Evening star., 1933-03-12
The "Dictatorship."


The "Dictatorship."
II there Is anything more remarkable
than the actual creation Of dictator
ship in the United States almost over
night - and q dictatorship has been
created-it Is the relative complacency
with which the new state has been ac-
cepted by the people.
There may be technical flaws and
mistakes in the banking bill, and there
may be others in the economy bill
which Congress is now considering.
But the only sound argument that
might be expected to prevail against
these measures is the fact that they abb
rogate constitutional powers Of Congress
and delegate them to the Executive.
As sound az this argument might be
in normal times, it has little weight to-
day. The argument will be made, but
1t will not prevail. In record time and
with hardly q voice raised In protest,
the Congress has given the President
hitherto rlndreamed-of authority over
the Nations banking system-the sys-
TEN Of State banks as well as national
banks. And while such speed may not
be duplicated In consideration Of the
pending economy bill, the economy bill
is expected to pass and its passage will
be relatively rapid.
One obvious explanation, Of course
Is the fact that the people themselves
are still stunned by the appalling Incl
dents Of the last two weeks. Never
before has the threat to the system as
we know 1t been 50 apparent. nor the
possible consequences of its collapse
brought home to so many people at
the same time. Still stunned, anything
that appears in the shape of q remedy
is quickly and eagerly grasped. and any
one who lifts q finger to retard the
application Of that remedy opens him
self to suspicion.
Again. the pitiful iInpotency, real or
pretended in the name Of politics,
shown by the last Congress has been a
convincing argument that Congress
cannot be expected to function with
the speed or the certainty that a single
individual, clothed with necessary
authority, can function. A people
traditionally jealous Of its powers has
been only too willing to surrender them,
If only they will be used to do some-
thing. Never has there been such
unanimity Of desire to "let George do
it" if George thinks he can do 1t.
But even the enormity Of recent
events would fail to upset the steadiest
Of the steady minds in Congress and
send them into stampede toward die
tatorship If the dictatorship they thus
established was felt to contain the
threat Of permanency and force 50
often associated with relationships.
Mussolini became q dictator by force of
power, and, assuming the dictatorship,
bent the people as he willed. Hitler
has assumed a dictatorship backed in
part by force and in part by dema-
goguery.
President Roosevelt's dictatorship has
been given to him by what might be
considered unanimous consent Of the
people, acting with commendable calm
ness and with pretty thorough under
standing of why it is necessary. And the
fundamental safeguard in the gift of
such power is the knowledge that. once
abused in the sense that dictatorial
power may be abused, this power can
be as quickly withdrawn as 1t has been
given. It may be said that dictatorial
power in this country remains with the
people, and in this case they have for
the time being delegated it to an indi-
vidual without losing the authority to
withdraw it.
There can be little quibbling over the
advised use Of the word dictator" in
reference to the new authority given to
the President. Under the banking act
he may place an embargo on gold or
silver, punish hoarders, force return OF
gold to the banks, set up his own chosen
agents to control the operation Of ma
tional banks, and, indirectly, the opera
ton Of State banks, pronounce bank
sound or unsound and control the .ssue
Of currency. Under the economy act he
can change the system Of pensions, re-
duce or eliminate pension payments, set
the rate of compensation payments.
pronounce the extent Of war service"
and his decisions are not renewable by
the courts. He may reduce all Govern
ment pay by a maximum Of fifteen per
cent and adjust Federal pay to an estab-
lished cost of living and, at the same
time, eliminate or consolidate Govern
ment establishments set up by act OF
Congress.
There Is no doubt that q majority OF
the people stand behind him in what he
does. Liberty and complete freedom OF
action by the individual have been
placed in the category of klxuries which
in these hard times may be foregone.
Art is expecting new influence
which will take the quaint old stein out
of the bric-a-brac closet and replace 1t
on the table.
A New Triple Alliance.