The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-03-20

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matter herein are also reserved.
The Right to Criticize
How politics can transcend COM
anon sense was evidenced the other
day when Col. Z. v. Rickenbacker.
famous World War ace. appeared BE-
fore q senate subcommittee exam.
lining into the airmail situation.
Answering . question. Col. Ricken-
hacker commented he thought the
president has been the victim Of bad
advice In cancelling tho airmail con-
tracts and remarked it was . greater
tragedy than 1t appeared to b be-
cause 1t had the effect Of weakening
the confidence Of tho people In the
pIcSlueutS Ju08ment.
Whereupon Senator McCarran Of
Nevada, one of the newest senators,
asked Col. Rickenbacker to confine
himself to the airmail matter and
not criticize the president or make
political speeches. It was necessary
for Senator Logan Of Kentucky, also
q Democrat. to take the part Of Col.
Rickenbacker by remarking he did
not think the observation was po-
1itical In its nature.
Tho nub Of the whole thing Is
made clear when one compares the
records Of Senator McCarran and
Col. Rickenbacker. This western law
maker Is flannel-mouthed gentle
man who can start his tongue on the
job Of making . speech and then
walk away and leave 1t going.
Arriving In Warrington With more
than ordinary ambition, he essayed
to become combination Huey Long
and Joe Robinson. He wanted to
be both wise cracker and agitator
and statesman. It took consider
able quiet chastisement by his fel-
lows to convince this feather-brained
individual that the senate could not
properly be said to consist Of Sena-
tor McCarran and IS others.
Among other things, McCarran got
in just q little bad with the admin
istration. His Huey Long tendencies
did that. Then he found he wasn't
getting anywhere SO he began to
play up to the chief executive. His
piously political condemnation Of
Rickenbacker is the best public
example.
During the war Rickenbacker risk
ed his life In countless encounters
over the lines. shot down rs enemy
airplanes.
Before that he had been q racing
automobile driver and an expert on
internal combustion engines.
Returning from the war, he &C.
cepted one of the numerous offers
which had been made to him and
became an executive In an automo-
bile firm. When the big boom began
in flying in about 1926. Rickenbacker
returned to the air and more recent
" has been connected with Z big
aviation company. On the last day
that private firms flew the airmail.
he made . record commercial flight
from coast to coast.
Granted that Rickenbacker has q
private interest In the airmail. just
as Col. Lindbergh has. it was hardly
proper for Senator McCarran to At
tempt to deny him the right to speak
his mind. The man from Nevada
had far less right to question the
fliers' sincerity and honesty Of pur-
pose than Rickenbacker had to chal-
1enge that Of his questioner.
And besides, the evidence pretty
clearly shows that Rickenbacker WAS
right. The cancellation Of those air.
mail contracts and subsequent de-
velopuents make the country wonder
Il It wasn't Z bit Of sensatioualtsm
the nation could Just . we'll have
done without. The situatiou could
have been cleaned up without GREAT
ing what appears 70 b . mess which
Is fully Is bad o. worse.
Heroes such . Rickenbacker and
Lindbergh may turn out 70 10 scoun.
drels. it = true. for many elements
make up every man. But pending
proof Of such Developments any pub
lie man exercises poor taste when hs
attempts to c,lrtail tho right o. every
citi1en to make constructive criticism
and honest comment. Tho welfare
q the nation = not, aftsr I'll. the
concern Of any political party alone.
+ concerns iii Of -. Riekenbaeker
would have been untrue 70 The pein.
clples for which 10 fought had b
rid any less than what b actually
helisved.
i the average lawmal1r had -.
naonstrated half tn sinoors patriot
I'll that Rickenbasksr has shown
10y would causs " mueh les con-
nosn than they % and " would
heSs mere faith IN them than ap-
pean = = - err.