Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-04

The full text OF the speech OF Repre-
sentative Will r. Wood on the direct
primary delivered last night in the Ma
tional Radio Forum, arranged by The
Star and broadcast by the Columbia
Broadcasting Co. over a coast-to-coast
network, follows:
Ours is a representative form of gov
eminent. How best may 1t be pre-
served? How may it be destroyed?
These are questions uppermost in the
minds of thoughtful citizens today. 1t
is commonly observed that our political
situation is more nearly chaotic than
it has been since the trying period
when the Union itself was in danger Of
disruption. Certainly II has never been
more out of keeping with the spirit of
our institutions. 1t is an unsatisfac-
tory condition, but healthful sign
that so many have begun to take stock
to see what brought it about, and how
1t may be remedied.
Primaries Block Party Purposes.
There is general acceptance of the
fact that if we are to remain q repub-
liza representative form Of govern
ment-we can do SO only through the
agency of political parties. The neceS-
sity for the party system was an early
development under our form Of gov
eminent and outstanding American
statesmen have been its advocates.
Leaders of the two great political
parties of today are in agreement that
the two-party system is essential to
our form of government. Even the
agitators, who conform the least to
orderly party procedure, while using
the party as a vehicle to ride into Office,
- r. w
agree to the principle, but do every
thing in their power to thwart its
application.
What, then. with such general agree
ment as to its desirability, has caused
the tendency, ever growing and obvious
TO all, toward the breaking down of
the system that has made our Govern
ment the most stable in the world?
There have been contributing causes,
but TO my mind the direct primary
system of making party nominations
has done more to break 1t down than
all other causes combined. It's twin
so-called reform, the popular election
Of Senators, has proved the very re-
verse of a reform in my opinion, SUIT
the primary struck deeper and wider.
Unlinked to the primary system, the
popular election of Senators could
scarcely have created such situation
as we have in the Senate today, where
groups, blocs and coalitions contend
with each other very much after the
manner of the European practice we
view with so much alarm.
I do not say that but for the direct
primary we could have escaped the
Worldwide political unrest, but I firm
system we would hive been in a vastly
stronger post On to me ntain cur own
political equilibrium To my mind the
confusion that hes resulted proves con-
clusively that as an effort toward
bringing the people nearer to their
government, the direct primary system
has been a failure-that it has, in fact,
removed them further from it. Under
its workings issues multiply, non-essen-
tials absorb the attention Of the voters
and the results of each succeeding
election, contradicting themselves, make
II more and more impossible for politi-
cal observers to arrive at definite con-
illusions.
Best Advertiser Often Wins.
The theory Of the advocates Of the
direct primary was that under its
workings the best man wclld win, but
in too many instances it turns out to
be only the best a6ve. t!sc~. or the
best supplied WITH cash. Under its
marvellous workings, any form OF
notoriety becomes a political asset and
the champion marathon dancer or tree
sitter may look hopefully to a political
future If he does not have a taste for
the talkies. The demagogue thrives
under it, group and sectional interests
achieve results out Of all proportion to
their deserts, organized and vociferous
YninoritieS confuse and confound the
issues until even the most intelligent
voter is at a loss to express his will
at the polls Is it any wonder then,
that those nominated and elected
under this misleading system to repre-
sent the voters are so often at a !oss
to know how to rer~eso1t thcm2
It is pertinent to r17cscnt-day po-
litical conditions to OBSERVE thot the
great convention VII III debated. forn1l-
lated and finally adopted the American
Constitution, which has withstcod the
test of over $50 years, was a convention
composed Of delegates that, in turn. had
been selected by other delegate bodies
In their home States. 1t is impossible
to conceive Of a situation in which
greater issues were at stake, issues
which involved the destinies Of this
newly born Nation and the welfare Of
all those American colonists who had
sacrificed everything in order to win
political freedom and the right to set
up for themselves a Government pat
termed after their own ideas and en-
bodying their own aspirations.
ask you also TO consider that this
convention was composed Of delegates
elected by other conventions at time
and during q period when that direct
and simplest form OF popular govern
ment was in full bloom. namely, the
town-meeting system. There is some
thing unusually significant in the fact
that when it came to the tremendous
decisions involved in the drafting Of
q Constitution for the Nation that the
town meeting methods were abandoned
and our forefathers relied upon the
ability. sanity, conservatism Of con-
vention.
U, S. Government Oldest.
Fisher Ames, in the Massachusetts,
convention which ratified the Consti-
tuition, in addressing himself TO the
subject Of delegating responsibility and
final authority TO members Of a con-
vention in contrast to the town-neeting
methods Of government 50 ioyg en-
ployed by that great Common wealth,
said: Il know but one purpose which
the people can effect without dslega-
ton. and that is to destroy government
That they cannot erect a government