Evening star., 1932-05-16
HOLDS SOC|AL|ST|C
TENDENCY THREAT
TOFUTURE OF U. S.
S. A. r. Head Warns Nation
Must Halt CentraIizing
of Government.
VAN 0RSDEL DECLARES
J0BLESS ARE SECONDARY
President General Calls for Awak-
ened Citizenship to Place in
Power Patriotic Men.
The downfall of American representa-

The downfall Of American representa-
tive government will result unless a
socialistic tendency toward the central
ization of governmental power Is
checked, Justice Josiah A. Van Orsdel,
president general of the National So
ciety. Sons of the American Revolution,
told that organizations 43d annual con-
gress here today.
LET no one imagine" said the Court
Of Appeals justice, that this greatest
Of all experiments in representative
government can long survive If the
States continue to surrender their most
sacred sovereign prerogativeS to the
minority-ruled, commission governed,
bloc-controlled. bureaucratic, central
lied governmental power here in Wash
ington."
"Jobless Not Greatest Concern"
Justice Van Orsdel said the financial
distress and unemployment are not our
greatest concern, but have been seized
upon by enemies of organized govern
ment to undermine our institutions.
Constitutional representative democ-
racy Is on trial the world over" he de-
clared "Socialistic Communism is
manifesting itself on every hand. Our
whole political system has become i'm
pregnated with the most vicious So
cialiStic tendencies. 1t Is most clearly
manifested In the disintegration of our
dual system of state and national gov
ernment, upon which our Government
was founded and upon which alone it
can endure.
Every good citizen will readily ad-
NIT that the greatest danger confront
ing us today Is the Capitalization of
power in the National Government"
The speaker said this tendency can
be checked only by "an awakened citi-
zenship, who will place IN power men
inspired by a patriotic devotion to the
welfare of their country, and who will
cast out the political sycophants who
keep their ears to the ground ready to
sacrifice their country's honor and Sc
curity in response to any wave of pop
ular clamor, however feeble, that seems
to offer political support"
Sees Bureaucratic Mess"
The speaker termed the present gov
ernmental situation a bureaucratic
mess
The congress win continue its sessions
through Wednesday.
The meeting this morning opened
with a message from President Hoover,
who is a member of the society, ex-
pressing his regret at being unable 10
attend.
Greetings were given by DR.. Luther
II. Reichelderfer, president of the Board
of District Commissioners; Mrs. Russell
William Magma, president general Ma
tional Society, Daughters Of the Ameri-
can Revolution; Mrs. Samuel Shaw
Arentz, president National Society, Chill
dren of the American Revolution; Mrs.
Harry G. Grove, State regent, District
Of Columbia Society, Daughters Of the
American Revolution, and Samuel S.
Williamson, president of the District of
Columbia Society, Sons of the American
Revolution.
Visits White House.
At 1890 pm. today the $50 dele
gates went to the White House and
were photographed with President Hoo
ver
The afternoon session opened with
reports of committees and officers.
Frank B. Steele, the society's repre-
sentative on the board of the American
Coalition of Patriotic Societies, said
there are several bills now in Congress
proposing changes in the immigration
laws which win bear watching by the
society to prevent their passage.
This evening Justice Mccoy, presi-
dent general of the society. was to hold
a reception at the national headquar-
ters, 1927 Sixteenth street.