United States.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19463, 31 December 1934, Page 3

United States.

There were two outstanding feature! in the history of the United States •during 1984. The first was the progressive movement, of the nation towards a deeper and more avtive interest in international affairs. The second was the result of the November Federal elections. The'entry of a Democrat Adminis-: tration in the early months of 1933, accompanied toy the appointment of Senator Cordell Hull as Secretary of State, witnessed declarations which were presumably a little in advance of current opinion. At any rate, Mr Hull's gestures of amiability towards Europe were speedily discounted toy 1 the rise of Professor Raymond Moley and the preaching of the old popular doctrine of isolation and neutrality. On the surface that doctrine still maintains, tout its spirit has undergone subtle changes. The first of these changes has been the gradual return to favour of Cordell Hull. The second has been the acceptance by President and people alike of a certain amount of responsibility for world affairs. The presence of American representatives in the councils of the Disarmament Confersnee discounted much of the bad.impression created by America’s uncompromising attitude at the ill-fated A'orld Economic Conference. The overtures of the United States towards tiissia, the concurrence in the interlational embargo on the export of irms to the combatants in. the Gran lihaco dispute, and the prosecution of ■, senatorial inquiry into the sale and manufacture of munitions were all vidcnces of an awakening of consci•nee.

Looking Outward.

The United States has definitely 1 ommenced to look outward rather _han inward. In addition to the instances given above, there has been the declaration by President Roosevelt

that he would welcome negotiations from other countries for trade treaties —a hitherto un-heard-of procedure. With regard to internal affairs, recovery has been more apparent than real. On the face of it, muoh has been accomplished. Money has been lavishly expended on public works and other great projeots. The year has also seen a great struggle between labour and capital for the rights "of collective bargaining, so neatly epitomised in the British trade union principle. In this respect America has lingered far behind, many other countries, and the great strikes of 1934 were the counterparts of those which ocourred in other countries in the early years of the present century. The Federal Elections. The Federal elections on November 6 returned a verdict which was apparently overwhelmingly in favour of the New Deal. A singular feature of the returns was that in not a few cases Republican candidates who were successful against Democrat opponents were themselves more ardent supporters of Roosevelt than those who professed to be his political adherents. The candidature of the American Socialist prototype Sinclair Lewis for the governorship of California illustrated in fairly convincing fashion the extent to which Labour-Socialism is acceptable in, America. Politics in the United States still finds its natural outlet in two main party allegiances, Republican and Democrat, and the distinctions between them have been narrowed down for practical purposes to support or opposition in regard to the New Deal. ■ The President has at least received a convincing mandate to carry on. But there is discernible in the background a desire lhat the man “who gets things done” should provide the country with something a little more tangible. Practically all that, can be done by legislative initiative lias already been done, but it is probable that Americans will find prosperity cannot be restored merely by Act of Congress. So far the people have been content to let the Administration minister to the sickness of the nation. Tlic lime has arrived when individual effort is necessary, and 1933 should sec a considerable change in the American scene.