Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 17 September 1937 — Page 22

PAGE 22

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FRIDAY, SEPT. 17, 1937

WHY IT “WORKED ITS WAY”

UST 150 years ago today 39 weary Americans in knee

breeches, silk stockings and powdered wigs gathered around a table in a little hall in Philadelphia and signed their names to a document they had worked on through four hot ‘months behind| closed doors—the Constitution of the United States. | Its framers thought little of it. To Hamilton it was “a frail and worthless fabric.” Franklin didn't approve of | “several parts.” Washington, who had presided, thought | it might last 20 years. “If it is good,” he wrote Lafayette, “I suppose it will work its way; if bad it will recoil on its framers.” How did the Constitution happen to “work ite way” from being a Government charter for a tiny band of 13 agrarian states with 4,000,000 people through foreign and Civil War, industrial revolution and decades of amazing expansion and remain, as it is today, basic law: for the world’s richest republic? The answer, of course, is that the American people up to now have had sense enough to brush aside the. legalists and symbol-worshipers and to change the Constitution to fit new times and needs.. They have amended it formally 21 times and by court interpretation hundreds of times. « ¥ 2 7 : %'n- |» NOES the Constitution suffice today? Some, viewing the intricate problenis posed by our far-flung, interstate industrial system, demand a new insti ment. : . We believe, rather, that the process of amendraent can be and should be employed to clarify the powers of Congress and the states and to re-endow the Federal Government with the broad and general powers which the framers intended it to have. ' By using the same courage, co-operation and common sense that the “young men of 1787” displayed at Philadelphia, the American people can make their Constitution live and serve them for another century and a half aid more. On this, its birthday, they may well wish it many happy. returns.

THE METHODISTS SPEAK HOOSIER Methodists, who voted a year ago for merger of ' Methodist denominations, are hearing encouraging re- _ ports of the progress of that plan at the 106th session of the Indiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. General conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Methodist Prostestant Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, already have approved the plan, which originated after the Methodist Sesquicentennial at’ Baltimore in 1934. In the referendum, all of the Northern Methodist Episcopal annual conferences and all but two of the Methodist Protestant annual conferences approved the program to unite nine million Methodists. Annual conferences in _ the South are now voting and, as Dr. Forney Hutchinson, Tulsa, told the delegates here, none has yet rejected the plan, despite opposition of several bishops. The referendum will be completed this year. Dr, Hutchinson, one of the leading Southern pastors, said the merger’s success is being made possible by willingness of Northern. Methodists to compromise on issues that have divided the gharofies since the Civil War. Another highlight of the conference, the first in down . town Indianapolis in 16 years, is the statement by Bishop Francis J. McConnell that American churches will protest vigorously United States entanglement in foreign conflicts. Indianapolis welcomes the opportunity to be host again ~ to this important church conference, and follows with interest its efforts in behalf of world poate and greater re-

ligious activity.

LA GUARDIA WINS ] IBERALS and friends of good government everywhere in America should be delighted by the outcome of yesterday’s municipal primary in New York City. Mayor Fiorello La Guardia seems to have gained an impressive victory. Although Republicans were urged to vote against him because he has been a supporter of the New Deal, he won the Republican nomination for re-elec-tion, defeating U. S. Senator Royal S. Copeland. That was expected. More surprising was the writein vote for Mayor La Guardia on the Democratic primary ballots. Had his name been printed on those ballots, he might have been given that nomination, too. 5 As it was, the Democratic nomination went to Jeremiah T. Mahoney, and there again Senator Copeland—despite the support of the Tammany organization in Manhattan Borough, of Al Smith, and of other New Deal enemies— met defeat. Mr. Mahoney was the candidate of pro-New Deal Tammany organizations in the other boroughs. Mayor La Guardia’s re-election in November is now regarded as certain. Meanwhile, the result of the primary provides heartening evidence that the people of New York . City, often a8 they have been accused of political cynicism and indifference, do appreciate good government of the type Mayor La Guardia has given them. Evidence also, through the double defeat of Senator Copeland, that bitter, reactionary opposition to the New Deal was recognized as a false issue in a municipal campaign and as a poor platform from which to appeal either to Democrats or to Republicans.

