Mr. Roosevelt's Reverse Mr. Roosevelt's prestige fell this week to
the lowest point since his re-election, after his " dictatorial " Bill to reor- ganise the Federal Administration was defeated in Congress by a large majority, including to8 Democrats. It is doubtful whether any of the shrewd politicians, among them Father Coughlin, who raised the cry of " dictatorship " really believed in their charges, though the President thought it worth while to deny them. Congress had better reasons for opposing the Bill. By increasing the efficiency of the Executive, it would necessarily alter the delicate balance of the Constitution to the disadvantage of Congress and further decrease Congress' power by limiting the patronage it exercises. And for Republicans, and conservative Democrats, the moment was an excellent one for inflicting a serious defeat on the President as a mark of his failure to overcome, and his responsibility for, the " recession," which by now resembles the worst days of 1932. But the President has strong cards in his hand, and has already shown his capacity to recover from defeat. In this year's elections Congressmen will, as things are, have to face their electors on a record which consists entirely of opposing and defeating all Mr. Roosevelt's major proposals ; at the same time Mr. Roosevelt is preparing to spend L'i,000,000,000 in the next rs months in an effort to overcome the recession. There is little doubt which platform will make the greatest appeal to the electorate, which, unlike Wall Street, hardly believes that purely negative action is sufficient to bring back prosperity.
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