Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 3 March 1937 — Page 8

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PAGE 8

THE HOOSIER FORUM

(Times readers are invited to express their views in these colnmns, religious controversies excluded. Make your letter short, so all can have a chance. Letters must be signed, but names will be withheld on request.)

i ——————————

CHARGES SPANISH FASCISTS EXECUTED PRIESTS By Agapito Rey, Bloomington

There has been a determined at- |

tempt to prejudice the cause of the legitimate Spanish Government on the charge that it persecuted religion. We cannot find any Government acts or measures to justify this

accusation. The fact that long before the rebillion broke out churches had been converted into Fascist arsenals and that the first shots were fired from them brought some intense feeling against the churches and some were attacked by irresponsible individuals. But at no time do we find the Spanish Government antagonistic to religion or the Church. The Basque are the most ardent Catholic people in Spain. Nevertheless, they remained loyal to the government of the republic. They are fighting to preserve the gutonomy or state rights which they obtained from the republic and which awey from them. clergy, while not taking an active part in the war, remained faithful to its people. When some Basque towns were taken by the rebels the clergymen suffered the same fate as many other noncombatant Rasque patriots. They were arrested by the hundred and a good many were executed without the formality of a trial. On Dec. 2, 1936, the autonomous Basaue government presented to a delegation of French Catholics a list of 31 priests executed by the Fascists.

ished with other details in the international magazine “Esprit.” me extract from the official record the names of some of those martyrs of fascism. Alejandro Mendicute, 45, priest of Hernani, executed without tria! Oct. 23: Joaquin Arin, archpriest of Mandragon, and Jose Marquiegui and Leonardo de Guridi, both vicars of Mandragon, all three executed Oct. 24; Jose Sagorna, voung vicar of Berriatura, executed last day of October: Father Otano, of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ot Aolosa, executed early in November: Joaquin Iturry Castillo, priest of Marin, executed on Nov. 6; Jose Penagaricano, 63, vicar of Marquina, executed Oct. 28; Jose de Ariztimuno. 39, prominent priest and writer, executed early in November, end Jose Adarraga, priest very advanced in age, executed about Nov, 18 In addition to the details of the above executions, the official report of the Basque Government gives many other cases of persecution endured by the Basque priests at the hands of the Fascists. The military has no use for religion unless it can prostitute it to serve its aims.

= SUPPORTS HOME RULE BILL IN LEGISLATURE By

n n

C. R. Fitzpatrick

The proposed County Home Rule Amendment to the Indiana Constitution, introduced in Assembly by Senator Arnold, follows almost the exact wording of a similar provision in the Ohio Constjtution, adopted by the voters of that state in 1934, A county home rule provision was incorporated into the Constitution of California more than 23 vears ago and county home rule has now become a well-established fact in that state. In the meantime, several other counties have adopted the principle. The amendment is in accordance with the 1936 platform of the Indiana Democratic Party, which reads: “The Democratic Party reaffirms its belief in home rule and self-government.” It is in line with the recommendations of former Governor McNutt. It is also in line with the recommendations of the Indiana State Committee on Governmental Economy and the National Municipal League.

Salutary Effect on Officials In states where the plan has been

adopted only a small percentage of |

the counties have found it necessary to change their form of government, because of the salutary effect which such an amendment has on county officials. Another benefit to be derived from home rule is that local experimentation with different government is possible. Under home rule a new type of county government is possible and probable and the county of the future may develop as a strong urban and rural municipality, bringing to the citizens enormously inereasing functions with relatively smaller expenditures. Another #- vrntage of home rule is that it will promote

Yes,

some |

a dictator would take | The Basque |

This list was reported in |

the London Times Dec. 3 and pub- | tremely diverse in size, population,

Let |

the General!

forms of |

civic pride, responsibility and interest in local affairs,

government was not planned to

| meet the needs and conditions of |

jour day and age, but was an historical accident of the days of the stage coach, the oxcart and the covered wagon, and was predicated on the principles and conditions of that hour,

Improvements Necessary, Claim

If the county is to survive as a unit of local self-government, and the growing tendency toward functional consolidation and state centralization is to be checked,

improved. The counties of Indiana are now slowly fading into trative districts of the State. Witness the growing State control over

ment of crime and the care of the mentally sick, poor and unfortunate. This tendency may be partially checked and the county

welfare, library and recreational facilities. fre protection and public works when, and only when, an efficient iocal government able to cope with these problems is developed.

Define Powers of Counties

The provision of the proposed amendment that requires legislative determination of the powers of counties will insure standardization and supervision in so far as counties act as administrative subdivisions of the State for the execution of vital State functions. The amendment is correct in providing a self-executing plan since the experience in Ohio, Maryland, New York and other states has shown that any other plan may prove unsatisfactory. The counties of Indiana are ex-

valuation and degree of urbaniza-

ment can exactly fit them all. The amendment does not make the error of attempting to prescribe the county manager or the county mayor plan. » n nN SUPPORTS PRESIDENT'S COURT REFORM PLAN By Charles M. Flaig, Richmond We stand on the threshold of a great political struggle. It will decide whether this nation is to have a democratic government or

| whether it will continue to permit

certain groups to rule through the reactionary wing of the Supreme Court. In reality the President's message lays siege to a citadel of special privilege, in which our courts seem to be. Its enactment, if the President's appointments are wisely

made, will transform the Supreme |

Court from an ultra conservative to a liberal body. It will make a New Deal possible. The greatest aepression in our history, in which our nation almost

collapsed, saw a great people at-| to solve by democratic

tempting means the problems of modern economic life. The Court struck down one recovery measure after another. Lincoln was faced with the same kind of a Court and he said: candid citizen must confess that if the policy of the Government

upon which vital questions affecting |

the whole people is to be irrevocably filed by the decisions

ceased to be their own rulers, having, to that extent, practically resigned their Government into the hands of that eminent tribunal.” Faces set stubbornly to the past, despite the mandate of the people, the Court decided that industry, agriculture and labor were still in

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a past age. | hope Our present machinery of county |

| ernor urge these officials to ignore the

then | ) . . the county's government must ke | and to live ahead of their own times

mere adminms- |

becomes a) unit for the maintenance of heeslth, |

ion

| to politics or personalities.

“The |

of the | Supreme Court, the people will have |

MILLER JEWELRY

It shut doors to one after another. President Roosevelt had no choice, after last fall's victory, but to fight judicial supremacy or permit a minority to

‘rule with its packed courts.

= ” =

DEMANDS ON OFFICIALS

HELD TOO GREAT By Hiram Lackey Does The Times realize the significance of the demands which it makes upon Mayor Kern and GovTownsend? In effect, you

obligations of political friendships

to make decisions independent of their friends—all to make the merit system real and practical for the common good. It is interesting to study the lack

ai A roventi . | of courage of The Times when faced job Higint: Do, Sa | with a similar problem in its own

of liquor, prevention and punish- |

field of journalism. The Times editor has professional fellow-editors whose misrepresentations and deceptions should be exposed for the public good. But The Times, as a rule, deletes all criticism that is written by readers to expose other newspapers. ” n ” COURT PLAN ENDANGERS LIBERTY, WRITER SAYS By Carl Humble I want to compliment The Times its recent editorial expressing disapproval of the President's plan to reorganize the Supreme Court. To approach this grave question without political bias is a public service. As this is a matter involving the

continuance of the constitutional | | plan of our Government, it should

be considered by all, without regard The experience of all history shows there

can be no safety or human liberty |

unless we keep all three departments of our government separate and independent. It must be a

[government of laws, not a personal

| government. tion and no one plan of govern-

Uncurbed power in the hands of one man eventually means the tyranny of monarchy; in the hands of any group the tyranny-of oliaarchy. Even if we had a man who was all-wise and had the virtues of

a god, such man would soon come !

to the end of administration and be replaced by another who might be neither wise nor good. Thus, eventually, selfishness and ereed would enslave all. It is necessary to Keep each department of government entirely separate and independent, each a check on the other, as provided by the founders of this republic,

= 5 TARKINGTON'S “DICTIONARY” HELD CONTRADICTORY By Alden R. Bracewell, Shirley Booth Tarkington opposes

