Evening star., 1924-09-06
COOLIDGE APPEALS TO ALL
PATRIOTS TO UPHOLD IDEALS
Declares Constitution and Supreme Court Guardians
of Individual Rights-Hts House
Partisanslhip.

tyrannical. Otherwise it is exercising
the power of government for the
preservation of liberty. The fact Is
that the Constitution is the source of
our freedom. Maintaining it, inter
preting it and declaring it are the
only methods by which the Constitu-
ton can be preserved and our
liberties guaranteed.
Somewhere must be lodged the
power to declare the Constitution.
If it be taken away from the court
it must go either to the executive
or the legislative branch of the Gov
ernment. No one, so far as L know,
has thought that it should go to the
executive. All those who advocate
changes propose, l believe, that 1t
should be transferred in whole or in
part to the Congress. | have a very
high regard for Legislative assem-.
blies. We have put very great
emphasis upon representative gov
ernment. 1t is the only method by
which due deliberation can be Sc
cured. That is a great safeguard Of
liberty. But the legislature is not
judicial. Along with what are ad-
mitted to be the merits of the ques-
ton, also what is supposed to be
the popular demand and the greatest
partisan advantage weigh very heaV-
lily in making Legislative decisions.
1t is well known that when the House
OF Representatives sits as judicial
body, to determine contested cleo
tions, it has tendency to decide in
partisan way. 1t is to be remem-
bered also that under recent polit-
ical practice there is a strong tend
ency for legislatures to be very much
influenced by the Executive. Whether
we like this practice or not, there Is
no use denying that it exists. With
dominant Executive and a subServient
legislature. the opportunity would be
very inviting to ACKNOWLEDGMENT and
very dangerous to liberty That way
leads toward Imperialism.
Some people do not seem to un-
derstand fully the purpose of our
constitutional restraints. They are
not for protecting the majority, either
in or out of the Congress. They can
protect themselves with their votes
We have adopted written Constitu-
tion in order that the minority. even
down to the most insignificant indi-
vidual, might have their rights pro-
tected So long as our Constitution re-
mains in force, no majority, no mat
ter how large, can deprive the indi-
vidual of the right of life, liberty or
property, or prohibit the free eXer-
else of religion or the freedom of
speech or of the press. If the
authority now vested in the Su-
preme Court We're transferred to
the Congress, any majority, no mat
ter what their motive. could vote
away any Of these most precious
rights. Majorities are notoriously
irresponsible. After irreparable dam
age had been done the only remedy
that the people would have would be
the privilege of trying to defeat such
a majority at the next election. Every
minority body that may be weak in
resources, or unpopular in the public
estima ton, also nearly every race
and religious belief, would find them
selves practically without protection,
if the authority of the Supreme Court
should be broken down and it's pow
ers lodged with the Congress.
Courts Ultimate Refuge.
The same reasoning that applies
to the individual person applies to the
individual State. A very broad twi-
light zone exists in which it is diff
cult to distinguish where State right
ends and Federal right begins. De-
prived of the. privilege of its day in
court, each State would be compelled
to submit to the exactions of the Con-
greSS or resort to resistance by force
On the other hand. the legislatures of
through the initiative and referen-
dun, may pass laws which are very
injurious to the minority residents of
that State, by attempting to take
away the privileges which they hold
under the Federal Constitution. Ex-
cept for the courts, such a minority
would have no remedy for wrong
done them. Their ultimate refuge is
the Supreme Court of the United
States
"At time when all the world is
seeking for the adjudication of differ
enCes between nations, not by war,
but by reason, the suggestion that
we should limit the jurisdiction of
our domestic courts is reactionary in
the highest degree. 1t would cast
aside the progress of generations to
begin again the contest for su-
premacy between executive and legis-
lature. Whichever side has won in
that struggle. the people have always
lost.
Our Constitution has raised GER
tain barriers against too hasty
change. 1 believe such provision is
wise. I doubt if there has been any
change that has ever really been
desired by the people, which they
have not been able to secure.
Stability of government is a very i'm
portant asset. If amendment be
made easy, both revolution and re-
action, as well as orderly progress
also become easy. The Nation has
lost little, but has gained much,
through the necessity of due delibera-
ton. The pressing need of the
present day is not to change our
constitutional rights, but to observe
our constitutional rights.
"a deliberate and determined effort
is being made to break down the
guarantees of our Fundamental law
1t has for it's purpose the confisca-
tion of property and the destruction
of liberty. At the present time the
chief obstacle to this effort is the
Supreme Court of the United States.
In this contest there is but one place
for a real American to stand That
is on the side Of ordered liberty under
constitutional government. This is
not the struggle of the rich and
powerful They will be able to sur
vive. 1t is the struggle of the COM
mon run Of people. Unless we can
maintain our institutions Of liberty
unimpaired, they will see their saw
ings swept away, their homes devas-
tated, and their children perish from
want and hunger.
Urges Defense OF Court.
1.-The time to stop those who would
loosen and weaken the fabric of our
government is before they begin
The time for Americans to range
themselves firmly, squarely and un-
compromisingly behind American
ideals is now. The great body of
our people have an abiding faith in
their own country. The time has
come when they should supplement
that faith with action. The question
is whether America will allow itself
to be degraded into a communistic
and socialistic state, or whether it