Evening star., 1935-11-17
Ia The Star.

public questions. I urged that they
should find somebody else. I ex-
planned that even If I were simply
to read the Ten Commandments it
would be interpreted as critical by
the administration at Washington.
Even that hint failed to dampen
their insistence. I then stated that
the situation Of our country was in
too great danger for me or any one
to waste time in an acedamic dis
cussion. That what I had to say
would be in opposition to certain
policies. They insisted that the
Ohio Society had invited me be-
cause it was a serious body anxious
for the stark, rugged truth.
Indeed, discussion of public ques-
tions is the first necessity in a re-
public. Free government cannot
exist without free debate. BY
honest and bold debate alone may
we prevent disaster to the security
and happiness of this Nation. On
that anvil alone We may shape the
intellectual instruments Of human
betterment.
recently made an address upon
the New Deal spending, debts, and
their consequences. I purpose on
this occasion to discuss what the
New Deal calls national planning"
the expenditures it imposes on the
people, its consequences, and some
remedies that it requires. This old
and respected phrase, national
planning" has been disclosed to
have powerful meanings. You
might think that meant blueprints.
But this sort of national PLAN
ming" includes political manage
ment of money, credit, farming,
industry, morals. and the more
abundant life. Two years ago the
phrase more frequently used was
planned economy" But as that
has become so obviously planned
extravaganza" it has been less
used in these last few months.
Even national planning" is
threatened with election by still
newer glittering phrase, the third
economy" I trust it is not so
expensive as the others.
Says Good in New Deal
Is Not Criticized.
Let me say at once that am not
here criticizing all the measures
taken by our administration. Re-
public must go forward, not back
ward, but if they would 60 for
ward they must promptly discard
the bad. I am here discussing
those measures which threaten to
impoverish the Nation.
There are two different groups
of opponents of the New Deal sort
of national planning" or planned
economy" One group holds that it
Is a deliberate plan for centralizing
authority to a point where we the
people can be made to do what
Starry-eyed young men in WASH
ington think is good for us
whether it is good for us or not.
This group believes planned
economy is the American name for
the European diseases which have
infected us for the past three
years. They feel these catch-words
cloak that incarnate passion for
power, the insidious end Of which
is the destruction of liberty and
the rise of the regimented state.
The other group of opponents
hold that the new national PLAN
ming" is an attempt of a COL
legiate oligarchy to sanctify by a
phrase a muddle Of unco-ordi-
mated reckless adventures in gov
ernment-favored with unctuous
claims to monopoly in devotion to
their fellow men. These opponents
believe national planning" has
neither philosophy nor consistency
Of action.
MY own conclusion is that the
new national planning" contains
any or all these elements, de-
pending upon which New Dealer
is doing the planning for the day.
Any of these views could be
confirmed by the writings OF a
dozen charter members Of the New
Deal who have now turned against
the order. They could be sub
stantiated by the writings of many
who remain in 1t.
Constitutional Termites
Declared at Work.
7 do not intend on this occasion
to elaborate the philosophy OF
planned economy" 1t is neither
conservative, liberal, nor common
sense. Nor do propose on this
occasion to discuss its constitu-
tional aspects. There are nests OF
constitutional termites at work.
I shall simply inquire whether
we ought to want this sort OF
economic planning" and its in
visible costs. It has unfolded itself
through some scores of new bu-
reaus of the Federal Government.
will not take your time to EMU
merate all the alphabetical agen-
cies. may say, however, there are
only four letters of the alphabet
not now in use by the administra-
ton in Washington. When we
establish the Quick Loans Corpora
ton for xylophones, Yachts. and
Zithers, the alphabet Of our fathers
will be exhausted. But Of course
the new Russian alphabet has "a
letters.
We have now had three years
in which to appraise the work OF
these agencies. They are no longer
in the aurora borealis stage, with
all its excitement and false prom
ises of light. We emerge from
illusion into the daylight of prac-
teal experience.
There is one consistency in all
this new national planning" or
planned economy" or third
economy" Every branch Of these
plans has the habit Of carefree
scattering of public money. They
are haunted by no old ghost of
balanced budget. But national
planning" thinks in phrases and
slogans rather than the exactitude
of the cash register. We now know
that in addition to increased taxes