The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-11-01
RUGGED TORIES
DRAW ATTACKS
IN ICKES' BOOK
Secretary of Interior De-
tends Brain Trust in
New Work.

Harold L. 1ckeS, secretary OF the
interior, defends the Roosevelt brain
trust, accuses the Republican Henry
P. Fletcher Of insincerity, and treats
Messrs. Hoover and Mellon with
scant courtesy in The New Democ-
racy," published this week.
Mr.. IckeS as an author is brisk,
vigorous, epithetical.
When Mr.. Ickes, the onetime Bull
Mooser, the incorruptible Progress
sive and watchdog Of public works
funds, settles into old-fashioned ex-
coriation of the Tory and rugged
individualist," his sword flashes.
The Descent on Washington
When the secretary of the interior
describes the descent on Washing
ton IN the post-inaugural days OF
1888, for example, he strikes hard.
The strangest procession to come
to Washington after March T." Mr.
Ickes writes, was composed of those
who had been among the great
and the powerful under the old
regime.
Rugged individualists who had
been loudly asserting their own
self -sufficiency, their ability to
stand on their own feet, to conduct
their own affairs without any Sug-
gestion from government, came, a
broken and humble crowd.
Hat in hand, they begged the
strong man in the White House to
save them from themselves. Nothing
proud or naughty or overbearing
about these men now. They knew
that they had failed to meet the
test, that the government which
they in large measure controlled
had been unable to serve either
them or itself. They we're as fright
ened as little children seeing ghosts
at night"
The Reason for the NRA
1t was this descent on Washing
ton by industralists, bankers and
producers generally which brought
about NRA, AAA, the demands for
control by the government of OIL
coal, etc.
Mr.. Ickes whacks rugged individ-
ualiSm numerically. 1t means, he
says, oppression for the mass.
ct implies exploitation of the
many by the few. 1t means regi-
mentation in mill, mine and factory
so that a few may grow rich and
powerful at the expense of the
many. 1t is the doctrine of ruth
lessness, the imposition by the
strong of their will upon the weak >
And as to rugged individualstS
themselves:
There are many varties Of the
genus rugged individualist. The
ouack doctor and the shyster law
yer come readily to ones mind as
representatives of this class OF un-
desirable citizens. Manufacturers
and purveyors of deleterious drugs
and impure foods as rugged indlvld-
ualists are in class by themselves
In order to add to their wealth they
are even willing to undermine
health or destroy lives.
Kidnapers and Chiselers
"Peddlers of dope, kidnapers, boot
leggers, grafters, cheaters, chiseler'
and law breakers of various sort'
and degrees form the rank and ME
of the rugged individualists ano
share their cynical philosophy"
Mr.. Ickes' book contains usetu
statistics on the amount OF wastagf
in farm soil. water and timber de-
pletion. etc., growing out of unre'
stricted capitalistic enterprise.
He holds that democracy VII
work, that a classics society may
be erected around a strong govern
ment with truly educated citizen
ship and that economic planning il
the only way out. He discard'
Marxism and the assorted tasclsm'
equally.
when a man of brains tells you
to beware of the brain trust, do no
argue with him." Mr.. Ickes writes
search him. You may find TIT
rooroo fo, his views in his pocket.