KING CORN JiiDiaNa is growing more corn than in many years. Little affected by drought which has cut 100,000,000 . bushels from the nation’s still high corn crop estimate— - mainly ‘in the western part of the corn belt—the Hoosier yield is figured by Purdue statisticians at 186,480,000 : bushels, ‘or T0 million bushels more than in 1936. Fine weather conditions and good commodity prices have helped expand other crops, too, giving the farmer his highest income gince 1929 and starting anew the debate

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THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

We, the People. of the United States— —By H Herblock

FRIDAY,’ SEPT. 1, 1037 :

| How Long Can He Hang on to It?—By Talburt

Fair Wo

By Westbrook Pegler

It Will Be an Historic Interview When Hugo Black Faces Roosevelt To Answer Ku-Klux Klan Charges.

EW YORK, Sept. 17.—What would you give for a ringside seat to Mr. Roosevelt’s interview with Hugo Black when that progressive statesman of the new South returns from Europe to take up the duty of liberalizing the, United States Supreme Court with the character of a man who hesitates to deny that he is or ever was a member of

the Klan? The President says he did not havé information that Hugo was a Kluxer when hé sent his name to the Senate, ahd you can be sure that if he had had such information he would have skipped lightly over Hugo Black. And Hugo, on his part, if it is true that he once subscribed to the juvenile foolishness and the mean and cowardly intimidation of minorities by masked men, put Mr. Roosevelt out on a limb in accepting the appointment. If it is true—you have to keep on repeating the phrase “if it is true,” because it isn’t positively established yet and Hugo hasn’t said whether it is true or not. If it is true, then, he obtained his appoeintment by a concealment of information which amounted to deception and his ratification by false pretenses. And any way you look at it he created an unnecessary mess ahd put the President in a fix. ”n ” EJ HETHER “he clings to his job or resigns, he has raised again a sad and shameful probe lem which seemed to have died of its own poison 10 years ago and caused a revival of the bigotry and suspicion among ‘otherwise friendly neighbot's. Worst of all to the President, Hugo Black has fetched Mr. Roosevelt’s Court plan one terrific kick, because this plan was advanced as an effort to liberalize the Supreme Court, and the first chance Mr. Roosevelt had to add a progressive, squaré-shooting judge he named a Kluxer—if it is true.

#n 2 2

Mr. Pegler

F the plan to pack the Supreme Court—and Mr. Roosevelt honestly believes it is & plan to uhpack the Court—had any remaining ghost of a

chance to get by Congress, what has Hugo Black done

to that chance by his concealment of his membership in the Ku-Klux Klan if he is or ever was a member? The Senators who were singled out for political exe¢ution for opposing the Court plan will be able to go to their constituents and point out how careless, how reckless Mr. Roosevelt was with one appointment and take credit for the fact that this mistake was not multiplied by six. The President, the Court plah and all the hohest progressives, radicals and liberals have been whipsawed for the personal ambition of .one man, if it is true.

That will be an historic and dramatic moment when, after stalling off the meeting, Hugo Black comes back to the States and goes down to Washington and up the drive to the White House and into Mr, Roose« velt’s office to look him in the eye and try to explain why he didn’t think it worth mentioning that he was a member of the Ku-Klux Klan=if he was. Say what he will, Mr. Roosevelt will know, and Hugo will know he knows. What a pal Hugo turned out to be—if it is true. And has anyone heard him say no?

‘Presidents and. Governments;

sumption

The Hoosier Forum I wholly disagree with what you say, but wilh defend to the death your right to say it.—Voltaire.

SOUTH SIDE RESIDENTS WRITE THANKS

By Charles J. Fritz, South Side Civie Club, Ine., Secretary.

We want to thank you for your |

efforts in behalf of the South Side for track elevation. united efforts apparently went for naught, our claim for elevation is just and eventually must be recognized in spite of a few recalcitrant councilmen. who refuse to admit |. that the taxpayers and citizens living south of Washington St. have any rights ‘which must be respected.

a also take this opportunity to;

xpress our appreciation for the arusble space you allot us from hi to time.. ” ” ” POLICE HELP AT FAIR WAS APPRECIATED By Jane Calvelage. Out of gratitude for the assistance of police at the State Fair, I feel called upon to. write this letter. I did not feel that they were too vigilant, snd the kindly, courteous, thorough-going efforts they made to assist” were greatly appreciated. From the things overheard at Police Headquarters, I gather it can be no pleasure to be stationed there. The thought of another Fair without police to curb the lawlessness is nos particularly pleasurable.

