Evening star., 1934-01-12
Fears a Revolution
Trend in the New Deal
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star: ,
In studying the aims Of the Roose-
welt administration one cannot but
have some mjsgivings as to the goal to-
ward which we are headed. It seems
quite obvious that we are to have an
era of paternalisra, and that the Gov
ernment Is going to attempt to regulate
the lives Of individual citizens more
than heretofore. Prohibition, which
some folks said interfered with the
private habits Of individuals, will sink
into insigniflcance as compared with
the governmental interferences we are
now to have. 1--WE have undertaken
new methods" said the President in his
message to Congress. I'VE have de-
manded OF many citizens that they sur
render certain licenses to do as they
pleased in their business relationships. /"
he said.
No one seems to know Just what the
administration intends to do. Many Of
us are willing that defects In our po-
litical order shall be corrected, but are
unwilling that q revolutionary change
shall be inaugurated. Certainly the
people did not elect the present admin
istration on @ revolutionary platform.
1t Is true that much was said about
q new deal. and there may have been
some who believed this meant that we
were to have a year Of jubilee, when
property should be taken from those
who possessed 1t and given to those
VINO did not possess it, but most of us
did not conceive that we were to have
revolution.
I do not believe in revolutionary
changes except in instances Of oppres-
sion, such as existed at the time Of the
ma n
tionary changes. Revolutions are as
sociated in my mind with the terrorism
Of the French Revolution and with
the upheaval Of the Communist revolu-
tion. Life. liberty and property are
safer when changes are made slowly
and deliberately. Our Federal Consti-
tuition creating three departments of
government, each to act as check
upon the others, was designed to pre-
vent hasty changes. The President,
however, tnfers that 1t Is the duty of
the Supreme Court to forward his pro-
gram Of change. He said: ITO con-
solidate what we are doing. to make
our economic and social structure ca
pable Of dealing with modern life, is the
Joint task Of the legislative, the judi
cial and executive branches Of the Ma
tional Government"
appealing to the Congress to support
his policies. Indeed, that Is his duty.
But every one should object If he un-
dertakes to stampede the Congress into
enacting legislation without adequate
debate. Every single angle OF q pro-
posed measure should be fully con-
sidered and debated by members Of
Congress before it is enacted into law.
Wise legislation depends on freedom
Of debate Inasmuch as the President
has not seen mt to make known in his
opening message to Congress what
measures he intends to ask that body
to enact into law, but rather intends
to make his requests known piece
meal, it would seem that he does not
want either the people or the Congress
to have time to give his requests full
consideration. It would seem that he
hopes to withhold his requests until
the last minute and then attempt TO
rush and hurry and stampede the
measures through the Congress.
Some time ago "Al" Smith, speaking
with reference to what seems to be the
hysteria Of the time. said, Keep your
eyes on the Constitution" BY this he
probably meant that we should work
out our salvation slowly and deliber-
ately and within the provisions Of a
Federal Constitution which Mr.. Glad
stone said was the "grandest instru-
ment ever struck off by the hand of
man" Yet the President refers to "a
permanent readjustment of many Of
our ways Of thinking" One wonders
If he thinks that 1t is our duty to make
our thoughts conform to the notions
Of the political leaders at Washington.
1t might be better to undergo the
hardships of the present worldwide
depression than to jeopardize our liber-
ties by hasty action. We would still
be falling short of what Patrick Henry
meant when he said, Give me liberty
or give me death" F. WILSON.