The Auckland Star WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 1936. "ELECTION YEAR."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 22, 27 January 1936, Page 6

The Auckland Star WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 1936. "ELECTION YEAR."

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the \crony that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that tee can do.

This is "election year" in the United States, and all political developments are to be judged in the light of that outstanding fact. On Saturday the Roosevelt Administrai tion had to submit to the worst defeat it has 3 so far received in a Congress which is predominantly Democratic, and it is significant that the legislation concerned was not a part of the "New Deal" programme, but that exceedingly hardy annual, several times passed by Congress, and as often vetoed by successive Presidents —the Bill which provides for the payment immediately, in cash, of the t war veterans' compensation certificates, which are not payable until 1945. There are a great many veterans of the World War, and — setting aside the question of the merits of their claim —they and their relatives all have votes. The House of Representatives and the Senate both passed the legislation, though well aware that the President would veto it. Now the House has over-ridden his veto by 324 to 61, a vote which is justifiably described as "astounding" when it is remembered that for two years after his election in 1932 President Roosevelt never had to fear ■ opposition in Congress, which submissively | endorsed every measure of the "New Deal" J programme. But the tide of the Administrai tion's popularity has long since been ebbing. [ It 1934 the "Literary Digest" conducted a ■ "straw vote" to ascertain the state of public ; opinion on the "New Deal." It was found [ that 61.15 per cent of voters favoured the 'programme. Recently another "straw vote" has been conducted on the question, "Do you now approve the acts and policies of the Roosevelt New Deal to date?" Of 1,370,774 persons who voted, 60.47 per cent voted "No." The soldiers' bonus, it should be emphasised, was not part of the "New Deal," but the fact that the House of Representatives voted so overwhelmingly against the wishes of the President may be regarded as a clear indication that the legislators know well that opinion in the country is running against the Democratic Party. They are attempting to stem the tide, and they are apparently completely indifferent as to the effect of their vote-catching legislation upon the national finances. The bonus, it is estimated, will cost 2500 million dollars, of which 1500 million dollars may have to be raised within a few months. This staggering burden, following close upon the decision of the Supreme C° ur t that the Administration's agricultural legislation is unconstitutional —with the result that an appropriation of 250 million dollars has to be sought from Congress to pay producers on contracts which had been signed before the Court's decision—will cause an indefinite postponement of the President's hope of balancing the Budget, and the measures which he and his advisers adopt to meet the new situation will be awaited with keen interest in all parts of the world.