Evening star., 1936-09-13

which goes far beyond anything
ever suggested by those liberals who
maintain q strong central govern
ment Is necessary to meet present.
day. social problems and to control
monopoly and special privilege.
Power Of this magnitude is danger
GUS from the economic as well as
from the political point Of view.
No mans judgment is sufficiently
infallible to justify giving him
control-either in private business
or in Government-over the stand
ard of living. the savings, and the
destiny Of his fellow citizens. When
the decision of one man affects an
entire country, a wrong decision
means national disaster.
The Republican party opposes
unlimited executive power for an
other reason. This reason is that
the worldwide trend away from
democracy means but one thing
that one thing is war. Any weak
ening Of democracy here means
the final rout of democracy every
where. The trend against democ-
racy must be stopped at once If
the world is to escape a major
catastrophe. I doubt If civiliza-
ton can survive another war.
Consequences ...
Fearful to Contemplate.
Even if we manage to keep from
being directly involved, the con-
sequences for us and our children
are fearful to contemplate.
There is no greater, no more i'm
portant responsibility resting upon
government today than the pres
ervation of peace.
This Nation had one great op-
portunity to lead the way toward
world peace and economic secur-
ity. In June, 1888, the nations of
the world were assembled at the
London economic conference for
the specific purpose of reversing
the trend toward economic nation
alism and war. At the time the
world was still thinking in terms
of disarmament. Our Government
had taken a leading role in pre-
pairing for this conference. The
outlook for success was favorable.
That great opportunity was lost.
1t was lost because the President
of the United States turned his
back upon this international CO.
operative effort.
That was the time we abandoned
the true foundation of world peace.
Since then conditions have 6ecome
steadily worse. Today Europe is
an armed camp; each nation fever
Shly rearming.
We must return to sound prin.
ciples. This will not be easy. In
many ways we have already be-
come pampered by special privi.
lege and dependent upon Govern.
ment where we should be depend.
ent upon ourselves. Our minds have
become confused by alluring slo-
gans and attractive but unful-
flllable promises.
But business men, salaried work.
ers, wage earners and farmers now
recognize that centralized Gov
ernment management of their af-
fairs has failed They recognize
that special privilege to one group
merely creates a demand for spe-
cial privileges by every other group
able to exert political pressure.
The temper of the American
public is no longer complacent.
1t has definitely set its face against
monopoly and unfair trade prac-
tices. The pledge in our platform
is not mere words. 1t does not
mean to me fruitless inquisitions
that impede recovery and delay re-
employment. To me 1t means not
only the steady relentless enforce
ment of existing laws but the
strengthening of those laws. And
it means the enactment of such
additional legislation a. is necessary
to put an end to monopoly, unfair
trade practices and all special
privilege. Only if we follow this
course can we escape the system
of Government-regulated monopo-
lies sponsored by this administra-
ton.
If you do not believe this. you
had better not vote for me. For I
am pledged by the Republican
platform to save our system of free
enterprise.
Let me restate the issues:
Do we want the Government pry-
ing into every little detail of our
business lives?
Do we want the Government
forbidding us to plant what we
want in our fields?
Or:
Do we want to be free to plan
for our future?
Do we want free government in
America?