Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-13
PUBLIC CONTROLS
PRIVATE RIGHTS,
M'ADOO DECLARES
Liberty Must Be Defined by
Community, He Says, at
Charlottesville.
GOV. RICHIE OPPOSES
FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY
Holds Industries Have Nothing to
Fear in Strong States to War
rant National Control.

through its appropriate organs" Will
liam G. McAdoo, former Secretary Of
the Treasury, declared here today in
an address on Private Rights and
Public Authority" at the University
of Virginia's Institute Of Public At
fairs.
Whenever question arises, for
example, concerning the relation of
public utilities, the prevention of
fraudulent security issues, the pro-
lection of the health of women and
children, or the control of traffic in
habit forming drugs and beverages,
the first and greatest obstacle to be
overcome is almost sure to be argu-
ment that whatever might otherwise
be a valid exercise of the states DO.
lice power Is a wrongful invasion of
private rights.
Constitution Opposed.
The former Secretary stated that
in the past this argument has been
commonly used only against legisla-
tive bodies and not against consti-
tutional provisions, it being assumed
that the scope Of private rights could
extend no further than the terms of
constitutional guarantees.
Now, however, he said, it is being
frankly contended, under the in
fluence, chiefly Of a dislike for one
of the recent amendments to the
Constitution" that there are rights
which are sacred from interference
by society even when acting in it's
constitution making capacity. This
he characterized as a modern re-
version to the medieval national
rights doctrine which vanished along
with the theory of the divine right
of kings.
Referring to the great goals Of gov.
eminent as described in the time-hon.
ored words life, liberty and property,
or, more broadly, the pursuit Of happi.
ness, he said that these individual in
terests could not be considered as
rights in any legal sense. He pointed
out how the criminal may become so
dangerous that his life is taken by So
ciety legally. Lawless freedom is not
liberty, he added, but anarchy. and all
liberty must be restrained to the point
whenever it is compatible with the
liberty of all. In regard to property.
he points to an illustration where
property rights conflict, such as an
employers interest endangering the
health Of his employe, or an attempt
of a property owner to erect slaugh.
ter house in residence section.
Rights Belong to Community.
Jefferson, continually appealed to as
an exponent of private rights, believed
in inherent natural rights, he said. as
belonging to communities or societies,
but mot to private individuals against
the community Of which they are
part"
1.-THE strongest, because it Is the
soundest, argument against govern
ment regulation, Is not the doctrine of
natural rights" he said, "but the ar
gument that the government is unfit
to discharge the duties which it is pro.
posed to confide in it, and that private
rights are not safe in its hands,"
When corrupt political machines
were first exposed they shocked the
conscience of the Nation, and for more
than a generation an untiring struggle
was waged by good citizenship of the
country to break their power" he said.
"a number of years ago it seemed
that the old battle was won. In con-
sequence public vigilance was relaxed
and the last few years have witnessed
a revival and resurgence of the infiu
ence of corrupt machine politics."
Richie Gives Talk.
Industrialism has nothing to fear
from strong States and strong States
need not be afraid of industrialism,
Gov. Albert G. Richie Of Maryland,
said in a speech last night. His topic
was 1.-THE Relations of State Rights
to the IndustrialiZation of the South"
The danger to both lies in not recog-
nizing that there is too much power
being given our central government
and in not recognizing the political
results Of doing so, the governor said.
He charged there was distinct and
dangerous decline and a weakening of
our traditional ideas Of self-govern-
ment and the place Of the States in
the Federal system.
SO strong was the federalistic com.
plex,' he said, that any one who ad.
vocates State rights is assumed to be
opposed to all progressive movements.
Because some of us think, for in
stance, that by putting prohibition
into the Constitution the States sur
rendered great fundamental right
and an even greater opportunity to
solve one of the most difficult prob
lens Of mankind, we are assumed to
be opposed to all efforts to stop the
drink evil or to promote temperance"
he said. Because some of us are
opposed to giving Congress control Of
child labor or education and believe
that control of such domestic affairs
and relations should be left to the
States, we are assumed to be opposed
to all progressive efforts Of legislation
in those matters"
Points to bureaucracy"
Gov. Richie POI to the growth
of the Federal depa dental activities
and asked whethea he new South
wanted it's industriaNdture shaped by
these "bureaucrats."
Every time the States abdicate one
of their powers" the governor said,
''or yield to the cry of some militant
minority for nationwide action, a new
bureau is born, and new regiment Is
added to the army Of tax.fed Office.
holders"
Speaking on Dictatorship or De.
mocracy," Adamantios Polyzoides, edi-
tor of the Atlantis Greek daily. fol.
lowed Gov. Richie with detailed dis
cussian of the two forms Of govern.
ment assigned to him for treatment.
Round table conferences were held
at both the forenoon and afternoon
sessions yesterday, with Gov. Richie
also addressing the gathering in the