Evening star., 1924-06-15

The menace to this country of
thinking and legislating along class
lines and the waste Of propaganda
are emphasized by William ]. Graham.
| recently a representative in Con-
gress, now judge of the court of Gus
toms appeals, and Representative
John @ Tilson of Connecticut
In his valedictory to Congress Rep
resentative Graham, who at the open
ing of the present Congress was put
forward as a candidate for House
leader, warned his colleagues as fol-
lows:
'1 have come to view with appre-
hension and alarm tendency that is
prevalent throughout this country,
pie of the country to think along
class lines and to seek in this forum
class legislation of all kinds and on
all subjects.
IF there is anything the country
ought to beware of and if there is
anything this House in its future de-
liberations ought to beware of it is
that tendency, which is not the fault
of the members of this House or of
the body at the other end of the
themselves in thinking along class
lines.
Menace to the Country.
''It Is a menace to the country, and
I hope it is one that will in time be
obliterated by reason of the general
9tr % s of sse Sa sod1
to act for the people generally and
to have mass consciousness instead
of class consciousness, which many
of those who send US here would have
That stemming the tide OF propa-
ganda would be a mighty conserva-
ton measure was argued by Rep
resentative Tilson, who said that
unless a halt is called in the rapid
steps taken to replace our disappear
ing forests, it requires no prophe tic
vision to see the day when America
will resemble China and India in this
regard"
He called the . plague t. Of printed pi,,t,:s
wicked and wanton waste of perfect
ly good timber"
In arguing that genuine, unpreju
diced public opinion is the life and
ment. but the manufactured article is
dangerous substitute, especially
when emanating from sordid self-in-
terest. 'and many there be who are
deceived thereby" Representative
IF there is anywhere a more use
less, senseless waste of ink and paper,
to say nothing of time and vital en-
ergy, than the present method now in
full swing of propagandizing Con-
gress, then 1 am not cognizant of it
Most members of Congress, like most
other people. need to be informed.
and. as a rule. they are desirous OF
ty-efght hours in the day instead of
twenty -four, no mortal man could |
possibly read a tithe of the so-called |
now being deposited |
daily in the bulging wastebaskets OF
something of value be overlooked, 1t |
is necessary to have a secretary at
least remove the envelope or wrapper
and make a superficial examination |
Even this takes time that might be 1
employed in useful service.
May People AIisled.
"Nor is the more bulky printed
matter the only form OF foolish prop
are misled into signing silly form
letters. and some are led so far as to
perform the senseless task of labor
iously copying what some interested
party has placed in their hands with
the request that they copy. sign and
send to Washington. They do not
realize that when a member OF Con-
preas has received several hundred |
in exactly the same
identical same inspiration has prob
ably not come to SO many persons
In fact, the expe-
rienced member of Congress can US
ualIy guess quite promptly the exact
source of the inspiration, and as a
ruIe knows that the real source Is not
altogether free from the taint of self
interest.
Nothing is more acceptable or, in
fact, more helpful to a member Of
CONGRESS who desires to serve the
best interests of the people effect
lively than to receive communications
from his constituents. 1 mean their
own communications There is no one
hiI m hle that big ideaS |