Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30th., 1937. U.S.A. EXPENDITURE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 December 1937, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30th., 1937. U.S.A. EXPENDITURE.

PRESIDENT Roosevelt’s request

to Congress to authorise huge expenditure on strengthening the navy and other national forces, is a sequel to recent Far East happenings, which proved that U.S.A, armaments strength is not in keeping with her vast commercial interests abroad. Britain will welcome the Presidential attitude, as the stronger the U.S.A, is, the less likelihood of aggressive challenge to Anglo-U.S.A. forces, it being taken for granted that these will act together in any emergency. Britain is doing her part by spending lavishly on armaments, and has now almost recovered the ground lost when she set: the world an example in dis-

armament. Whether Congress will share the President’s enthusiasm for the

new spending remains to be seen. Opposition will not be inspired i by unwillingness to place the national defence on an adequate footing, but through anxiety as to whether the country can afford to spend to the extent requested. The budgetary position of U.S.A, is far from satisfactory, and recent Wall Street slumps were partly due Io lack of faith by

many in the country’s immediate future. A cablegram published today, told of huge dismissals of employees by a leading motor- j manufacturing concern, owing to Few orders. Allowing that this ’ailing off is to be expected at this

■>s «i fr e-M 1 ?- *2 «r... -J y time of year, the action is significant, and is not the only, one of its kind.

There is real alarm among many throughout the States as to the 'possibility of commercial disaster during 1938. For example, members of the Mormon Church, most of the 625,000 being located in the Rocky Mountain States, principally Utah, have begun a fast of one day each month in preparation for a depression. The money, or its equivalent, thus saved on food is to go to the building and stocking of a warehouse in Salt Lake City, from which the needy will be supplied when the expected hard times arrive. The Mormons are undertaking this enterprise on the advice of J. Reuben Clark, eTun., First Counsellor of the Mormon Church. He told them that “the soundest human forecast of which Im knew’’.was that in the normal course of things the United States is to have a depression “far more serious, affecting intimately far greater numbers of people,” than

the ]iassing one. Judge Clark is not given to hysteria, and is recognised as one of the U.S.A.’s most able men. Many other leaders express similar fears, but among the optimists is General Charles G. Dawes, who circulated a pamphlet in which he predicted a boom to extend through • 1939 and to wind up in a crash in time to insure the return of the Republican Party in the 1940 election. The majority of capitalists are nervous about the President’s social relief schemes, but expect that the country will “muddle through” its problems, somehow. This task will be rendered more difficult by the proposed large expenditure on the Navy. AVith unemployment increasing during the "Winter, there will be greater demand for Government doles, the consequent taxation adding to the cost of living and lessening the opportunities for industrial enterprise. Mr. Roosevelt continues to repeat that his first and all-important goal is to bring a more abundant life to the under-privileged. The means, he said, are not important; .the objectives are what counit, and he is impatient with a lot of people who mix objectives with methods. That attitude may be magnificent, but it is not safe economicsi