Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-08
Advocates Campaign
To Get Voters Active
To the Editor of The Star:


Under the caption, "a National
Fault" you discuss with clarity,
logic and force what you might well
characterize as national tragedy.
The failure Of the American people
to make full use of the high privi-
lege of the elective franchise will
sooner or later bring disaster. AS
you ably point out. government in
the main has been good in the United
States in spite of the neglect of the
people, or great masses of them. to
lie affairs through their chosen repre-
sentatives.
You say that at no time since the
Republic was organized has a ma
jority of the potential voters gone
10 the polls I had hoped that you
were wrong in this assertion. but to-
day I instituted a little research work
and so far my own Investigations sup
port your statement 1t is not
pleasant to think Of a people industri-
ally supreme in the worlds affairs
and yet so Indifferent regarding their
own political destiny.
The indifference of the citizens Of
the United States might well open
the door to the spokesman and it is
not too much to say that If the privi-
leges we constitutionally possess are
not utilized we cannot hope to hold
them in perpetuity. In other words,
it is by no means impossible that
some giant Mussolini will seize what
our people have failed to utilize and
appropriate it to his own use.
We are told that the mole originally
had eyes, but he chose to live under
ground and nature. finding that he
had no use for light, deprived him of
the means of seeing. There are many
millions of political moles in this
country They vainly think that they
can forever treat with contempt the
call to political duty and still enjoy
all the privileges of American citizen
ship.
All ancient democracies committed
suicide They destroyed themselves
by simply neglecting. as the American
people today are doing, the duties of
citizenship. Death in many cases
came slowly and painfully, but
wherever the people lost interest in
their government they inevitably for
feited the right to govern. This seems
to be natural law, imposing a de-
served and merited penalty.
Some are blaming the party system,
others the block system and still
others the direct primary for the
tagging interest of the masses in
their Government. But if they would
do as you suggest-go. every one of
them. to the pols-they would very
rapidly and very effectively cure all
evils that may be in the mechanics of
our system. Within the boundaries Of
the Constitution there is room for
every right that all citizens are en-
titled to.
What party is successful at the
polls is of very much less importance
than participation in government by
all persons qualified to vote. All good
citizens who believe in their Govern
ment should proceed at once to organ
ize and, with the press leading the
way, try to induce every qualified
voter to go TO the polls. Then who
ever is elected will have a popular
mandate. He will know that without
any sort Of doubt he is the choice of
the people. With such a mandate he
will be able to do more effective
service than If he We're sent to the
White House by languid minority of
citizens of this Republic. l cOngratu
late you. Keep the good work going
A. d. FAIRBAIRN,
Secretary American Constitutional
Association, Inc.