2 #2 » REPEAL A PASSING OBSESSION, WRITER BELIEVES

By Ivan R. Farr, Edinbutg The test of every institution is the effect it has upon the welfare of the citizens. No saloon ever prought forth “good fruit.” The nearest approach is in its claim of “good fellowship.” But what sort of fraternity is this emanating from. rum-soaked, coarsened personalities,

‘as compared with true fellowship

as exemplified in the graduation class of the “teens” meeting in early communion, breakfasting in the parish house, with the oldfashioned = class hour following. Another good fruit is profit. This fraud insults our ' intelligence.

“Liquor has caused mote sorrow ‘than all the wars of history, from

Joshua to the present.” The presént dilemma as viewed py ‘the critics and climaxed by the. disappointment of the past few years may be briefly stated as follows: (1) The general économic and industrial breakdown of the past few years, resulting in an unrest; (2) Lack of appreciation of the potentialities of a governmentally lawless : nation by our Law enforcement never as seriously exercised as it should have been; (4) Bduchtional forces. inert, while the movies and the press exaggerate the amount of illegal conof alcoholic beverages;

General Hugh Johnson Says—

Hugo Black's Resignation Would Leave Him in an Impossible Situation; Incident Resolves Into Argument Against Type of Roosevelt's Council.

-mhore temperate part ‘of democratic leadership have heen excluded until the President's advisory couneil is now almost exclusively composed of a revolutionary junta. It is very difficult for men upon whom fortune smiles so divinely to escape the messianic complex.

HICAGO, Sept. 17.—Why should Justice Black resign? It would leave him in an impossible position. He couldn't be appointed to another Federal office beéausé nobody in thé Sehaté would dare vote to confitm him and he probably would have been _ licked if his fight for re-eléction as Senator. If Mr. Roosevelt asked for his resignation to the oy; he could properly say: “I have been appointed by the President and co med by the Sénate to a life job. Why should I give it up, I am the same Hugo Black that you appointed.” There is almost no answer to that. It may be that the whole incident is for the best. ' Mr. Black’s ap= pointment was so bad that maybe Mr. Roosevelt On the other hand, the dignity that surrounds the Court may make a real jurist out of Hugo. 8 bb =» F course, no Jew, Catholic or Negro ever could be convinced that in any issue touching his race or religion he would get a square deal from Justice Black, who has an oath. registered against these classes, but eveh that might be a mistake. The whole incident argues 4 a very evil thibg—not so. much for Mr. Roosévelt as for the kind of people who now make up his privy council. They are mostly hot-eyed sealote ts. There is hardly anybody left .c

While our!

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

(5) The entrance of religious and racial prejudices into the picture.

The only real. liberty that any

‘citizen has is the liberty to live in

sich a way that he does not impose upon the liberties of others.

The prohibition laws have been attacked as limitations of liberty whereas they are, in truth, the guardians of liberty. The user of alcohol, in the opinion of medical science, is often the parent of the imbecile and idiot. These unfortunates must be cared for at the expense of every taxpayer. The records of insanity alsg point to alcohol. Insurance companies statistics show that even a moderate use of alcoholic beverages increases greatly the death vate. The abstainer, at present, is paying insurance premiums for the drinker. Prohibition is a protection of the rights of the insured. The highways of the land have been built at public expense. Every citizen has certain rights to drive on them in peace and safety. One drunken driver (or even ohne who has had “one or two drinks”) jeopardizes the life and safety of every other driver on the road. Repeal must: be a passing obsession. America i too noble to err permanently.

THE GOOD OLD DAYS By ROBERT O. LEVELL Give mé. again the good old days When world was filled with happy ways; A friendly neighbor one could Know And knew you had somewhere to go.

