Evening star., 1924-11-30
BY THOMAS n. MARSHALL,
Former Vice President Of the United
States.

vAcp EEe1t0eny OF the United
states.
Inasmuch rs the best study of man.
KIND Is man, one possessed of a sense
OF humor and not obsessed with his
own supreme Importance to any di-
vine plan may, by participating In an
american political Campaign, obtain
an unexpurgated text book out of
which he can read lessons old and
new. But he Is apt to carry out of
the campaign longing for some sell
entinc method whereby sort Of Ger. =.
sus or political thought may be taken
The Census Bureau knows to a nicely
how many persons there are in the
United States and how many of them
are voters. 1t can approximate ac-
curately the number Of qualified
voters who will cast their ballots. 1t
has classified persons and live stork.
agricultural and manufactured ar.
ticles. We can learn from the bureau u
almost anything we wish to know,
but 1t has never attempted to ascer.
tain why voters are going to vote az
they are or why they voted as they
did. Yet, when an election Is over and
the votes are counted that is Just
what most OF US would like best to
know
After the winner is known thos.
period of analysation, sitting in
solemn contemplation and endeavor-
Ing to determine the causes OF defeat.
They recount ell the steps of the
campaign, consider mistakes which
were made and chances which were
verlooked. Almost any Democrat,
save myself. processes to know, as a
result OF his own study, why Mr..
Davis was defeated. albeit a post
mortefn Is idle.t vain, useiess. being
without value four years hence. None
OF US know, however, Just why the
individual voter voted as he did. That
Is why ! propose . division within
the Census Bureau to obtain a frank
expression from each member OF tho
electorate.
The campaign orator. who sees in
his audience no one at variance with
his views. naturally receives q mental
stimulus from the applause which
follows his declarations touching
principles and party loyalty. BY con-
f1ning himself entirely to these mani
festations he can easily work himself
into a condition Of autointoxication
wherein he will drunkeniy believe
that every man and woman in Amer
lea is going to cast a ballot to uphold
the principles he espouses and to de-
stroy all others. 1t Is not at all diff
cult for him under these circum-
stances to become convinced that the
political parties through their plat
forms presented clean-cut distinc-
tions OF principle which every good
citizen is bound to consider and de-
eide for himself and that every good
citizen. having done SO, will vote ac-
cordingly.
As this orator cracks the Ku Klux
klan and thunderous applause comes
back to him from his audience. he is
quite sure that voters everywhere are
going to cast their ballots against
religious intolerance. AS he pleads
for common honesty or for comm N
sense in public affairs and arouses the
unqualified approval OF his hearers.
he becomes convinced that the aver
age American voter IL going to let
stands on that important question.
As his tntoxication continues from
day to day he comes to see the vast
electorate OF America clothed in white
robes and bowed down in homage be-
fore the Goddess Of Liberty, each
member Of the throng willing to sac
rifice his life, fortune and sacred
honor in defense OF the principles the
multitude applauded. To him the
thing to do with prosperity or ad-
versity. The dinner pail. whether full
or scant, disappears. Each voter be-
comes a ragged continental anxious
to forget all material things in order
to promote the cause in which he be-
lieves and make 1t triumph.
y r y
But the campaign orator who does
not get intoxicated on the applause