Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-18

experts and busy bodies who can find
employment only by maintaining the
super government by which they thrive"
Under the guise of public welfare the
paternalistic octopus is gradually placing
its tentacles upon States rights and
choking out individual freedom. One or
moro Of its tentacles may be cut off, but
the throttling process continues through
the agency of the remaining ones or Of
the ever increasing number of new ones.
the solution lies in the destruction of the
octopus itself. This octopus is the
creature of a group Of far1eeing, Sin
visible" lawmakers, whose sole object is
the. control of the masses through re-
restrictive legislation in order to satisfy
their greed Of power and gain. This
influence was actively at work prior to
the war 1t was absolutely essential TO
have some centralized control. Time was
a most i'm ~ortant element and expense
had no bearing upon the tissues at stake.
Conditions are different now and there
is a most urgent need for the elimination
Of the evils of Bureaucracy and paternal-
ism,--the Graduating Of national red
tape" and the return of the States to
their constitutional status of home gov
ernment. The old established bureaus,
ana those created to administer paternal-
istic war time laws, are not going to re-
linquish their unlimited and autocratic
power willingly and without struggle.
1t win take decisive action by the pub
lie, to break their power and remove
them. 1t Is against the principles OF the
Constitution and in direct violation Of
both the letter and he spirit of the law
to have an Over-ceRtralized control Of
government. Every individual has the
inalienable right to choose freely and
without interference or intimidation, in
all matters pertaining to his housing and
living, industrial, domestic and labor
conditions, social life, school life, ma
ternal and infant welfare, nutrition,
physical development, medical treatment
and every other phase of living that
affects his personal rights and liberties.
But If paternalistic legislation, as 1t is
advocated, continues and becomes more
effective, the central officials in Wash
ington and the State capitals will do
the choosing for him.
AMERICAN INDIVTDTALTSM
WILL DESTROY PATERNALIsM.
One Of the greatest qualities developed
under the American form of Government
is the American citizens individuality.
This characteristic will refuse to become
deadened and destroyed through the at
tempts to do business with multitude Of
bureaus and inefficient clerks. The en-
slavement Of the people by paternalistic
measures and the removal Of both the in
centive and the necessity Of the indi-
vidual to think for himself, by this sys-
tenn Of government, cannot stand. The
American viii assert his ability to accept
responsibility. He win refuse to lend his
support to various Hobbies which are
pushing paternalistic measures. He will
investigate for himself the ultimate pur-
pose Of every law which he IS asked to
support and afterwards pay for. He will
exercise his prerogatives rs an American
citizen. He will signify by active par
ticipatlon in government what his coun-
try and its institutions mean to him and
declare his intention 10 fight against any
infringement upon his hirthright.
This attitude win result in the greatest
movement towards legislative and govern
mental reform his country has ever
known 1t will hasten a return to normal
conditions, because II means a return to
the Constitution and the ideals from
which It was evolved. Normal conditions
in this country are dependent upon the
maintenance Of the spirit Of the CG0sti-
tuition because that spirit is American
ism. Americanlsm and paternallsm can
not exist together, consequently paternal-
ism must go.