The President had a: poor press end his message was not taxon at ts face value, Some commentators considered that he was drawing a red herring across the trail to turn attention from his Court packing proposal. Some held that he wished fo establish an alibi for not having 'a balanced budget; it was not extravagant administration or failure to economize, but "immoral and unethical" practices on the part of the Wealthy. Some demanded figures and suggested, by calculations based fon case histories presented by the Secretary of the Treasury, that nct much more than $3,000,000 wai Involved.
The President's message will have tone good effect. It will force all income taxpayers, and not only the wealthy, to be ' less generous to themselves when making out their returns. Those wealthy men who are likely to be pilloried by the President if the government considers that they are not paying enough will specially careful not to offend.
Probably the last important message which the. President will send. to Congress this session dealt with the Problem of flood control. The! Labour Standards message went on the principle that as much regulation 'a3 possible should be done by a. central board from Washington. The flood message contained the phrase, "it is not wise to direct everything from Washington" and proposed the tection of eight regional planning boards, More Boards to be Created Three of these already exist, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Columbia River Authority and the Mississipp River Commission. Others Would be created following the lines of water systems and river basins. Eech Board, in ce-operation with coal authorities, would decide what was needed in its own area. Then }the National Planning Board, which' will be set up in Washington when the Government reorganization programme has been passed, will ft' the Various schemes together. Congress will then be asked to authorize the necessary projects and provide the necessary funds.
The emphasis in the. President's message was on flood control and prevention of soil erosion, ut in the forefront of the President's mind was ower production to compete with or replace private companies.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.