The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-08-24
FRIDAY. AUo. q. Iss4.
THE LIBERTY LEAGUE

because We believe so thoroughly in the
II purpose Of the New Deal, We welcome the
organization Of critics calling themselves the
American Liberty League.
What the New Deal needs is intelligent
criticism. Its chief weakness has been its type
Of enemies-the opposition has been moronic
for the most part ANY group in power which
lacks intelligent criticism soon goes wild or
soft. That was the trouble with the Wall
Street crowd which ran the country and al
most wrecked it. And ttat-in a different way
lis the trouble with the Roosevelt adrninistra-
ton, which has had things too much its own
way for It's own efficiency.
Unfortunately there has been no real po-
htical opposition. The Republican organiza-
ton is 50 discredited by its record and so IN
intelligent in its attacks that the New Dealers
have been able to ignore it. hardly bothering
to laugh it down.
That is not health in a democracy. And it
especially is undesirable in time of demo-
cratic experiment. The trial and error method
works best where there is any organized group
watching for the errors. We hope the Amer
lean Liberty League will function in that way
According to its charter. as quoted by its
president Mr.. Shouse the Liberty League has
been formed ito defend and uphold the Con-
stitution Of the United States. and to gather
and disseminate information that Cd will
teach the necessity Of respect for the rights of
persons and property as fundamental to every
successful form of government, and % will
teach the duty Of government to encourage
and protect individual and group initiative and
enterprise. to foster the right to work. earn,
save and acquire property. and to preserve the
ownership and lawful use of property when ac-
CURED"
Like all other charters and platforms that
an mean much or little depending on how it
applied. And like most other platforms,
'hich necessarily deal in genersHties, it misses
he main question: whose property, and whose
berty?
This Constitution of the United States
hich the Liberty League is going to defend,
it the liberty Constitution upheld by the
resent supreme court or is it the strait
lcket which certain earlier supreme courts
ought to impose2
This respect for the rights of persons
nd property" which the Liberty League is
Ding to defend-where Will the league be
hen those personal rights and those prop
-ty rights conflict as they so often do; when
individual and group initiative" conflict:
Tflen labor's right TO work" conflicts with
ne lawful use Of property" when one citi-
ems right TO save" conflicts with another's
right" to speculate; when the property rights
Z the farm owner and home owner conflict
18th the property rights of the mortgage
cwner2
The specific answers TO such practical ques-
ions as they arise are the problem of Amer
can stateSmanship-and will be the measure
Of the Liberty League.
Mr.. Shouse is somewhat more definite when
Re SAYS the job Of the league is to oppose rad
calism. Some cynics jump to the conclusion
hat this means it is to be in fact league Of
-eaction. But Mr.. Shouse and Mr. Smith on
heir public record are not reactionaries. The
-ecord of Al Smith as a humanitarian and
public servant is not surpassed easily.
So, perhaps. it is a safer guess that this
obviously property minded Liberty League will
develop as a conservative rather than a reac-
tonary organization. There is a big differ
ence
There is room for an intelligent conserva-
tive party in this country today. Whether the
Liberty League eventually may become such
political party is a question properly left open
by Mr.. Shouse. Admitting that the league
may not be in existence in 1886" he adds. we
DO not expect to take part in partisan polit-
ical effort this fall. but We may find it neces-
sary to become active in elections if conditions
should demand"
or course if the league should turn out to
be just another reactionary organization it
probably will not be in existence in 1886 as
an effective force. political or otherwise.
For our part We always have believed that
this democracy requires a clearer political
alignment, an honest progressive party and an
honest conservative party checking each other
with intelligent criticism.
PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY