A second school are convinced that. the President's speech marked a turning point In his political philosophy. In the speech' itself he said "Governments can err—Presidents do make mistakes." They believe that} his speech showed that he was ready to acknowledge his error, to turn his back upon all the earlier ideas of the New Deal, the URA. and the A.A.A, and adopt those of its critics. The President, finding that the "planned" suit he wore was dis-Uked, played the old political game of catching -his foes bathing and. running off with their clothes. Just ko former President Hoover and Senator Borah he was now going to exalt free initiative, rugged tndlvidualism and economic competition and condemn excessive regimental tion, economic planning and govern mental. control.
AE the President can convince -both those who believe {n national regula tion of industry and agriculture' and those who believe in {ree competition Jand uncontrolled production that he on their side he will be a difficult men to defeat. One doctrine he has Advanced can be reconciled with both Points of view. That is the doctrine that "the " Federal Government responsible in the last resort for the individual' welfare of every citizen, The writers of the Declaration of Indepenclence considered that all men were "endowed by their creator with, certain inalienable rights" among them "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." When they were born these rights were as much a part of them as their heart and lungs. But "happiness" was not one of these subcutaneous birth rights, only the ursula of happiness. Whether hap. pines was achieved, was overtaken, Gepended upon how the Individual fared in the race of life. The government's duty was to guarantee a {fair field for individual effort. Now the governments duty is the provision "happiness."
"Happy Days are Mere Again"
The doctrine was not expressed very clearly in the President's ac~ ceptance speech, but it is a thread which runs through many speeches. previously made both by the Pres ent and his supporters. It is the rea son why the President believes that li unemployed should be given work by the government if they cannot get from private industry. A mere cash payment to enable them to live from one job to the next would not satisfy their moral feeling that they should be earning their keep, Would not be satisfying their right to "happiness." "Happy days are here again" is the President's theme song.
His critics complain that if a happy existence for everybody is to become government policy and not an aspiration then God ts not only in his Heaven; God is in the White House. Tt is a condition most people would ike to see established but Which most people would consider beyond the powers of government Tu his acceptance speech the President spoke as the leader of Crusade, but a successful Crusade re-autres not only leaders but followers. Mis appeal was addressed to those same men and women, over 60 per cent. of them government or party officials. who had the evening before been engaged man orgy of shrieking, whistling and prancing around with Gags and placards, conduct aporonate for ushering in a New Year, but not for creating a New Era.
The New Deal has exposed itself to criticism not because of its objectives (variable though they may be) ut Because of the casual lishthearted manner in which organiza tions have "been established achieve those objectives. An erratic bureaucratic structure, a fancy gine er bread house, has been set up and has been staffed with loyal party workers who make splendid noise at ut whose idealism rises little higher than their pockets.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.