The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-06-11
Do We Need a Dictator?
New York World-Telegram

1IldI Was a IcNIui huOAC duuAS~'
Owen D. Young made at Notre Dame
Sunday. Though delivered to the
youth of a graduating class it could
be studied with profit by the mature
of the country, especially by our in
dustrial and political leaders. Whether
or not you agree with the views he
expressed, you will find them stimu-
lating.
We were particularly interested in
his discussion Of three popular atti-
tudes. which in this depression are
rapidly gaining sufficient currency to
become dogmas.
First. that labor's standard of liv-
ing had become too high to be MAIN
tanned.
Second, that specialization is
another cause of our troubles.
Third. that the president should
have dictatorial powers in such times
of crisis - though Mr.. Young. of
course, did not use the word "dicta-
tor"
We find ourselves in agreement with
Mr.. Young's defense of high living
standards, and in disagreement with
his belief that there has been too
much specialization and with his in
timation that our form of govern
ment with its system of checks and
balances is inadequate in times OF
stress.
On the first point, he gave this
timely warning:
People will tell you now that our
living standards were too high and
that we could not hope to maintain
them. hope you will say that
the living standards were not too high
indeed they were not high enough
and that you intend to see to it IN
your time that the masses of the peo-
pie of this country not only reach, but
maintain a higher standard of living
for themselves than we had at the
height of the last period of our pros
perity. -.
The trouble was we could not stand
prosperity. Not satisfied with the
daily earnings of our labor, we un-
dertook to gain more by speculation.
). We no longer sought high living
standards from honest labor, but ex-
travagance from dishonest gains"
He listed specialization as IAN
| other difficulty" We fail to under
stand, however, in what way our in
creasingly complicated civilization can
| be organized and operated efficiently
except by highly specialized techni-
clans, industrial engineers. social
planners, and experts In local and
national government.
On the third point, Mr.. Young be-
gan by expressing his historical UNI
Outstanding and appreciation of our
governmental system of checks and
balances to preserve democracy, but
concluded:
1T is quite explainable. therefore,
that government of powers widely
distributed into carefully segregated
and insulated compartments should
function under normal conditions and
should fail us altogether when the
avalanche comes on. It may be that
we shall have to consider some meth
cd of putting extraordinary powers in
the hands of the president in times
like these"
Theoretically, doubtless all would
agree that a dictatorship or semi
dictatorship works more efficiently
and certainly more quickly than any
form of democracy. which is cumber-
some to the very degree that 1t Is rep
resentative.
But there is an IF" and 1t is big
80 ;nka n~;a
nority must be efficient, unselfish and
honest. The practical problem is to
find leaders to whom the people could
safely entrust what Mr.. Young calls
extraordinary powers"
In the present emergency we are
less impressed with the failure Of OUT
political machinery than with the
failure Of our chaotic dog -eat-doe
economic system. We are less con-
cerned with the delays caused by our
political checks and balances than
with the tragic incapacity Of our Of
ficeholders to use the machinery which
u at hand.
Democracy which must be vacated
\ in times of crisis for dictatorship is
no democracy. Whenever our demo-
cratic machinery fails In this country
we shall be quite ready to scrap it for
anything better.
But first we want a fair trial fol
the democratic method with more in
telligent and courageous economic and
political leaders. Our present leaders
have done enough damage with small
power; Is dictators they would wreck
us.
Scientists hope to find q tribe o!
AawaSea IN Australia whose speech