The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-07-26
WILL DEMOCRACY COME
THROUGH?

democracy can not meet the heavy demands
Of the critical period in which We live. II is
more or less taken for granted by large group
of writers that either Fascsm or Communism
must step in to save the day. IN either case a
more or less irresponsible dictatorship occu-
pies the pilot house Of the ship Of state
Certain it is that democracy will be put to
the final test in the next few months, and that
this test will be made primarily in the United
States 1t is quite apparent that the older
form of democracy-that which represented
essentially a transfer Of the colonial town.
meeting to a national scopes outmoded
hopeleSsly.
Government by debating society can not
deal with the complex and difficult issues of
our dynamic age. Debate and discussion con-
stitute valuable contributions to public life
but the place for them is primarily the press
and the forum.
II should be remembered however, that
democracy is not necessarily limited to ideals
and practices of the Jacksonian era 1t per-
mits extensive stiffening up of executive reso-
luton and leadership. 1t can make possible
the dominion of specialized experts in formu-
lating and administering policies.
So long as the machinery ultimately rests
upon majority rule popular sovereignty and
the consent of the governed. it remains democ-
racy, no matter if particular administrative
agent rules with as much decisiveness as a
Mussolini.
There has been too much of a tendency to
identify democracy with the old American
system of government The Constitution of
the United States has no monopoly on demo-
cratic forms or practices. We might have an
end OF the conventional type of congressional
government without terminating democracy.
AS for the supreme court its assertion of
the right of judicial review always has been
an anti-democratic usurpation. So long as
we possess an elective ruler governing by pop
ular mandate, we have the underlying essen
tails of democracy.
Indeed we probably have the only form Of
democracy which has any chance of persist
ence in the twentieth century.
To date, the new democracy. under Frank
lin D. Roosevelt, need not be ashamed when
hung up in the light against the background
OF Italy Russia or Germany Neither the
Bolsheviks, Mussolni, nor Hitler accomplished
any fraction of the achievements of Roose
welt in the first three months of their rule.
II Is easy enough to estimate great transit
ton In historical retrospect it is much more
difficult to appreciate and appraise it when
we are passing through it.
President Roosevelt took over country
in which the government was the willing
servant Of hip huSipacc a,,a,, ,,.t,a.. -.
had been discredited by three and one-half
years of depression. Mr.. Hoover remained
putty in its hands to the end
Our economy was painless and chaotic
The predatory pirates of speculative finance
enjoyed their hegemony over American eco
nomic life. undaunted and unchallenged The
welfare and purchasing power of the masses
were subordinated to the profit motive.
Organized labor was suppressed hopelesslv
wages had been slaShed ruthIessly farmers
debated and enslaved and fifteen million were
unemployed. Rugged individualism and the
business and financial lobby still dominated
the United States.
Three months later the government of the
United States is the dictator over American
industry and finance. Planning of our econ
omy has been made obligatory by the most
sweeping legislation in our history The finan-
cial pirates have been exposed and cowed
even If much more needs to be done to put
them on permanent leash
Tbs national recovery act and the farm,
bill are designed to provide decent living con-
dltionS for the masses. Collective bargaining
and organized labor are not only permitted
but made mandatory recap. r,aoar -. -
ported by the government fiat.
1t Is no exaggeration to hold that the
transition from the Hoover to the Roosevelt
regimes represents more sweeping and fun
damental change than that from the govern
ment under the articles of confederation IN
that under the Constitution
The new regime after 1889 represented
mainly political Transformation. The Roose
welt regime-if it actually merits that deSigna-
ton after the test of experence-will consti
tute an alteration of the very fundamentals
Of our economic system.
Indeed, to date. there has been nothing
Ike 1t in modern history. More has been ac-
complshed than in the twenty years of Bis
marck's CHARACTERISTIC or in the ten years Of
rule OF the British labor party after 1905
Yet it is well TO remember that I'D to now
1t is all paper victory The real test lies
ahead. And that test will involve not only
the soundness of the policies of Mr. Roose-
Welt and his brain trust. but the destinies Of
democracy
If the latter fails in the United States Of
today. it never is likely to get another trial
on any significant scale.