The Pittsburgh Press (October 10, 1944)
Bricker lashes ‘unwise spending’
Cites Republican record of economy
Spokane, Washington (UP) –
The Roosevelt administration’s necessary war and relief spending neither explains nor justifies its unwise, wasteful and sometimes unconscionable squandering which has made it the “most spendthrift regime in American history,” Ohio Governor John W. Bricker declared today.
In a speech for delivery here, Governor Bricker, who last night at Great Falls, Montana, called President Roosevelt “the most prolific spender in world history,” continued to criticize the New Deal fiscal policies.
The Republicans, their vice-presidential candidate said, had established a record in Congress which is “convincing evidence” that the party’s pledge to reduce government costs and eliminate waste will be kept.
Into the red before war
Instead of reducing government costs as he promised, Governor Bricker charged, President Roosevelt’s administration “skyrocketed” them.
He said:
Worse than this, the New Deal launched upon… unlimited deficit spending and financing, and as a result we had been plunged into the red even before the war.
Some of the national debt increase, he continued, was necessary for relief.
But the depression does not explain – and should be justify – the squandering of billions of dollars for unwise, wasteful and sometimes unconscionable purposes. Never in the history of this country has there been such a spendthrift administration.
GOP record concrete
On the other hand, Governor Bricker asserted, Republicans under the leadership in Congress of Senators Arthur Vandenberg (R-MI), Wallace White Jr. (R-ME) and Robert Taft (R-OH); Reps. Joseph Martin (R-MA) and the late Senator Charles E. McNary (R-OR), fought for reduction of “non-essential spending.” However, he said, they gave “full support” to all appropriations needed for war.
He said:
The Republican record in Congress is concrete and convincing evidence that the party’s pledge for economy will be kept.
Governor Bricker arrived this morning from Great Falls, Montana, to begin a whirlwind campaign down the Pacific Coast to San Diego. He speaks at Wenatchee tonight before moving to Seattle tomorrow.