Vice Presidents and sena- tors and representatives in congress begin. In probability the change will have been ordered in advance of 1036, but it will not take effect until early in 1087. namely, terms of ail ai This fundamental revisi place through tion, by the called "Lame Duck Amendment” to the federal Constitution, It is the gensus now that its ratification as a part of the organic law is only a question of time. wn is to take adoption, or ratifica- several states of the so- Con. Ro, in a few years then we will wit- ness the convening of our congress in January of each year for sessions of no fixed duration or life up year, and each four years, we will see a President inducted into office in the same month. Congress now meets in December, of course, but its sessions, started in the odd years, end automat. jeally on March 4 of the succeeding even year; the sessions beginning in December of the even years may run through to the following December, if the legisiative body so The pew amendment will start the sessions on January 3, may next io one choose, of every year and they that date has not continue of the year If been i in the meantime In the case of the Chief Executive, he will take January 20, of the year following his election. The term of office beginning next March 4, therefore, appears certain to be the break Io a steady succession of four-year terms for President since the formation of our government, for it will be reduced by the difference of time from January 20 to March 4, in order that the succeeding Presidential terms may be for four full years, office on The purpose of the amendment Is, in the words of its author, Senator George W. Norris, of Nebraska, “to bring congress closer to the people.” And there is not a great deal of dis agreement about that. It will make congress a body more responsive to the people, because senators and rep- resentatives who are elected in No vember will take office In two months thereafter, Those who are de- feated by the electorate will not serve again, unless perchance a session con. tinues past the date of the election, At any rate, the will of the people as expressed at the polls in November can be carried into the halis of con- gress within two months instead of being delayed, as Is the case at pres ent, from November of one year to De- cember of the next year. Considerable research has failed to disclose how the term, “Lame Duck™ had its origin. It has long been ap- plied to the unfortunate politician who guessed wrong as to what his constit- uwents wanted, and was defeated He has served through another session of congress, however, before surrendering office to 8 EUCCERSOT. While the new amendment will make congress more responsive, and closer to. the people, there Is and probably always will be some lack of unanimity of opinion as to its value. The school of thought In congress that opposed the amendment felt there was danger that congress would be too responsive to public will: that there were such things as whims and public demand based upon misinformation, and that the present period of delay afforded time for the electorate to “cool off.” Those who look at both sides of the question see (hat danger. They recog- nize it is possible for a majority of the citizens of the Republic to be swayed by demagoguery from a raucous minority. Some act of a for. eign nation might possibly engender such steaming hatred just in advance of an election as to cause the selection of a majority of congress willing to rush into war. Or there may be some domestle issue about which the flames of public sentiment may be fanned, with a subsequent action by congress that would be regretted in later years, On the other hand, those who fos- tered the change and who pressed It through congress have contended that this new responsiveness will work both ways. [It is their view that sen- ators and representatives will “hear from home” more quickly than ever before if sentiment swings back from the point that it reached at the polis. Plenty of safeguards are sald to exist, and this observer is Inclined to the opinion that they do exist in force. After watching the performance of congresses through more than a decade, 1 hold the conviction that they represent a rather good cross section of the population that elects them, The voters now and then get one who is better then the average and now and then put one in office whe does no credit to the district or state from which he or she comes. But the aver age of anything Is the sum total of all, divided by that number. Repre- sentatives and senators, as | have scen them, make up a congress representa. tive of the public which usually, there. fore. has had just about what it Is willing and entitled to receive. @ 9 © 1932, Western Newspaper Union, o- J just
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers