Evening star., 1923-04-18
CAPITAL KEYNOTES
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS

with the cabinet. The entire cabi-
net might approve a course of action
and recommend it to the President, 7
and then the President could do the
reverse of what was recommended.
Hence, there is nothing illegal in the
presence of an assistant attorney
general. any more than in the habit
uai attendance of the Vice President,
which has been instituted by Prcsi-
! dent Harding. Mr.. ,Seymour's pres
ence was considered important tina
he might inform the President ana
cabinet of the progress in the suga2
investigation. now pendipG.
The. average partisan republican
was sure that the quick democratic
support Of the world court. as mani
tested in the Senate and press, was
enough TO arouse irreconcilablc OPP
position. So Senators Borah, Johnson
were strong in denunciation. Now
Woodrow Wilson joins them and they
seem dismayed by his cordial sup
port of their opposition.
What is a statesman to do Whel
the other party splits as badly as h'S
own"
There is much talk Of the Irpor-
tance of Americanizing immigrants
so that they will be able to give in
telligent support to the government
to which they have migrated and adopt
ed as their own. That is laudabl"
object. but why not also Amerlcanize
Americans?
Not half the American citizens care
enought about their republic to TAX"
any part in the elections. We som"
times imagine in the heat of cam
paign that the people are very muCil
wrought up over the vital issues n
stake. Their taxes depend upon tEc
right settlement Of the problems
Their national safety depends upon
the result OF the elections. Crowded
halls. where speeches are being de-
livered, testify to the interest OF the
electorate. But when it comes I"
the voting day, only As per cent q
the legal voters care enough even 10
cast their ballots. The country IS
actually ruled by the minority.
!, x
Even a monarchy, like that Of the
kaiser's before the war, and like
England before and since the war. IS
under closer control Of all the cleo
torate than is the Unitde States. con
sidered from the standpoint Of the
percentage of ballots cast as colapar-
ed with the number OF legal voters.
We cast as per cent of the auth
orized votes. while in England ~
per cent OF the possible vote is cas-.
and in Germany, So per cent IS poiieI
i; x
In the earlier DAYS New England
had a custom of holding town meet
ings in every city or village. \.
those meetings all citizens were cS-
pected to attend for the purpose or
hearing and participating in discus
sions of all measures or conditions
affecting the local or national Ill
terests.
Every man stood on level. at town
meetings. Woe to any who sought
to abuse the non-cloture rule. but il
any one had aught to say, on any live
topic, he was permitted TO say 1t, sub
! ject only to liberal parliamentary.
rules of debate.
Town meetings have long since died
out The public press has taken III,
place of the public debates. and by is
organization and trained workers. il
has rendered d service Of enightcn-
! ment far superior to any that tile
open meeting could do
X = x =;
Now comes an effort TO regain los,
SIOuHu, pS TeNlN IHS inc ltWu meet
ing, as regular local and national
Institution. a national organization
has been formed. with headquartcrs- =
established, within the last week, in
Washington. It is known as tho
National Associa ton Of Uncle Sans
Voters.
!: i: !: x
The initiators of the movement
claim that it has great possibilities
Cor patriotic service 1t should help
| to bring together neishbors with
common interests. 1t will discover
| men of ability TO lead. 1t will at
| ford an opportunity for public ex-
! preston. 1t will develop the CO
! operative spirit. and should help
solve the farm -to-consumer problem,
which appears 80 vital 10 prosperity
/ Of the farmers. 1t should tend, they
believe. to impress millions of Citl-
! zenS with their own responsibility Of
the franchise and of intelligent
watching of their representatives. in
high places. II will insure cleaner
government and more watchful citi-
zens. 1t will not lessen the power
and influence of the press, but rathe"
whet the appetite of the masses to
read the news and views of the
I journals of public opinion
Copyright, 1923, by T. V. Collins)