Milford chronicle., 1935-07-05
Wadh1nQt0u
ASngo6hOb
ey JAMES PREsroM

eSSSS1eeS
By JAMEs PREsroN
, There seems little doubt now, view
ing Washington from closeup, that
5 the question Of States Rights, which
J once threw the United States into
bloody internal conflict, will be back
on the celebrates doorstep In the
next election with the New Dealers
> demanding increased power for cen
tralizing control OF local matters
now lodged by the Constitution in the
Jurisdiction Of the States.
Equally clear is the fact that as
the Civil War aligned brother against
brother, in many instances, and
broke down party lines, the same
thing is happening today. Boring
within both the Democratic and Re-
publican parties are outstanding
leaders seeking a coalition 10 defend
the doctrine Of States Rights. In
the Democratic camp are Bainbridge
Colby. Secretary OF State in the
Woodrow Wilson regime, and Chief |
Justice Pattengill, of the Maine Sn- ]
preme Court, who has deserted the |
bench to lead such a fight. Among |
those in the Republican group speak |
ing quietly of such a coalition are |
ex-senator Reed of Pennsylvania, |
who was spoken Of while. in the Sen |
ate as being the deepest thinker"
there.
! The handbook, or platform, 81 such |
movement, should Il materialize,
unquestiOnably will be a national
radio broadcast by Franklin d.
Roosevelt when he was Governor OF
New York only fve years ago At
that time, speaking on States Rights,
Mr.. Roosevelt cited such vital prob
lens" as public utilities, banks, in
surance, business, agriculture, edu-
cation, social welfare, "and of a
dozen other important features"
In these" the then Governor said,
Washington must not be encouraged
to interfere"
1T was clear to the trainers OF our
Constitution" Mr.. Roosevelt said,
that the greatest possible liberty Z
of self-goveTnment must be given to
each state, and that any national ad-
ministratiOn attempting to make
laws for the whole nation, such as
was wholly practical in Great Brit
ain, would inevitably result at some
future time in a dissolution of the
Union itself"
Mr.. Roosevelt also pointed out that
master minds, so unselfish, so will
ing TO decide unhesitatingly against
their own personal interests or pri-
vate prejudices; men almost godlike n
in their ability to hold the scales OF
justice with an even hand" were
not to be found ION our political
horizon, and we cannot expect a
reversal of all the teachings
Of history"
Certain it is that the Constitution
as an issue has been brought square,
Iy to the fore. In Washington. where
politics is discussed at every meal
much as citizens elsewhere talk
baseball or other hobbies, it is the
dominant theme. Famous old Penn
iylvania Avenue. the National Press
Club and the Capitol were buzzing
lfter President RoOsevelt's famous
)ress conference of more than an
lOur with newspaper men in which
he skidded the commodity markets
~ speaking of FIVE cent cotton and
IS cent wheat
That particular press conference
rev some 200 newspaper men into
he Oval-shaped Office of the Presi-
lent, and there they stood avidly as
DR.. Roosevelt talked. lighting one
cigarette after another
The inside of much of the Strike
ak" now being passed out by labor
eaders is that they are bluffing 10 HI
large extent in an effort to force
aVorabIe legislation through Con-
ress. High officials doubt that
abor leaders dare inject national
trikes into the march toward re-
Jvery.
Not often since the founding of
he Republic has the capital city
cen so stirred by turmoil as in the
asst few weeks since the Supreme
ourt called the nation back to the
The Administration
e8ders could not determine where
ley should turn next, and even af-
n they got their lines partially re- III
'rmed, Congress was not told what
as coming next.
&A&
Thus far there is only one clean
1t indication. Legislation which
early calls within the restrictions III
sfined by the court is not being III
ithdFawn, but is being pressed sII
eadily ahead. This can only mean HI
lat number of these measures ll
i'll be laid before the Supreme ll
Ourt. When it throws them out as SlI
constitutional, certain leaders III
)pe to use this to kindle a fire XII
aiding to a constitutional amend III
ent curtailing state powers. Aetu- ll
ly there Is no other way to inter- kII
'et the determination TO 90 for III
ard with measures which every iii
Ie but New Deal legal advisers
low to be unconstitutional. Nl
kAk iii
Much political concern was caused lIl
the capital by a brief Associated
'ess item from San Pedro, Calf,
5clOsing that $4,000 tons of Argen-
IA corn are enFoute to this coan-