Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-25

Time was when an eminent states.
man was self-assured that there was
never to be any need of Government
preparations in anticipation of war.
George Washington's .admonition was
good enough for George Washington
but that was applicable only to the
eighteenth century: ''In time Of peace
prepare for war;"
The late Mr.. Bryan believed that II
war really did ever come-so late as
1912 or 1914-why worry, ''since a
million men would spring to arms
overnight"
It remained, however, for Am
bassador Houghton, our diplomatic
spokesman to Great Britain and Har-
ward University, to advocate the most
forward-looking peace proposal: Take
away all power from Congress and
the executive branch of constitutional
government and re-establish pure
democracy so far as protecting this
Nation is concerned in the matter Of
declaring war or defending the
country against threatened attack by
any enemy, under any circumstances.
Ambassador Houghton delivered an
grafton at Harvard University last
Wednesday, advocating a change of
our Constitution, by agreement with
other nations, so that in the future no
step toward national defense could be
taken without first submitting the
Ambassador Houghton: Before a
war is conceivable, there must be an
issue. And that issue, broadly speak
ing, is the outcome OF series or
maneuvers by which the masses con-
cerned are brought into positions Of
opposition. Obviously, this maneuver-
ing is not done by the masses them
selves. Collectively and as individuals
they have little, IL anything, to do
with the subtle and gradual shifting
of international relationships. Their
interests are directed to the more
humble and prosaic tasks of making
a living"
There Is no one official of the pres
ent Government, nor any officer of
the Army or Navy or Marines, who
dares be quoted on such a matter,
but taking them together they make
a. composite American. Only an am
bassador off duty Is willing to throw
a monkey wrench into the machinery
of government and stand by the con.
seQuences--even in the atmosphere or
q university and an audience OF
professors. However, it was very for
tunate that Senator Sorghum and the
Hon, Secretary Mr.. Composite Whoo-
zoo CHANGED to listen in and hear the
Harvard speech. and they were dis
cussing it at the club a short time
after. They even got Mr.. Houghton
on the long.distance telephone in
order to be sure they had heard
Alright, so no words are quoted that
Mr. Houghton did not actually speak.
Senator Sorghum: $50 the people
are too engrossed in their private
affairs to direct the maneuvers pre-
lin1inary to getting at loggerheads
with the enemy nation, Ell? Is that
their special qualification, then, Tor
their decisive voting as to what action
the Nation should take in crisis
their utter unfamiliarity of conditions
precedent"
Ambassador Houghton: "'The ma
neuvering is done by little groups Of
men called governments. These little
groups seek constantly and naturally
to gain supposed advantages OF one
sort or another for their nationals.
- If the process continues.
sooner or later q situation arises in
which an agreement between these
small groups becomes impossible.
Secretary WhooZoo: do you as
sumo that the Government, as organ.
lied under our Constitution. does not
really represent the will of the people!
How else can that will be ascer-
tained?"
Ambassador Houghton: eff so great
a political experiment Is to be tried. II
must be frankly an international ex-
pertinent. A conference at which
each nation is represented would
therefore be a necessary preliminary.
The object of such conference would
be to determine whether each OF
these governments Is prepared, by
proper legislative action, to enable its
people to accept or reject q PROPOSE
ton whereby q declaration OF war
against the other peoples in the
group can be made only after the
question has received the affirmative
sanction Of a majority Of its qualified
electors, and, following this, to enter
into an agreement whereby in return
for reciprocal pledges each shall agree
not to attack the others for q term of,
say, one hundred years."
Senator Sorghum: "Oh. why be so
belligerent each century? Let's amend
that to a thousand years. believe in
the broad millennium; It voices
the will, am sure, Of all my peace
loving constituency. Besides, expect
to retire from public service before
another vote would then be taken,
ST. -.