Evening star., 1933-08-04
Mr.. Long Replies to
Critics of His Letter
To the Editor Of The star:

To the Editor Of The star:
Ths letters Of J. J. Crawford and
James n. Cox In The Star OF July 28,
In response to my communication Of
the 26th, call for few words.
Mr.. Cox Is disturbed at my reference
to the "ecstatic-not to say hysterical-
utterances Of the Democratic nominee
Tor the presidency" In his acceptance
speech. He Is also worried by my ques-
ton: Does Mr.. Roosevelt suppose that
the signing Of the cotton textile code
Will permanently do away with child
labor?" He thus relieves his mind:
"Mr. Roosevelt does not suppose any
thing. He knows whereof he speaks
and acts better than any other man
who ever occupied the presidential
chair"
This Is . fine example Of what I
mean by an "ecstatic-not to say hys-
terical-utterAnce" President Roose-
velt has never gone 80 far rs to claim
Tor himself what Mr.. Cox claims for
him-infallibility. On the contrary, he
frequently tnttmates that some of his
proposals are IN the nature Of expert
ments, and that II they do not work
well he will be the first to abandon
them. He has said-suhstantially and
sensibly-that If rs per cent Of his
plans succeed he will not regret the
failure Of the rs per cent. Let US hope
that the 75 per cent win be important,
and that the as per cent will not be too
expenHve.
Three things are commendable In
Mr.. Roosevelt, grounds for hope that he
may yet see some Of his prediction
positions In q better light. /. He real.
lies that he will make mistakes and
failures. 2. His taking into q group Of
special advisers-the so-called brain
trust-some men Of rare intelligence
and d1scernment. 3. His sincere desire
to b Of service to the country. The
people may be trusted to discount the
elements OF ecstasy and hysteria In
himself and his followers.
Abolishing child labor by code n
good. 80 far. am grateful to Mr..
Roosevelt for 1t, and hope he will pun.
ish offenders. But he will not always
be President. and ancient evils have q
way OF coming back. This action should
spur States to ratify the Federal child
labor amendment, and knowledge Of
what is happening to the eighteenth
amendment should stir lovers OF chill
dren to see to 1t that the law Is under
stood and obeyed.
The liquor question will not down.
Mrs. Roosevelt in . radio address said:
The average girl of today faces the
problem Of learning. very young, just
how much she can drink OF. such things
as whisky and gin, and sticking to the
proper quantity" Later. IN an inter-
view at Yale, she Is reported to be fear
ful Of the results Of turning liquor loose
on young men-there might be excesses.
AZ repeal Is thought to be drawing near
some Of its advocates are sobering-
realizing that booze will not bring the
millennium. They are not ready to take
the Federal Government out Of the pic
ture. Not all vets will agree with Mr..
Cox's ecstatic-not to say hysterical-
utterance: President Franklin D.
Roosevelt was neither ecstatic nor hys-
terical in assuming the responsibility to
try to help crush the head of one Of
the most vile serpents that ever
crawled on Gods green footstool, with
the support Of the Democratic party's
resolution, SO ably written by Alfred
E. Smith" LUTHER K. LONG.