Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-09
THE CONSTITUTION TOUGH,
THOUGH WEATHER-BEATEN
Tho century.old Revival Of Attacks
Upon Il Is a Familiar Endurance
Test Containing No Cause
for Dlsmay

THERE is at least one of the many divert
i ing pages Of II. G. Wells "The Outline
Of History" wherein the prophetic note rings
resoundingly of the present. "A time may
come warns the chronicler of this mundane
muddle, when people will regard the con-
trivances and machinery of the American
constitution as the political equivalents of
the implements and contrivances OF the
Neolithic man
Considering that 1900 resolutions to
amend the fundamental federal instrument
were offered In Congress during the first
century of the United States under the con
stitution considering that scores more have
been proposed within the last thirty three
years, considering all the hard words that
are continually being spoken Of the political
faulty of the forcfathers it may be said
that the role of Mr.. Wells as a sell. consti-
tuted seer is seriously imperiled.
For the age is not moving toward denun-
citation of the federal constitution. The
season of furious animosity is here and, in
teresting to relate, it has endured for one
and q third centuries.
Constitution critics-amendmpnt mongers
they were called In the early days-have
been ever with us. The particular virulence
Of contemporary attacks is naturally due in
part to the persistence of the venerable de-
lusion that legislation is a potent panncea
and partly to the destructive attributes, men
tai and physical. Of world upheava.
Americans. above all other peoples chafe
under the aspersion Of backwardness. The
charge that the constitution by which we
are governed Is the oldest written basic doc.
ument under which any nation functions
|, today is true. Is it any wonder that the
situation is alarming? Is it any wonder
when political defeats are inflicted that
| the victims rage at dead hands or that the
earnest architects Of future elysiums should
| fume at inhibitions raised by statesmen who
| never saw trolley car, a locomotive engine,
an automobile, an airpane. jazz dancing,
cafeterias or grapefruit?
II has been said that of the new nations
| formed since the war ended not one has
| taken the constitution Of the United States
| as a model Reproof rings around us for
our inability to change executives in re
sponse to spasmodiC waves of public senti
ment. Little Portugal is capable of altering
| the political complexion of its government
more frequently in n month than we are
| enabled to do in a generation.
A leavening of sincere indignation is con
tanned in these protests. The pcrycrsity of
human affairs is often excessively trying.
| And yet il visions are set aside for the mo-
ment in favor Of facts, it may reasonably be
| asked whether the American people are in
| any marked degree less masters of their
| fates than the inhabitants of other republics
or republican monarchies. ''modernzed" to
the ultimate extreme of flexible government.
| Moreover, let il never be thought that
reluctance to tinker with the constitution
is a national trait. The amenders, alert and
| belligerent Mt the very outset, speeded the
| u DIahA
| first ten changes in the constitution, declared
in force in 1871.
A dispute over the powers Of the Supreme
Court produced the eleventh amendment in
| l79S. The confusing system Of choosing the
President and Vice President was clarified
in 1904
That no other amendments were passed
until 1865 is but a superficial index Of har
| mony. ObjrCtors. conscientious and other.
wise, fourshed almost as prodgally as the
| nation itself. The row over Jays treaty
provoked a campaign on behalf Of according
the House cOequHl power with the Senate in
pact making,
When the election Of 1900 was thrown into
the House Of Representatives the electoral
college method of olecting a President was
excitedly abused. The Louisiana Purchase
provoked demand for more explicit COnst
tutionsl definition Of the right Of the federal
government to purchase territory from for
eign countries.
! The reviSiOniSts were stirred again in the
| War of 1912. Massachusetts, Rhode Island
and Connecticut refused to answer the cal
for troops. Either, IL was insisted tn,
meaning of the constitution had been per
verted or else II should be altered to pre-
vent the recurrence Of arbitrary mandates.
A new constitutional convention was ever
l,.Nta Nnl Nr 10
amendments. These included the nppor
tionment OF direct taxes and representative
according to the number Of free persons
no admission OF new states without the con
sent of two thirds or both houses of Con,
gross no embargo laid for more than sixt,
days no re election of Presidents no TIVE
consecutive Presidents from the same stat
and the exclusion of naturalizcd citizens from
seats in Congress and federal civic Offices.
A conv nton at Hartford materinsed an,
fayoraby discussed these proposals, but n
general convoCatiOn of states took place an,
| the amendments themselves suffered curiou
fate. They were buried in mass o
other suggestions as thick IA FallOmbrOsa
leaves.
With insistent regularity the amendmen
10 elect the President by direct vote ap
peered. II was proposed to shorten the teri
, Of senators, to give Congress and the state
? concurrent power to train the militia, t
r deny TO any American recipient of titles q
, | nobility or honor or Of any gift from foreig
prince, king or power, the right to hol
| ofBce without congressional consent; {
/ abolish the Vice Presidency and to choos
, the President By lot in the Senate.
. The senator's divided ing 'Ar's elaAssY'
a !