Evening star., 1935-03-08
JOHNSON LAUGHS
AT LONG ATTACK
"It's a Great Joke," Former
N. R. A. Head Tells Bar,
Declining Comment.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PROVIDENCE, r. l., March g.
Broad chuckles were Gen. Hugh S.
Johnson's way Of receiving Senator
Huey Longs slashing radio attack
upon him.
Its a great joke" he said, "but I
have no comment now" He indicated
he would comment only after Rev.
Charles E. Coughlin, also criticized by
the general Monday night, had replied.
The former Army officer who ad-
dressed the Rhode Island Bar Asso-
citation last night only touched on
Senator Long and on Father Coughlin
not at all during the speech.
Criticizes Father Coughlin.
In a question period afterward he
was asked:
do you think the clergy should
participate in discussion Of social
subjects?"
"Clergymen have every right to
discuss social questions but no clergy
man has the right to form a political
organization. place himself at the
head and use religion and appeals to
the emotion rather than by exposition
of particular point of yiew," john
son replied.
Speaking Of the widening Of gov
ernmental supervision of the country S
commerce, johnson told members Of
the bar association: II think that Qn
the careful and very necessary flexi-
bility which 50 distinguishes our high
est COURT that our law Is on the
verge of reneeting more faithfully the
problems Of the present ."
Sees "Swoop Of Economies"
Answering his own question as to
whether the Congress or the States
shall regulate the various commercial
fields, johnson said:
We must not bury Our noses so
deeply in books Of law and precedent
that we cannot see and hear the great
thunderous swoop Of time and eco
nomics, which already has proved to
nearly all men to have eyes to see
and ears to hear that, in commerce,
we are a single country and not 48
watertight political compartments"
Sees Broad Federal Rule.
In his address he predicted an ever
widening field Of Federal supervision
over the Nations commerce - sane
toned by the courts.
Declaring the Nation was sweeping
like an avalanche" toward condi-
ton Of economic complexity in which
the small business man is being re-
placed by the great corporation, Gen
johnson said:
'I think the Supreme Court has
seen this clearly and that If anybody
thinks that these great autocrats OF
the national breakfast table ought te
be freed from any aspect Of govern.
mental attention merely because the
old-time butcher, baker or candlestick-
maker was not dangerous enough te
the public helplessness to need watch
ing - well, he Is just living in q
medieval dream and probably thinks
that Pretty Boy Floyd, Bonnie Parker
and John Dillinger are Friar Tuck
Maid Marian and Robin Hood.
Corporations Have No Souls"
"Altruistic banditry is q thing Of
the romantic past and we can be vel
assured that corporations have nc
souls. I am no trust-buster, but
veritably believe that our public will
not consent to take its soup out o1
any one dipper without having q
direct say in the matter. and that
there is no possible workout OF this
vast and inevitable coalescense ol
business in which the public shall
not have q part. ,"
Taking up Senator Borah's recent
assertion that johnson had recorded
himself as against the little man, the
general declared President Roosevelt
had Saved more little men undel
N. r. A. than Senators Borah or Nye
ever preached about"