xt7wwp9t2q46_23 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7wwp9t2q46/data/mets.xml https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7wwp9t2q46/data/59m61.dao.xml American Liberty League 37 linear feet archival material English University of Kentucky This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed.  Permission must be received for subsequent distribution in print or electronically.  Physical rights are retained by the owning repository.  Copyright is retained in accordance with U. S. copyright laws.  For information about permissions to reproduce or publish, contact the Special Collections Research Center. Jouett Shouse Collection (American Liberty League Pamphlets), No. 26 "Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow: A Review of Factual Analyses Issued by the American Liberty League and Some Discussion of the Present Legislative Situation," April 8, 1935 text No. 26 "Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow: A Review of Factual Analyses Issued by the American Liberty League and Some Discussion of the Present Legislative Situation," April 8, 1935 2013 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7wwp9t2q46/data/59m61/59m61_26/Am_Lib_Lg_26_001/Am_Lib_Lg_26_001.pdf section false xt7wwp9t2q46_23 xt7wwp9t2q46 Pamphlets Available ir *
* .
Copies of the following pamphlets may
be obtained upon application to the  
League’s national headquarters:     Y
Why, The American Liberty League?
Statement of Principles and Purposes e  
Progress vs. Change——Speech by Jouett Shouse
Recovery, Relief and the Constitution—Speech
oo mo Shooo l TOMORROW
American Liberty League-] ts Platform `
An Analysis of the President’s Budget Message
I N. R.FA.———Its Past, and Recommendations for .
the uture
Analysis of the $4,880,000,000 Emergency Relief * * *
Appropriation Act.
Economic Security—A Study of Proposed Legis-
lation
Dgrgggzcy or Bureaucracy?—-Speech by Jouett A Review Of Factual Analyses
The Bonus-An Analysis of Legislative Pro- Issued by the AI'1'1€1'iC3.1'1  
posa s .
The Constitution Still Stands—Speech by Jouett erty League and Some DIS,
Show cussion of the Present
Inflation—Possibilities Involved in Existing and L . 1 . . .
Proposed Legislation egis ative S1tuat1on
The Thirty Hour Week———Dangers Inherent in
Proposed Legislation
The Pending Banking Bill—A Proposal to Sub-
ject the Nation’s Monetary Structure to the
Exigencies of Politics
The Legislative Situation—Speech by Jouett ¢·F' ¢-44,
Shouse Y  
. The Holding Company Bill-—An Analysis of 5   u
Proposed Legislation _  5
“What is the Constitution Between Friends?"— '?7'y yi-?
Speech by James M. Beck I
Where Are We Going‘?—Speech by James W.
Wadsworth
Ccgngres  at the Crossroads—Speech by Jouett
house
Price Control—An Analysis of Experiments and -
Recommendations for the Future AMERICAN LIBERTY LEAGUE
2 National Headquarters
* NATIONAL PRESS BUILDING
WASHINGTON, D. C.
AMERICAN LIBERTY LEAGUE
I NATIONAL PRESS BUILDING
WASHINGTON, D. C. * *
   
Document No. 2.6 _
W4 April, 1935

 Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
l ir
The record of the present Congress during the
first three months of its existence indicates two
major trends which may have an important
effect upon the course of national events during
the next few years. These are:
* 1. Lack of a definite and coordinated Ad-
ministration policy with respect to fundamental
— economic and constitutional issues.
2. Weakening of the control exercised over
the Congress by the Administration since March,
. 1933.
It is not improbable that the second develop-
rdnent, to some extent at least, grows out of the
T rst.
1 Events of the past two or three months have
J demonstrated the need at this time for the adop-
tion of measures designed to bring about a solu-
tion of national problems along lines in con-
formity with the ideals of the American people
and in harmony with constitutional principles
and institutions. In this connection the Amer-
e ican Liberty League makes the following sug-
gestions:
- · 1. That there be a prompt and frank appraisal
of the various ambitious economic and sociolog-
ical experiments undertaken during the past two
· years, that those which have failed to bring
about the results anticipated be discarded, and
that those which give some promise of producing
beneficial results be continued with modifications
where necessary in order to bring them within
the scope of authority properly exercised by
the Federal Government in accordance with the `
Constitution.
“ 2. That definite and unequivocal assurance be
given of an intention to bring the Federal budget
. into balance within a reasonable time in order
to allay fears of ruinous inflation and a wrecking
of the Nation’s monetary and credit structure.
