Jan. 8.
The American scone as depicted jin President Franklin Roosevelt's [financial message {o Congress differs markedly from the impressions Jwhich might be formed on other revelations emanating from Washington. Decisions of the Courts are shown to have traversed important administrative policies. The sllver= purchase programme is in a slate of suspended animation and commands half-hearted support even from some of its former champions. Public opinion is described as actively hostile to the New Deal. President Roosevelt is not untversally applauded when he attempts to vindicate his country's notions of neighbourliness; with some show of ogle it fs averred that militant auto-erades are not the only sinners in disturbing the economic and political equanimity of other countries in this modern world of tense nationalism which finds expression in isolation and tariff-mongering. Yet the President is able fo talk cheerfully of a reduced budget deficit, of the prospect of increased revenue, and of a halt in the imposition of further taxation. He can airily admit that no provision in his balanced budget has been made for additional work relief expenditures. This cheerful confidence Is not feigned. Mr. Roosevelt would not exploit his undoubted personal ascendancy so recklessly. Were ho less assured of popula support he might be disposed to encouraging a revival of spending power, he has done as much as any man in his position can be expect ed to unravel the coil which brought him so enthusiastically jand hopefully into office.
That, it may be gathered: is the underlying note of the message [which Congress has received from the Chief Executive. From this point of view it is conceivable that the various obstacles which have Jveen thrown in the way of the New Deal have been, to Mr. Roose-lett, blessings in disculse. He has been permitted to return to a state jof partial orthodoxy in spite of himself or his advisers. He has been put in the position of abandoning extreme interference with the normal currents of trade, just at a time when there is a reasonable chance that those currents may start to flow with something of their old vigour. Thereby his actual achievements Imay acquire merit in the nation's joyes and his future conduct invite less hostility from the Important interests involved. It Is far too early. to fudge how permanent are some lof the approved experiments which ithe New Deal has produced and Jwhich are not likely to be upset by Jany but political action. It is not sufficient to explain Mr. Roosevelt's Jcontinued popularity by extolling his personal attractions or pointing to the lack of those qualities in any' possible opponent. The American voter is not unlike his Ando-Saxon Jcounterpart across the Atlantic, In the possession of certain artless methods of summing up the requirements of leadership. Mr. Roosevelt has evidently impressed upon the country a sense of solid worth which, In fearlessly making mistakes, has at least "done something. That merit has a knack of prevailing over more sophisticated virtues. Mr. Roosevelt, in fact, may be an astute politician, a graceful figure: jon the screen and a persuasive voice on the microphone. but he must be more In his countrymen's eyes, otherwise he would not so. confidently invite their acceptance of his views when his policies are riddled with the grapeshot of the Constitution, Moreover, there must also be valid ground for his optimism, That is clear from the figures [which he cites and from the deductions which he ventures to draw: from them. And, happily, in the world outside there are not wanting. favourable signs of the accuracy of his contention. jhe. essential to point out the in~ compatibility of Ti Duce's domestic utterances and arrangements with ithe solemn treaties to which he had given his country's signature, the ery was "hands off." So Tialy's. Teader was able without let or hhindranee to organize his people for war, to impose on them a mentality. the ultimate expression of which would inevitably be found in the armed argument, in spite of the fact that Taly's name as a founder [member of the League was still on the rolls at Geneva.
Blame for this peril to the world's peace does not lie exclusively on Signor Mussolini's shoulders," His undoubted achievement in rebuild~ ing Italy's national morale has been junthinkingly hailed as proof of the intrinsic merits of the repudiation of democracy. "What we need is a Mussolini" has been the catch phrase of impatience in more than one country which now is thanking. [ils lucky stars that tt has had the sense to defer the jettison of demmocratic institutions and the liberty Jof thought and opinion which goes with them. At the same time this escape should not invite either too Jcomplaisant a regard for the present lorder of things or too extravagant 'a condemnation of Italy or whatever other nation has been caught up in {the tolls of dictatorship. The League has gained new strength from the sudden return to its allegiance. Tt would gravely err if ft failed to realize that the contions now prevailing were in some denree due to the defects of its organization and mentality, Lord {Halifax last month put the ease well to the House of Lords when he said:
If the League of Nations had been universal, and if all: members of the Leamie had been and were prepared to full all their obligations. the power of the Learue would be overwhelming, war would be. impossible, and this war would neve fave been begun. But the wone In which we live is different and We do ourselves no food by forse!- ling that it is different, When largo nations remain outside the League and when other nations within the League are not prepared to war for any cause except what thes conceive te be their national. ferests, it behoves all men of com: Mon sense to recomize both the risks and te limitations which are Mleaia The existence of risks involved tu the pursuit
Tesponsible for the greed of isola-Hlonists, who seek to avoid risks enclosing themselves inside the {n-secure Barrier of isolation. 1 ani convinced that "no salvation. Mes
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.