The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-17
HOOVER GIVEN
CARS POWER,
BECK ASSERTS
Flexible Tariff Provision
Voted by House Called
Blow at Liberty.
SPEAKS TO STATE BAR
Pennsylvania Member of
Congress Cites PeriIs
to Constitution.
BY DANIEL NJ. KIDNEY


Flexible tariff provisions, as voted
by the house, give President Hoover
more autocratic power than any
modern monarch, with the possible
exception of the late Gear Of Rus
sia."
ITO give the President the power
to raise and lower taxes is to thrust
aside an eternal principle of Amer
lean liberty and to disregard the en-
tire history of English liberties.
yet this was done with little or
no discussion Of principles In the
house. Debate there centered about
the question of whether it was bet
ter for congress to delegate its tariff
powers to the President alone or to
a commission"
This was the picture Of present
congressional acumen painted for
members of the Indiana State Bar
Association at their midwinter BAN
quet at the Columbia Club Thurs
day night by a member of the house,
Congressman James M. Beck OF
Pennsylvania.
Prophecy Carried Out
Beck, former solicitor general OF
the United States, is recognized as
one of Americas outstanding con-
stitutional authorities. He drew the
picture of the present congress to
indicate that the Washington
prophecy Of undermining the Con-
stitution from within is going on
today.
1.-THE founding fathers gave to the
house the sole power to raise rev.
enues," Congressman Beck declared.
when this is transferred to the
chief executive, it is an abandon
ment of basic principles of both
American and English liberty"
He pointed out that in the in
stance Of sugar alone the President,
under the original house bill, would
be able to raise consumers costs
$100,000,000 on each one-point
spread and to ruin absolutely the
best sugar industry, if he desired.
Growing loss of states rights and
the tendency Of the national gov
eminent to look on states as so
many governmental departments
was deplored by the speaker.
States Rights TrampIed
He cited the rejection Of Smith
Of Illinois and Ware of Pennsylvania
by the senate as glaring examples
Of the disregard of the right of the
state to choose any one it desires
as senator.
Beck succeeded to the Ware seat
IN the house when the rejected
senator won the seat he didn't hold.
Pointing out that Ware spent large
sums to get that seat, Congress-
man Beck's tongue slipped in telling
Of the majority polled for Ware in
Pennsylvania he asserted:
"He won by 100000"
Noting his error, he corrected IL
to votes.
'The Constitution is not static,
but living organism" he con-
tinued" having within both the
power of growth and decay.
Nation of Pragmatists
"It will be what the people make
it. At present, in my opinion, there
is little or no constitutional con-
seriousness in America. We spend
no time considering eternal princi-
pies. We are a nation of pragn1a-
lists, made so by our mechanical
civilization.
Our god is efficiency and our
eternity but today.
Our forefathers would not have
welcomed an eighteenth amend
ment. They were able to isolate
question nj its eternal significance.
IF to be rich is the supreme good,
then all is well in our country. But
if principles of enduring liberty and
ordered freedom are worth while,
then we are not in such happy
state.
II want to leave this warning:
We can tear down our Constitution
n a day, but we can not replace it."
Beck'S address closed the mid
winter meeting of the state bar, the
program of which was held through
out the day. At noon the visiting
attorneys were guests at luncheon
of the Indianapolis Bar Association.
Acknowledgement James M. Og-
den, president Of the state associa-
ton, presided throughout the day
and was POSTMASTER at the banquet.
Honor guests included Governor
Harry c.. Leslie, Meredith Nicholson,
Federal Judge Robert G. Baltzell and
leading members of bench and bar.