Evening star., 1935-04-26
DEMOCRAT SPLIT
SEEN BY COLBY
Former Secretary of State
Charges Party Is Making
Nation SociaIiStic State.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April 26.-The Demo-
cratic party was charged with making
the Nation a socialistic state and en-
veloping it "in a mesh Of tyrannous
and bureaucratic rule" in an address
by Bainbridge Colby before the
American Newspaper Publishers Asso-
citation. which ended its convention
today.
The former Secretary Of State said
freedom of the press. often stressed
at the convention, was not the only
thing imperiled.
Proposed legislation, he said last
night, would reduce the farmer to
'the level of a serf" with the Secre-
tary of Agriculture controlling every
step from sowing to consumption,
He asserted the "bureaucrats" would
be given power to make regulations
and punish violators without going to
court.
Sees spit In rarTy.
"As q Democrat" Colby continued.
'I would venture to remind the heady
and nonchalant innovators Of the
moment who are officiating as MStru-
ments Of the Democratic party. and
usurping its name. that the Govern
ment of the United States was eStab-
lished to get rid Of arbitrary, discre-
tionary executive power"
Saying the present administration
has no counterpart save ''the auto
cratic sway of unresisted dictator
ship" he asserted:
The Democratic party cannot, nor
will it. turn from legal regulation to
executive regulation, from law to
personal power, without rending itself
in twain and divorcing from its ranks
countless thousands"
He held ut Is the counsel Of fools
or enemies of the United States that
we should alter the fundamental form
of our society in order to solve eco
nomic problems which would be easy
of solution if we would but cease our
effort to abort and throttle estab-
lished economic law"
People Getting Awake.
He concluded with the statement
that the people begin to see they
are on the wrong track"
DR.. Glenn Frank. president of the
University Of Wisconsin. told the pub
fishers the United States still Is in
the shadow Of the dictatorship threat.
Less than at any time in human
history" said DR.. Frank, "can we af-
ford to bully into silence the voice OF
corrective criticism. intimidate minor
ity opinion and give unquestioned
right of way to the green dogmatisms
of politics and economics that sprout
SO lavishly from the improvisings of
criSiS-driven statesmen.
And yet, this is what Is happening
the world around wherever the
minds OF men have been Seduced
by the glamorous promises of dicta-
torship.
Even in the absence of deliberate
intent, the exercise of emergency
powers may in q few swift
months remake for q generation to
come the nature of a nations gov
ernment and the attitude of the peo-
pie toward it.
That is why the active and
responsible discharge Of the critical
function is imperative"
Among the business before the pub
fishers today was the election Of
officers.
Roosevelt Responsible.
Col. Frank Knox. publisher Of the
Chicago Daily News, told members of
the Columbia School of Journalism
yesterday that President Roosevelt
should be held directly responsible for
attempts of his subordinates to limit
freedom Of the press.
Men like Tugwell and other brain
trusters are trying to undermine the
business side of the newspaper" he
explained later
He asserted the President, by main
tanning them in office, had encouraged
the enemies of the free press.
Pay $500, o,OOO, 900 for News.
The Nations newspapers spend
100000, 900 a year obtaining domestic
and foreign news for their readers,
Col. Robert r. Mccormick. publisher
of the Chicago Tribune, said yesterday.
Col Mccormick, who also is chairman
of the Freedom of the Press Commit
tee of the American Newspaper Pub
fishers Association, addressed the Ad-
vertising Club of New York. and spoke
at length on freedom of the press and
on the newspaper code.
The Associated Press" he said,
collects from its members and spends
$4,000. 900 annually in collecting and
delivering news to them. I estimate
that the news gathering Of all the for
eign services equal those of the As
sociated Press, and the member pa
pers spend at least 10 times as much
as the associations.
Readers of the daily papers, there
fore, have at their disposal news COL
lected at a cost of $780, 100000
year"
Oppose U. S. Ownership.
The association approved yesterday
a resolution of its Traffic Committee
for the adoption of q stand "unalter-
ably opposed" to Government owner
ship of railroads or any other form
of transportation.
In its annual report, the Trafic
Committee reviewed its activities Of
the year in maintaining rate PARTIES
on newsprint, and E. M. Antrim of
the Chicago Tribune, chairman,
stated: