The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-05-24
GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO CUT STOCK TAX
'IS DEMOCRACY
 A FAILURE?"
Subject of Debate Last
 Evening at YMCA Be- fore Big Audience
SPIRITED DISCUSSION

"There has been too much muddling through on the part or the American Electorate to war rant us saying that democracy has been a success" declared Rev Moses R. Lowell, debating with Rev Joseph O. Todd at the Central Y. M. c. A. last night, on the topic, "Is Democracy Failure?" As the first speaker, Mir Lowell. pointed out that we have in this country what may be called representa- tive democracy. To be successful there must be ':1iversal inter- est in voting, whereas in facts, less than 50 per cent of the voters ever register. Moreover, 1t is doubtful whether the great majority oi American citizens have sufficient intelligence to graGp the intricate political problems which are in- volved in the present day politics:
 Democracy has failed declared MT Lowell because 1t has failed to put the best men in big places. Tn the great cities where. doubtless IS gathered a great deal or the in- telligence of the nation we might expect successful democratic gov ernment. But we do not find 1t. It iCINC anu EoAtt aaOS
 that opens the way to the big jobs in our cities. The. fact that 4b0 cities in 36 states have adopted the city manager plan Is an admission that our people cannot govern themselves.
 Democracy has failed in a na- tional way. The crime wave has shown the inadequacy of a govern ment "of the people. for the people and by the people, Italy ana Russia have grappled with the crime problem much more sue cessfully than has this country. There were 2,00O kidnapings in the United States in 1881. Again the depression is an instance or the economic failure of democracy. Twenty-three depression since 1S6O Is the pitiful record of American Democracy in the real of econom- les. Congress has fumbled every thing it has attempted, especially in the International field where we have made lamentable fall ure in procedures of peace. Rev Joseph o. Todd came back at his opponent with the follow ing arguments: First, he said, de- mocracy is superior to all other forms of government, such as mon, archy, dictatorship, autocracy, ana communism. Furthermore, in spite of the fact that q number of gov ernments have given up the dem ocratic form since the war democ- racy Is increasing rather than ae- clining. More democracy rather than less democracy Is necessary to solve the problem of evil ih society.
 The present depression declared MT Todd is capitaiistic I@alluIe @ instead of a failure of democratic government. The graft which IS widespread In our city and state royernmerts is due to misrepre- sentation rather than to the rep
 resentative form of government We must have more democracy. We must have the initiative, the referendum, the recall. and we must extend the civil service sys- tenn until our present plunoer system" is routed out.
 we have come to the cross. roads because we are now aware or the weaknesses of democracy anu thus are able to take steps to rem edy them" declared MT Todd as he pointed to such shining exam pies of success in democratic. gov ernmcnt as the public school sys- tenn. Political democracy must pc extended to industry. We must have a more equitable distribution of the nations wealth among the people. if democracy is to achieve its ideal. We must have not only social and industrial planning put social and industrial insurance as well.
 Under the direction of Chairman Raymond J. Tanning q spirited discussion period was held follow, ing the main speeches. A large and enthusiastic audience listened to the speeches for one hour and thon asked questions for another hour, The concensus Of agree ment at the end of the discussion seemed to be that democracy has failed to reach the ideals in which 1t was conceived, but that It mas large possibilities of success If the people can be educated to q real izatlon of their responsibilities.