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

troll the unorganized public. Its only
possible restraint must come from or
through public opinions restraint that
is manifested only when public thought
is aroused sufficiently to take notice Of
the impending or present danger Pa
ternahstic action is dictated by greed for
power. The only cost taken into con-
sideration IS the gain or loss Of votes. In
short, paternalism brings out all the
sordid qualities lying dormant in po-
nticdl trick boxes.
PATERNALIsPS
SHADY PAST.
There is>nothing new in the theory Of
paternalism. 1t has always existed. 1t
has always been the entering wedge
which separated a people from their gov
eminent From the earliest historical
records of organized government there
has been in evidence the continued
struggle against this form of centralized
dictatorship, and that is really what pa
ternalism is in political practice
The best illustration of paternaiism
in practice was Germany, at the time OF
Bismarck. The Iron Chancellor, Bis
marck, was the embodiment of the theory
of Capitalization of governmental au-
thority. He stands as the symbol Of pa
ternalism. Acting upon the foundational
theory Of paternaiism, that the State Is
the only supreme power, Bismarck
sta g. 1, 1.-The state was valuable only so
loI as 1t represented a machine, with a
supreme and powerful grip, ruling and
governing minute and framentary wills"
The World War gave evidence of the
effects of paternalism upon the nations
dominated by its evils.
Russian paternallsts sought to go even
farther than Bismarck, and to strengthen
their position to impress upon the peo-
pie that the state is the only supreme
and holy power. Russia was a splendid
illustration of Paternalism De Luxe. It
represented the extreme "of excessive
governmental regulations Of the private
affairs" Of the citizen. AS an inevitable
result the revolution was as radical in
its liberty as the government had been
in its tyranny.
POLITICAL RESULTS
OF PATERNALISM.
One of the results Of the Capitalization
Of power at the seat Of government has
been the citizens constantly growing dis
satisfaction with legislative bodies. The
prestige Of such bodies and respect for
them has become weakened in proper
ton to the control of law makers by pa
ternalistic ideas.
In England, the labor leader, Ramsey
Mcdonald, in 1919 voiced the disapproval
.
paternalism, and marked one Of the first
steps in movement for decentralization
Of the power Of English government.
There IS existent in the United States,
at the present time. the gravest criti-
cism Of Congress and many Legisla'
lures. founded upon their undue So
licitude for the protection OF the people
and their interests. and interference
herewith"
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge says:
There is also another ultimate result
which viii come II we continue along
the path we are now treadlng. and which
is peculiar In our system OF govern
ment, and that is the destruction OF the
States or their reduction to n condition
Of hamilton through the absorption OF
Government functions by the central
Government at Washington. This move
mept Is proceeding with great rapidly
and Il is we'll to remember that the
state governments embody the principle
of local self government. which has al
ready been Justly regarded as one OF
the cornerstones Of the republic.
Our forefathers founded a limited Gov
eminent. The movement of today and
the various measures Of a sociahstic kind
extending governmental activities are
breaking down those constitutional limi-
tations and are intended to do so"
PATERNALISTTC MEASURES CLOG
FEDERAL COURT DoCRETs.
One Of the direct results OF paternal-
ism Is the insistent demand for Federal
legislation to cover every possible phase
Of lif,--the Capitalization in Washington
Of matters rghtfully coming under the
Jurisdiction Of TIE States. This demand
falls in line with the plans Of the pa
ternalists and immeasurably benefits
their lobby. The necessary and natural
consequences OF the craze for unloading
Of all responsibilities upon the Govern
ment In Washington is creating much
opposition and seemingly endless It'll
cation. Legal acton upon such matters
has swampeu the Department OF Justice
These officials are SO loaded down with
the responsibility for the enforcement Of
laws which should be taken care OF BY
the States, that they are compelled to
neglect more important matters. Attor
ney General Daugherty is quoted as say
ing that it would take one Federal
judge serving 36J days in year upon
the bench, a million years to dispose
Of all the cases that now clog the dock
cts of the Federal Courts"
PATERNALIsM DTSREGARDs
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS.
The terms of the Constitution Of the
United States clearly defined and abso-
lutely reserved for local self government
all activities which were not fundamental
~ national in their influence. The Army,
Navy mails, currency, foreign relations
and interstate problems admittedly arc
national in scope. On the other hand, all
things coming under the control Of po-
lice power were reserved TO the State. IT
was the intention Of the trainers of these
sections OF the Constitution to have the
citizen constroI and participate in home
problems.
In reporting n statement made by As
sistant Attorney General Grim, before the
National Civic Federation the Akron
(OhiO) Beacon Journal states "It would
be an awkward commentary upon the
controlling impulse of public sentiment
II he resistanc, to further abdication Of
the powers Of Local self government to the
Federal authorities we're TO be effected by
a blockade in the courts and national de-
partment, instead of by wholesome opin-
ion that further Capitalization OF author
ity is inherently wrong. Much of the
demand for the paternalism of Federal
laws has come from the civic societies, re-
form leagues and the various forms Of
uplift endeavor that find it easier to regu-
late washington than their own cities
and States The result of this central
lied effort is the creation Of an expensive
crew of salaried functionaries, insI ectors,