Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-06-01
NEWAMENDMENTS.
URGED BY DANIELS.
"Constitution Needs More
Tinkering," He Says at
A. U..Dinner.

iels shortly after conference at the
White House, claimed attention in
the Capital today.
Daniels, Ambassador to Mexico,
and former Secretary of the Navy,
declared at the American University's
annual dinner at the Mayflower Hotel
last night that a convention should be
called to examine the Constitution
end reform it to meet the conditions
of 1885"
Wages III some parts of the country
have been cut Is per cent since the
Supreme Court wiped out N. r. A.
codes. he said. and hours of labor
have been increased IN some instances
to 10 day.
Country in Suspense.
THE country is in more or less sus-
pense, more or less of fog. because
it doesn't know what will come in the
industrial life of the Nation" he con-
tinued.
"A few years ago men came to
Washington on their knees and asked
the President to save the banks, to
save business. Much was done. but
now the Supreme Court has found
that one of the principal instruments
of the progress we have made cannot
continue All over the country, people
are stunned. wondering what will hap
pen tomorrow"
"Tinkering" with the Constitution
in the past has improved it. Daniels
asserted contending that without it.
Eve should have no free speech, no
right of assembly"
I'VE tinkered with it after the Civil
War, We tinkered with it when we
found Senators were being sold on
the auction block. and we made them
subject to election by the people. We
tinkered with it, and improved 1t
when we gave the vote to women, and
We improved it some more when we
made it possible to tax incomes.
More Tinkering Needed.
Now that Constitution needs some
more tinkering We need to con-
slider how it can be made to meet
the needs of this hour
He expressed high regard for the
Supreme Court, but said the N. R. A.
decision had tiled the hand OF
progress. and held up the wheels of
Government"
He made no reference in his ad-
dress at the university dinner to
the talk he had with the President
few hours earlier.
Daniels address stirred the assem-
blage of trustees, faculty, alumni and
students of the university. who had
gathered for one of the last events
of the academic year. which is to
close Monday with commencement.
DR.. Joseph NJ M. Gray, chancellor
of the university, announced grant
of $4,000 from the Rockefeller
Foundation to the university's School
Of Public Affairs for its lin service"
training program. The grant will be
used for the purpose OF enlarging and
developing a program OF specialized
work for Government employees which
was begun during the second semester
of the present academic year under
an emergency grant OF $4,000 from
the same foundation.
Exchange FeIIowships Arranged.
Exchange fellowships, under an ar
rangement with the Italian Ambas-
sador, also were announced by Chan
cellor Gray. American University will
receive Italian students for instruc-
ton here and A. U. students will 60
to Italy to study under special privi-
leges and benefits. DR.. Gray extended
appreciation to the Ambassador
through Signor Eugenio Bonardelli
guest at the dinner.
Ambassador Daniels. in making his
suggestion for constitutional conven-
ton, charged that I'VE are trying to
run the Government on the ox-cart
methods of century ago"
The Supreme Courts N. R. A. de-
cision. he said. had opened the way
for return of child labor, long hours
and low wages.
Answering what he said had been a
"great deal of criticism Of the so-called
brain trust the Ambassador declared
his "only regret was that we havn't
had more men in public life with
trained brains" He called on the in
situations of learning to train Ameri-
cans for public work, and highly
praised the new School of Public AZ
fairs of American University for its
work in this direction.
Referring to his experience as Sec
rotary of the Navy, the Ambassador
said:
If it has been deemed necessary to
spend millions of dollars to train men
for public service in wars in which
they may never be called into action.
is it not the part Of wisdom and a
wise expenditure of money to provide
instruction for those who are called
into activity in the civilian depart
ments of Government"
Special recognition was given at the
banquet to the tenth anniversary of
the founding of the College of Liberal
Arts under the direction of its present
dean. DR.. George B. Woods Both
Chancellor Gray and DR.. H. c. Cot
terman. president of the Alumni As
ISOLATION. who officiated as toast
master, called attention to the recog-
milton which has come to the under
graduate branch Of the university.
Chancellor Gray expressed appre-
citation of the Board of Trustees for
the services of DR.. c. c. Tansill as
acting dean of the Graduate School
during the past year, and at the same
time welcomed the new dean. DR..
Ernest S. Griffith. formerly of SYRIA
euse University, who responded.
Progress Is Explained.
Arthur S. Flemming. director of the
School of Public Affairs. explaining
progress of this new branch, intro
duced DR.. Frederick Davenport,
former member Of Congress, and
Leonard White of the Civil Service
Commission.
DR.. Arthur c. Christie. president of
the Board of Trustees, which meets
today in semi-annual session to plan
the year, expressed the support of the
board for the program now under
way for the entire institution.
The baccalaureate sermon will be
delivered tomorrow at Metropolitan
Memorial Church at o'clock services
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