”

the

President's Court proposal on the the | In|

ground that it would destroy dictionary of the Constitution.

| his view, the justices are not con-

cerned with the desirability of acts

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of Congress hut merely {words of the supreme law. That is [to say, they tell us that the word | “white” means white, and the word | “black” means black. | Some of the judges say a word is { white and others say it is black. | Obviously, it can’t be both, any more

| than Congressional acts can be at |

| once valid and void. Why does the [ “dictionary” contradict itself? | The answer is, of course, the Con[stitution is not a clear-cut docu-

{ment drawn up in simple definite |

{lines of black and white. Nor can [it ever be, so long as a group of | men, no matter how learned or dis- | tinguished they may be, are given | the right to split hairs about shades {of meaning. Does not every man | interpret things according to his | own personal tradition? A Su- | Preme Court justice is no exception. | Since the interpretation of the | Constitution now depends on the opinion of the Court members, is it not as desirable to have a majority of justices whose sympathies favor the common people as to have majority whose background leads ‘them to twist the words for the benefit of high finance? Isn't there a saying to the effect that sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander?

” ” ”

URGES HOUSE RENTERS TO PROTEST INCREASE | By Mrs. H. L.

Open letter to house renters of Indianapolis: The Times recently printed an | announcement of a 5 to 10 per cent | advance in house rents ordered by | rental agents of the Real Estale | Board. It seems to me that it is time { for house renters to start some loud and vigorous protesting. Last October rents were raised | some as much as $5. I know. | heard the lamentations on all sides land many whom I know had to { move. We should have been able to, but couldn't find a decent place | any cheaper than what we now | pay so we struggled along, with no | margin. The fact that rents are too high already. If a house rents cheaply, it is a “dump.” Our income now is $12 a week and if we are forced to pay more rent 1 don’t know what we shall ao. | There are many people in a similar | position. It is decidedly unfair and unjust. Wages do not increase universally, especially not enough to warrant the

Ss.

i Thi" INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

| increase in rents. Tenants already |

A PA

| pay taxes for the owner and if this | dictatorial rise takes effect it will

be the tenant who has to pay the |

increased taxes.

| Prices are raised here and there with the | until it is all shifted to the man at

OTHER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ON PAGE 14

! the civil liberties of the people. . . . Mr. Roosevelt may not desire to

the bottom, who bears the brunt of ‘pe a dictator, but the powers he

|all the burdens, who pays all the | increases. Ana he is least able of all to pay.

| asks for must be passed on to an-

| other man in a few years and an- |

| other packing of the Court might

) | aroused. We can't help suggesting |

| The decent man at the bottom completely destroy the Constitution. | something like entering an armawants a fair chance to better him- |

self and live, not merely exist. Usually he has a hard time doing | this. ” » GEN. JOHNSON ATTACKED |FOR COURT STAND | By E. F. Maddox In spite of Gen. Johnson's {ren|zied squawking—and it has already hurt the President more than it has helped him—the opinion of a ma- | jority of the American people re{mains as The Times has stated it: | “We believe the proposal is danger- | cus.” The slippery general tacitly ad-

mits that a vote on the judicial re- |

form bill would be rejected by a majority ranging “from 3 to 1 5¢C to 1 against approval.” says the cards or stacked.”

” uo ” \

| |

| STINCHFIELD ARTICLE HAS REVERSE EFFECT

| By "“Aroused”

ment race. Before long we would have to expand the Supreme Court building in order that it might hold the Constitution,

TRY A

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for

to | But he |

He argues that the President's pro- |

posal to pack or unpack, as you

wish, the Supreme Court, is strictly It is the same meth- |

constitutional.

od employed by Mussolini and Hit- |

ler cne man's will.

The fears of the liberals are

to subordinate more and more |

wholly justified, for if Gen. Johnson | is right in his estimate of the peo- |

| ple’s opposition to the bill, what will

| happen if a man with dictator's itch |

| is elected in 1940? A man with the powers Mr. Roose-

velt asks for could declare martial |

law and suspend

the functions of |

| the courts and the Constitution and | - |

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