The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-06-14
BOWERS FLAYS
REACTION USE
OF JEFFERSON
Hoosier Historian Claims
Great Democrat Favored
Equality for Ali.
BY DANIEL VI. KIDNEY
Timss stan Writer

WASHINGTON. June l4-"n
Thomas Jefferson had foreseen that
the Constitution would be used as
= bulkuark for reaction he wOula
have opposed its being written" 1t
vas declared here today BY Claude
q Bowers. L. s. Ambassador 70
Spain and a leading authority on
jefferson
..Jefcreon's interest" ne said in
an interview. was in the Bill OF
Rirhts-not states rights. nor prop
er+v rights. but human rights, the
rirhts OF the common man.
The outsp0ken Indiana diplomat
and historian. keynote OF the 1923
Democratic National Convention
and author Of jefferson and Ham
Iton." is here for a vacation and
for conferences at the State Depart
mcnt.
Mr.. Bowers expects 10 visit In
diana before he sails again for his
Madrid post June %. He said.
A native Of Hamilton County. Nj.
Bowers was long active in Indiana
Democratic politics and journalism.
Attacks ReactiOnaries
Mr.. Bowers forecast that the
coming campaign would be fought
on the line that divides the JET
fersonian and HamiltOnian theO-
RES OF government-that is, as he
explained IL, the JeffersOnian doc
trine OF equal rights for all. and
the Hamiltonian idea OF special
privileges for the few.
The hue and cry raised by the
reactiOnaries about jefferson and
states rights is ridiculous" he said.
why. they understand the phil
osophv Of jefferson better IN Europe
than To be fooled by such nonsense,
for jefferson was an international
figure. He viewed government in
terms Of the common good rather
than in some set form that must De
made a matter Of worship. He es-
poused states rights as an instru-
ment serving the common good at
the time the Federal government
. was being constructed. Had he fore
seen that il would ever be made
fetish to protect privilege. he would
not have been in favor Of written
Constitution.
Presented First Amendment
states rights and the COnsti-
tuition. so far as jefferson was con-
cerned, we're merely instruments
that appeared necessary at the time
to preserve human liberties.
He saw the impOSsibility OF
framing a Constitution that would
serve all future generations without
change. No one would be a more
ardent advocate Of changing the
Constitution to conform with the
times
Il was jefferson. Mr.. Bowers said.
who presented the first -OnStitu
tional amendments and who warned
that others would be needed in the
future If 1t was 10 remain a living
document. fUnctiOning to preserve
the liberties OF the people.
Certainly he would not hesitate
to support further amendments If
he considered them necessary in
this modern day"
Writing New Books
Because he is so interested in
what ne considers an attempt to
use jefferson for purposes contrary
to those for which the great Vir-
ginian fought. Mr.. Bowers is going
to write a book covering this sub
iect. He will call 1t, Jefferson, the
RevOlutiOnist"
In the interim. he is nearing
completion Of SeQual to jefferson
and Hamilton" dealing with JET
Persons presidency.
Much Of his research and writ
ing is being done during the siesta
period az the embassy. he said.
Mr.. Bowers had high praise for
the republic Of Spain. which he said
Is trying TO solve its problems in an
American manner rather than by
any OF the European formulas in
yOlving dictatorship.