. 3. That business, both small and large (mean-
ing the combined efforts of the American people
to earn a livelihood), which has supplied the
funds to operate the Government—and the future
earnings of which form the only real basis of
Government credit—be relieved of unnecessary
harassment, bureaucratic control and demagogic
arraignment.
l 3

 4. That essential relief activities, both those payment of World War Adjusted Service Certifi-
partaking of the character of an outright dole oatee and the pending th1rty—hou_r week legisla-
and those described as work relief, be carried on t}0n·_ It has endorsed the Administration objec-
with the least possible interference with normal t1Ye ln other measures Where it could not agree
economic processes; that heed be given to the Wlth the methods Sought to be used. At the same
restrictions on the work .elief program as out- ttme the Lengjie has not hesitated to_express
lined in President Roosevelt’s message at the Vlgerous opposltlon to Some Admmlstratlon pro-
opening of the present Congress but largely P0Se·le,_ as for example the unprecedented and
ignored in subsequent legislative proposals. eXeeed1nglY dengeroue delegatlon of powers em-
5, That there be an immediate cessation of * bodled m the $4g,880,000,000 Relief Appropriation
attempts to subvert basic constitutional prin- A0t· In all of 1tS pronouncements, however, the
ciples through the delegation, or attempted dele- League he·S_ based 1tS posltlon upon factual
gation, of legislative and judicial powers to _ analyses Whleh have not been challenged nor
executive officials and bureaus. » °0ntI`0Y€I`ted· _ _ _ _
Uncertainty as to the course to be pursued by Beginning W}th the leenanee of a palhstakmg
the Federal Government is one of the gravest reylew of Presldent Roosevelts budget message
Obgtaglgg to sssnbmjc recovery, Only by a Wtthm a few days after that document was trans-
forthright and definite delineation of policy by mittegi to the Cengreee, the Leagtle has published
those with authority to spsak._9,nd by subss- a ser1es_of careful studies dealing with impor-
qoeat action in conformity with such a declare- tant leslslatwe proposals and public questions.
tiOn__can that Obstaclc be I,sm0Vsd_ The purpose of this actiyity has been to promote
Legislative activity at present appears to fall the Welfare of _the Netlen and to aeetet in the
into three main categories—number 1, that de- Selntlen of Vexlng problems. Thls &0t1V1tY Will
signed to bring about economic recovery; number e0nt1nl1e·
2, that having the objective of reform; and num-
ber 3, that which, for lack of a better name, Budget Message
must be described as inquisitorial.
The first result is the primary requisite. It A The continued accumulation of Treasury de-
must be accomplished if the country is to survive. 1’icits—which on the basis of actual expenditures
No matter how worthy the objectives sought in t and official estimates will have aggregated more
connection with number two and number three, than $20,500,000,000 for the six year period end-
for the time being at least they interfere with ing June 30, 1936—is one of the most discourag-
and defeat number one. Therefore, the part of ing factors in any appraisal of the Nation’s pros-
wisdom would seem to be to put aside reform pects for economic recovery.
and inquisition and to concentrate upon recovery. The League’s analysis of the President’s mes-
If that is not accomplished it is both futile and sage pointed out that the present Administra-
ridiculous to waste time and money upon well- tion’s platform pledge for a 25 per cent reduction
meaning although sometimes visionary experi- in governmental expenditures has been ignored
ments looking toward an economic Utopia or to r despite an encouraging start in that direction
rake over the dead ashes of past abuses and with the enactment of the Economy Act of 1933.
mistakes. Instead of a reduction in expenditures for nor-
rhlal goverihmental gctivitiesl it was pointeéi out
, · t at, accor ing tot e annua reporto the ecre-
The League S NOn'Part1Zan Record tary of the Treasury, expenditures for the fiscal
The record of the American Liberty League year 1935 will exceed those for 1934 by $835,540,-
during the past few months has demonstrated t 640, and that estimated expenditures for the same
the sincerity of its announcement at the outset purposes endorsed by the President for the fiscal
that it would operate along non-partizan lines. year 1936 show an increase of $1,297,487,600
The League has supported the position of the over 1934. This is independent of the expendi-
present Administration on several important tures for relief and recovery which are separately
issues. It has opposed, for example, cash pre- classined.
4 5 .

 Fu1‘th€1‘m01‘€, aim? the Pmsldenvs SJ“ll€m?llt with indications that it has the approval of the
ih his budget m€SS&g€ in ·laml?·l`Y» 193% which Administration, harmonizes in one respect with
Was g€11€1“aHY 00hStI`U€d as holdmg Out 3* Pmmlse the League recommendations in that it specifies
that the total Public d€bl? Would not be allewed that the proposed extension shall be limited to
to go beyond i$31,834,000,000, h1s latest message two years.
G0ht€mPl&t€S an lmlmase to $34>239;000>0O0 sed In the matter of delegating legislative author-
contains no intimation that even this huge total . ity to the President Wbieli in braeeiee means i.e_
may be 00lhSid€T€d ·9·§ hh? 0"~ll?Sld€ llmlh _ . delegating it to subordinate oflicials, the new bill
The Congress has indicated a discouraging 1n- is iuse as obieeeioiiable as the existing law,
diii`€1‘€H1‘<>Pe1‘tY·" be a disposition in the Senate also to consider
In this connection it should be noted that veriens perts ef the bill seperetely- Apperently
the Public Works Administration, which was the Congress lies seen the Wrsdenref the sugges-
financed by funds appropriated under the Na- t10h that th1S ·‘itmhltl9US €XP€l`lm€ht be tlP·
tional Industrial Recovery Act, was continued P1’09·0h€d With d€l1b€l‘~‘%t1011-
for two years through a legislative rider tacked _ Th B
on to the $4,880,000,000 Relief Bill in the Senate. >*·` e onus V
It should be remembered that the amount of On the question of cash pre-payment of the
public money entrusted by this bill to the Presi- World War Adjusted Service Certificates, the
dent, to be spent practically at his discretion, is League took a position coinciding with that ex-
greater than the total -expenditures of the Fed- `° pressed by President Roosevelt in his letter of
eral Government for any year from 1922 to 1931. December 27, 1934, to Garland R. Farmer, Com-
Also, it is almost as much as the aggregate farm mander of the Henderson, Texas, American
value of all of the products of agriculture in the Legion Post. The League summarized its
United States for one year. According to the reasons for opposing the Bonus bill as follows:
"Statistical Abstract of the United States" the 1. Bonus certificates are not due until 1945.
latter figure for the year 1933 was $5,141,500,000. 2. Loans already made have exceeded original
basic cash values.
Economic Security 3. Families of veterans now are protected to
When President Roosevelt sent his special the full leee amount ol.oel`l’llllee}°ee in the erert
message to the Congress reoommending enaet_ of death; otlierw1se prov1s1on 1S made toward the
ment of legislation to provide for his far-reach- needs ef tllell leter Yeelle .
ing Economic Seonrity nroaram, the League _ 4. The United States has been_more l1beral to
promptly issnerl an analysis of the Waonen 1ts veterans than any other nat1on involved in
Doughton bill which proposes by one legislative the World Wale
act to undertake this tremendous experiment. . 5· lrnmedrete payment wenld llleell all out'
The League reoommendeol that, inasmneh as right gift of $l,620,000,000, mcluding remittance
this program contemplates permanent and vital ef lllteleell en loeller lll excess ef the rreseet
changes in the economic structure of the Nation, Velue oll en eotuellel beele .
it should not be rushed through Congress as o· Actual eoell el the renders proposal Weuld
other important measures have been rushed be more than $2>ooo>ooo>ooo·
under the plea that an emergency requires quick 7· It bol`l`o“ieo> the $2»°°°»°°°»°Q° esds te
action. It was also suggested that the bill be Treasury deflelte Wlth eoneequellt mfletrenerr
separated into three or four separate measures, densers; plllllllllg plleee oollelloy Would ulloel"
each dealing with a specific part of the program. _ mine the Soullolleee ef the .molleJ°e‘l`y System'.
It was pointed out-that there is considerable un- " .8* Recent experlenoe lrdreetes that ne leetmg
oertainty as to the feasibility of some of the stimulus to business can be assured by this out-
proposals. For example, the bill as introduced ley ef government money` .
provided an appropriation of only $50,000,000 or 9* Wise P°ll°Y sells ior evoldellee by the Coll'
for the fiscal year 1936 and $125,000,000 for greee elllller ef eddltlollel bllrdelle llpoll the
each year thereafter to finance the Federal share A Treeeoly er expellmentetlon Wlllll fellelllll molle'
of the proposed State aid system of old age pen- tory tlleol`lee·
sions. Contrasted with this, the report of the Inflation
President’s Committee on Economic Securit · - ·
contains an estimate that the Federal share iii  udy Of-cierrelicy enddcredlt mdeetleli eps-
this proooood Syosom would amount to $1 294 _ S1 _1 1 ies in €X1S 1ng aws an propose _ egis a ion
ooo ooo por yoor by logo > # pointed ont several dangerous factors in the pres-
Siooo sho WogooI__Dooghtoo bin Woo intro- ent situation. Among tlliese poss1b1l1t1es are:
10

 1· The evil results which en the basis ef pest the same objective by e different method is still
experience may be expected from the continuous before e House Committee.
piling up of huge Treasury deficits.