If lonesoihe. ahd a little blue, They proved & friend so good and Ce ttuey Their door was opened far and wide With a welcome and a friend inside.

To talk and cheer you, glad to be Where you id feel’ 50 glad and

ree; When world was free ot 80 much : style And there was joy in every smile.

DAILY THOUGHT

. Because ‘thou hast | rejected ee 1 will also reject theb. —~Hosea 3:4.

[T is in knowledge as it is in plants; if you mean to use the plant, it is no matter for the roots; if you mean it to grow, it is safer to rest upon the roots than Bpon the slips —Bacon. :

| ernment

U. S. ALIEN POLICY CALLED ‘POLITICAL SUICIDE’ By Edward F. Maddox : The news stoty in The Times saying that Ihdiahapolis has been chosen as a site for a Nazi carp ‘brings home the fact that the policy adopted toward alien-inspired polisical organizations by the officials of this nation is just a very simple way to commit national political suicide. If American constitutional democracy is to survive, we must enforce the Monroe Doctrine: That any attempt on the part of any foreign

‘power “to extend their system to

any portion of this hemisphere,” and especially to the United States, “js dangérous to our peace and safety.” That is just a simple states ment of a well-established fact, and to ignore the warhing any longer in. the name of free speech, free press and free assembly is the height of folly. I want to protest against the establishment of any Nazi, Socialist, Communist or Fascist camps in this state and to suggest a state law forbidding such camps and outlawing all alien political parties and organizations whose purpose is to set up by any means any system of govbased on dictatorship, regimentation of the people or destruction of our Constitutional rights. The only hope we have to escape Europe's and Asia's bloody battles is to keep meén in power whe believe in our own American form of government. . . .

” 2 2 CONDEMNS WRECKERS OF WAGE-HOUR BILL

‘By Claude Dockefy

I sée that the reactionaries ih the Democratic and Republican parties, and their friends in the press On both sides, are continuing their

blasts against Mr. Roosevelt over |

the national debt of 37 billion dollars (and it’s still rising, of courge) but why don’t they point the gun where it belongs—to Big Business? in oroving that the capitalist system cannot support even those

who support it, we, on WPA, were led to hope that through the passage of a real wage-and=hour bill we would at last.be permitted to wet back where we rightfully i i industry. A bill calling for a maximum of 30 houts in one week at a minimum of 50 cents an hour would have done the trick. But they are now gloating over the fact that they have succeeded in wreeking the weak bill that was brought out. Ze they are going around saying that furiner debt will mean the end-fof the profit system, Well, maybe /So—but the answer as to whether it dees or doesn’t lies directly in their hats, V.. are watching with interest.

It Seems to Me

By Heywood Broun

Al Smith Draws Only Half of House Of Cool Listeners to Hear Speech; Declining Popularity Called Tragic.

NEW YORK, Sept. 17.—0Once upon a time I had a deep admiration and affection for Al Smith. It is with mingled emotions that I read of his speaking to no more than half a house of coolish listeners in: his most

recent campaign address. To be sure, it was indicated in the national election that Al's influence was on the wane, and yet l

many felt that much 6f the magic might remain in his own domain along the sidewalks of New York. Some felt that even those who ho longer go along with Al in his political beliefs could possibly be stirred by the note of B well-remembered Voice. There remains only a stagnant stream, and even those who crave nothing more than preferment in their own precinct may be inclined to say to Smith: “River, stay ‘way from my door.” Such a dwindling and drying up - of forces has its tragic element. If Al Smith were still a power in the land I would be among his violent opponents. As it is I feel sorry.

s 2 #

HEN one is moved by a ttdgedy his sympathy is not an unselfish emotion. However far he may be removed from the protagonist in his own small sphere, the thought which comes to him is: ‘Can this happen t6 me, t00?” ~ It has happened to the great, near great and the little fry. The name of England’s MacDonald comes to mind, and only the other day a Swedish waiter was talking to me about Branting and saying that in his early days this statesman had beén jailed as a radical, while today ho one paid much attention to him because he was so reactionary. In the Madison Square Garden convention of the Democratic Party I witnessed Mr. Bryan's darkest hour, when the chairman was forced to turn to the Boy Orator of the Platte and say: “Mr. Bryan, they can’t hear you.” : z

