Evening star., 1927-11-14
HAMMOND DEGREES
FRAUDS IN OFFICE
Declares Voters Are Respon-
sible for Preservation of
U. S. Institutions.

Pointing to "the political corruption
and the rottenness in office" which
exists today. and charging the Ameri
can voter with the responsibility of
bringing about political reform
John Hays Hammond, chairman OF
the department on POLITICAL education
OF the National Civic Association. in
statement to the national organiza.
tons cooperating in the work of the
federation. declared today that the
preservation of our democratic institu-
tions can only he brought about
-:ch the education of the voter
and outlined the plans now being
made to promote this education.
Notwithstanding the fact that there
will be involved great international
and domestic questions of vital impor-
tance to every citizen" says Mr.
Hammond. there are those who
pointing to the SO. .000, 900 vote slackers
IN the presidential election of 1924
and the 40. 900. 900 in 1926. are predict
ing like slump in 1928. because. they
declare. there is so little difference
between the two parties that it is
really of no consequence which one
wins.
Recalls Former Times.
"No one will deny that the political
conditions of our times are infinitely
better than in the days of the Credit
Mobilier. the whisky ring scandals in
Washington, the notorious bribery of
Judges and legislators, Federal and
State. by railroad passes and what
not, to say nothing of the common
deba uchery of State and municipal
administrations. However. every one
will agree that. under our high moral
standards. all the greater is the obli
cation resting upon us. as enlightened
and patriotic citizens. to tolerate the
rottenness which we know to exist
TODAY"
To illustrate his point Mr. Ham
mond said that certainly no American
worthy Of the name can contemplate
with equanimity political conditions
which produce such spectacles as the
former governor of n State returning
from the penitentiary and almost
humping into his successor in office on
his way to the same institutions; the
governors of two other States charged
openly with selling of pardons and
contracts, the governor of another
forced to refuse a million dollars for
interest illegally collected upon State
deposits, the indictment of the mayor
for violation of the corrupt practices
act in the capital of the State whose
governor and ex-governor are ex-
changing places in Atlanta, the Fall.
Sinclair scandal. and many other
examples which he mentioned
Unless democracy is to be declared
n failure. an idea quite popular just
now among certain intellectuals.
there lies ahead OF us a far bigger
Job than that of simply getting out
the vote
Purpose of Department.
Broadly stated, the purpose of the
department on political education is
TO aid in inducing not only adults,
but the youth, of our country to a
more active interest in the develop
ment Of good citizenship, that our
system of government by the people
may be fostered and preserved. Both
partie. need their cooperation. Our
welfare depends upon stable
& Iovernment and the stability of our
depe- Is upon the self-sac-
rificing patriotism Of its citizens. 1t |
Is high ii ne that we awoke from our /
lethargy. 4
ITO attempt the education of the
voter so that he will know what he |
Is voting for is admittedly quite an |
ambitious undertaking. but. in the long /
run. upon it depends the preservation |
r I'm the effort to meet this situa. |
tion our executive committee is ar |
ranging to call. in more than 500
cities. meetings made up of repre-
sentatiyes of the Iocal organizations
commercial, labor. religious, civic, edu
e. hnal. patriotic and the like. The
joint committees to be organized at
each of these meetings will be ex-
pected to take up the definite work
of edu -ating the members of it's con-
stituent organizations on the ques-
tions touching most intimately the
daily lives of our people-those ques-
tions dealt with in the city and State
legislative chambers.
Meeting i'm December.
"The political education work of the
National Civic Federation will be dis.
cussed from all angles at its annual
meeting to be held on. December IA
and Is at, the Biltmore Hotel in New
York City. In addition to the con.
crete program outlined. there will be
considered a number of practical
p, liticaT but non-partisan questions
which will play more or less i'm.
portant part in the future educational
work of the department
BURGLARS LOOT