2. Demands for the use of printing press cur- Proposed Banking Legislation
rency to finance various projects, as, for example, _ _
pre—payment of the bonus certificates; The League IS opposed te G€1`l¤3·1¤ features ef
3. Credit expansion possibilities involved in the Fletcher-Steagall bill because this measure
laws already on the statute books and in pro- wouldsubject the Federal Reserve System to all
posals such as the Fletcher-Steagall banking bill, the evils of a politically controlled central bank-
which together would make possible an expan- ef ing SYS”¤€m· Mereever, it de1es·etes_te the EX€°u'
sion of credit to the extent of more than 100 bil- tive Branch unrestricted authority over the
lions of dollars. volume oi currency and credit without so much
The dangers involved in inflation were illus- i as declar1ng_a_ policy. Encouragement of infla-
trated by citations from the experiences of Ger- *' tionary possibilities and the destruction of exist-
many, Franoe and Russia since the World Wer_ in-g safeguards against that evil are other dangers
It was pointed out, for example, that ten loaves of the bill. _ _ _
of bread, which now cost $1.00 in the United _Senate and House Committees have given in-
States, would cost $10.00 if our currency were dication oi a determination to proceed slowly and
depreciated to the extent which prevailed in carefully 1n the disposition of this measure de-
France since the World War, and that if we in- _ sp1te_some indications that it has Administration
dulged in such fantasgic depreciations as oc- backing-
curred in Russia and ermany the cost of the . .
same ten loaves of bread would mount to 50 The Holding COmP3nY Blu
billion and 1 trillion dollars respectively. The Wh€i€inr_Rnybni.n   proposing inn nbOii_
tion of public utilities o ing companies is op-
Thirt -H0ur Week osed b the League in the form introduced. An
. Y . . Idnalysisir of this measure pointed out that its
The Leeeee le eeeesee te legleleewie attempts e actment would im eril investments in the
te impose e eempuleery ehireymeur Week upon hldnds of the ublic ariiounting to about $2 000 -
teeesttst The Leeeees etttteee te ttts seseeet eeeeee in nefdin company securities end teeiii
coincides generally with that of the Administra- i 6 -€0 ardizn either investments aggregating
tion as expressed some months ago by Secretary e S rolnigatei $10 000 000 OOO mom in the
of Labor Perkins speaking with the approval of app rings Of Ktiiiii 2) infntin cninnnnins
itil Pttesteesti ties eestttes ts tesee sees tee Smigasically ae gimp epeeeie to be designed,
o owing con en ions: - - ·
1. Such legislation is an unwarranted and Wheecliiegi 1g£’,e;;1I?iI;?.£egW(;:`€r§i$$n ai?I?dtgIg§1@iti?6€1OI;;,
eeetettr eeeeestttetteeet etteteet te eeeteet iifiniiiriie. n eee represents an nnwenenied
gggiggtggg»a;ge€;ggige5eggSeeee the setts et tett . neeeien of Federer enaene inte pnreiy nee-
L . ° · " state usiness.
2' It IS unwerieeble beeeuee le tests set ee This measure has been the subject of extended
enfereed’ sees Wlih fe Veetly expended Feeeeet hearings before a House Committee. The Senate
teeeeeeeeey eee tt tt steete te etteetNet>*hee· .. ee nr nee taken no step were eenen on ae
ieeeed ttrteete set pmduee the reeulee fer W ieh measure. There are some indications that th-ere
It te dtS*e“td.· Instead .°f ‘“°m?1“g P“*°h”·St“g is little likelihood the bill een be enacted in the
power and stimulating mdustry 1t would retard f in which it was introduced
recovery through higher prices and reduced con- erm `
sumption. · · ·
The so-called Black bill embodying one form Future Aeelvlelee
of the thirty-hour _week plan has been reported The League has made and Wm Continug to
by a Senate Coimmlteee eee IS new QH the Senate make -every proper effort to place its viewpoint
Calendar. The Connery bill proposing to attain before the American p·ub1ic_ AS each gf fhg
12 13

 studies heretofore enumerated has been issued,
copies have been distributed immediately to
every member of the Senate and House. In ad- .
vance of publication these studies have been p
supplied to the editors of every leading news- i
paper in the United States to facilitate timely l
editorial comment. The pamphlets themselves,
accompanied by news releases in the nature of
summaries, have been distributed to the Wash-
ington bureaus of about 350 newspapers repre- is
sented in the Capital, as well as to all of the ~
press associations. These pamphlets have been I
sent regularly to more than 7500 libraries in all l
parts of the country; they have been distributed fl
to the League’s membership and some of them V
have been utilized in part as the basis of radio
addresses by League speakers. In addition, the —
League has supplied copies of many of the docu-
ments in response to requests from individuals
and organizations, including several agencies of
government.
The League plans to continue its series of
factual analyses of important legislative pro-
posals and public policies. As has been the case
with those studies heretofore made, those to be
made in the future will be strictly non-partizan,
in line with the League’s position which has been
adhered to scrupulously. '
_ A
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