Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-03

Widespread interest in the selection
OF lists Of the great Presidents of the
United States has been the chief result
of the statement on the subject made at
the opening Of Columbia University by
It's executive. Dr. Nicholas Murray
Butler. After the first few leaders OF
the Nation, the number of the really
great would be limited to a handful.
in the estimate of the educator, who
utters kind words for the qualities OF
dictators.
He has given the country something
to think about" states the Dayton Daily
News, suggesting that I'VE can lay aside
the crossword puzzle for the moment.
and form friendly debating societies on
very interesting topic" The Daily
News offers the estimate: at may be
that Mr. Butler appraises with the eye
glass Of the superintelligentSia, so called
The man he might select may possess
great facilities of speech. display bril-
liancy In mind and yet, assigned a
given situation cut of which it was
necessary to shake Q result, he might
be completely lost. There have been
many moments in history when it was
necessary for craftsmanship to take
hold Of q situation by the nape of the
neck. The even mind, less brilliant,
more practical, more wise in the long
run, may render better service"
THE least capable among them" de-
c!ares the Buffalo Evening News,
should be recognized as having ex-
hibited in ofhce a sense of responsibility
to the Nation and the people far beyond
any devotion to mere party or personal
power. Even the errors in policy by
those who have blundered most reflect
ed, almost without exception, q sincere
tAk{ 80
rarely to be traced in the attitude of
carping critics, either contemporary or
historical, A system Of choosing officials
which develops this quality in men after
they attain power, even though they
may not have displayed it in the con-
tests for Office, Is not to be mentioned
in the same breath with q conception
of government which accepts as its
objective merely ability by an individual
to gain power and to dominate, with
murderous unscrupulousness, the lives
and fortunes Of Others"
X 4
1--WE are wondering" suggests the
Madison Wisconsin State Journal If DR.
Butler, in his inventory of the ability
Of the Chief Executives of the United
States. has taken into consideration the
limitations that surround the head of
the administrative government of q
democracy as compared with the free
dom as to the exercise of his will that
an absolutist can exert. A President of
the United States can only rule under
the direction of CongreSs-created laws.
The head Of the administrative govern
mentS Of other democracieS is subject
to similar restrictions. A dictator need
but consult his own ideas in sthe
PRONUNCIATION of DEGREES. We are in
clined to believe that, despite his seem
ing admiration for absolutism in gov
ernmental rule, DR.. Butler will prefer
to remain a citizen of a democratic
government rather than to live in any
OF the countries where the rule OF a
dictator Is today supreme"
1T Is true that democracy does not
always pick the best and most capable,
but no other system has done so either"
says the Charleston CW. Va) Daily
Mail, considering the requirements for
the once of President with the state
ment: 1T cannot be said that many
American Presidents have been geniuseS,
and perhaps the country is all the bstter
for it, for genius seems to have q pen
chant for getting into trouble. One
would hardly call Washington a genius;
and yet it is generally conceded that he
was exactly the man for the place and
the times"
Still, when you come to think of
H." concludes the Ann Arbor Daily
News 1.-The United States, with 50 much
medioority in control of affairs, has got
ten along fairly well. With its weak
rulers it is the leading Nation OF the
world, while other nations, with power
full personalities in control, are COM
paratively backward. Anyway, what's
10 be done about TT Trade on loHs