LONG-SIGHTED SURVEY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 January 1940, Page 5

LONG-SIGHTED SURVEY

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT’S ADDRESS PRESS COMMENT IN BRITAIN. APPRECIATION OF FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day,' 9.43 a.m.) RUGBY, January 4. President Roosevelt’s message to Congress is regarded by the British Press as an outstanding contribution to world thought. Editorial comment given so far welcomes its long-sighted survey and appreciation of the importance to the. United States of the fundamental issues at stake in the conflict between the forces of order and the powers of tyranny. PARTY OPINIONS DIVERSE VIEWS EXPRESSED POLITICAL AND NEWSPAPER CRITICISM. WASHINGTON, January 4. Amid general Congressional applause of President Roosevelt’s pleas for peace and economy, sharp disputes broke out over the recommendations for special defence taxes and the continuance of the reciprocal trade programme. Democrats warmly praised the tone of the address, specially the redeclaration that the United States must avoid war while trying to promote peace. Many Republicans concurred, though some termed the entire discussion of foreign and domestic problems overindefinite. Both parties split ovei 1 trade treaties and defence taxes. Typical comments were: — Senator Conally (Democrat): “I believe there won’t be any heavy increase in taxation this session. The real tax bill will probably be passed in 1941.” Senator Vandenberg (Republican): “I welcome the desire to put extraordinary expenditure on the pay-as-you-go basis.” Senator Glass (Democrat) who is 82 years old today; “They should have levied taxes every time they made an appropriation. We can't spend without taking from the taxpayer's pockets.”

“New York Times’-’ leader: “This is our world as much as it-ns Europe’s. President Roosevelt’s counsel is sound. We have a role to play in the critical times ahead, which destiny seems to have marked out for us. That role is to conserve our strength and when opportunity offers, use it generously and wisely to work for reconstruction.” “New York Herald-Tribune”: “Rarely have the emotions and excitements of war been more expertly used in an effort io hide failures in domestic affairs than in yesterday's message. It was a beautiful smoke screen. With much- that President Roosevelt said of the foreign problems confronting America we agree. We are equally glad to applaud the words on national defence. The contrast between these inspiring portions of the message and the misleading discussions of domestic policies is the measure of the tragic failure of the New Deal.”

DEBT & TAXES

THE PRESIDENTS FISCAL PROPOSALS. (Received This Day. 10.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON, January 4. President Roosevelt's Budget message recommended Congress to cut nearly everything except the national defence funds. The estimated expenditure for the forthcoming fiscal year will amount to 8,424,000,000 dollars, which is 675,000,000 dollars less than in the current fiscal year. The estimated normal receipts' are 5.548,000,000 dollars, an increase of 382,000,000 dollars. It is proposed that 460.000,000 dollars should be raised by special defence taxes. The deficit will'be 1.716 000 000 dollars. The Budget is subdivided as follows: Dollars. National defence 1,800,000.000 Work Relief 1.300,000,000 Agriculture ' 900,000,000 Public works and investments 1,100,000,000 Pensions and social se-

curity 1.200,000,000 Interest on public debt .. 1.100,000,000 Government operation .. 1.100,000,000 On the basis of the President’s figures. the national debt at the end of the new fiscal year will be sixty-one millions short of 45,000,000.000. the lawful maximum, permitting Congress to de--fer the controversial issue as to whether the maximum should be increased.