Mr. Broun

» » »

ND yet I do not think it is inevitable that whom the gods would destroy they first turn tepid. I like better to let my mind dwell on the fact that Eugene V. Debs gave his greatest leadership in his old age and that Lincoln Steffens did all his serious thinking about American political and economic problems when he was 70. And there is no man in this country who consoles me so much against the body punches of the years as Art Young. Art is still ready to slida down the brass pole for ye ry good cause. Still, the life of a fireman is hard. Men get tired of always going to bed in their pants. The earliest sigh of slackening is a tendency to say: “Oh, that's just a onésalarm fire. I'll sleep this one out.” Pres-

- ently not all the sirens and bells and clang of 8ppas -ratus can awaken the dreamer.

It is a kind of self-discipline which keeps men young, effective and on their toes. It is also well to have some kind friend with a pin. I've known reformers who would fight for their side at the drop of a hat and after the years rolled over them the Empire State Building could crash without their batting an eye. Perhaps my new invention, which I have been trying to fashion for my own use, may be helpful. It consists of a hat with a small alarm clock concealed beneath the sweatband. When thé hat drops, the alarm goes off. =

The Washington Netty: Go-Round

Labor Board Is Forced to Enter Quarrel Between A. F. L. and C. I. 0. Latter Accuses It of Favoring Rival in Decision on Ambridge. Dispute.

ABHINGTON, Bept. 17.—Only a few insiders realize it, but during the last few weeks, the: National Labor Relations Board has embarked quietly on a significant and far-reaching change of policy. The original purpose of the Board was to settle disputes between ccphal and laber.

But now the

Napoleon used to buty his right hand in his tunic and, departing a little from his staff, stand on some beetling bluff and be heard to mutter at the elements as though he were receiving messages out of the gl from some dark familiar of the air—and then cq back and announce, “it is decided. ” A

8 s »

M: ROOSEVELT has too much. humor to go far, The bbvious contempt for éommon counsel that was shown in the appoititment of Justice Black with out consulting anybody is a symptom of this.

Something more than a symptom is seen in the

caliber of most of the Cabinet. They are largely peo-

ple that no other res ible American would Y oo of consulting—and neither would Mr, Roosevelt. They are there as push buttons. - This is not peculiar to the Cabinet. Ask ‘anybody of national stature, who-has ever been called in by the President to discuss some fioDoseq change of licy, whether he ever d in

Board has undertaken the task of settling disputes between labor and 1abor—in other words, beétveen the A. F. of L. and the C. I. O. In taking this step the Board tecoghized two fs obs: Another Supreme Coury tést of its power is now almost certaih—a test of its power to decide disputes between labor groups. Pactional labor disputes are the most ominous labor problem facing the country today.

” ” ” 5 WER to handle disputes between labor and izbor

was given to the NLRB by the Wagher Labor |

Relat: Act, but the Board was nos anxious to use. it. It side-stéppea this power while constitutionality of the Wagher act still was before the Su~ preme Coutt. It wanted a clean-cut test of its has

er to decide disputes between capital and dbor.

without muddying' the issue, The Board was successful in this strategy. El

‘C. 1. O.° However, a;

jaken place between employer and labor-=tne C. 1, O. strike against the independent steel companies. All other major strikes have resulted from rows between rival unions. Evén had the Labor Board desired, it could not have avoided taking a hand in this new type of dispute. The battling has gone to such lengths that rights of . employers as well as labor have been jeopardized. gw pA = Board moved cautio y into its first juris dictional row. It. knew it was bound te have either C. I. O. or A. F.;of I. hanging on its eats. Finally it picked the: tional Electric. Products Co. of Ambridge, Pa., for the initiation. Here it overruled a closed-shop agreement between the A. F. of 1.

workers, the Board a which union should represent them. * Protests from -the F. of L. were lieatd, Board was criticized ag/ being picked and paid by the ederal Circuit Court in WilBoard.

much : resentment in the A. F. of L. that an’ undercover ‘campaign now. is reHoried to “smear” Labor Board and undermine its 0 {4 ? ‘with being pro-G. 1. O. and John :