The Washington times., 1936-06-24

The KEYNOTE address OF Senator
Alben w. BGrkley OF Kentucky,
to the Democratic national con-
pertion last night tollot0S in part:
We come to this convention in
the name Of a Democracy which
is national in its historic back
ground. in its approach to and
willingness to deal in a national
way with problems that are ma
tional in their scope.
We recognize the compleXity
of modern life. We coVet no
power that would deprive the
States of the right to deal local
" with local responsibilities.
These are adequate to consume
the energies of all who are will
ing to devote themselves to their
solution.
But we recognize the unde-
niable and self-evident fact that
because of our growth in terri
tory, population, wealth, the
means of production, diStribu-
ton and consumption and the
facilities of transportation and
communication which have
knitted the American people
into a nation, certain great
vital questions affecting the
daily lives of the people as
whole have been projected into
our economic and social struc-
ture.
'DEEP IN OUR FABRIC"
Some of those who were res
cued from drowning in the eco
nomic flood-waters let loose by
the previous IL long" years,
now complain because in lifting
them out we were forced to pull
their hair.
When the present AdminiStra-
ton assumed office on March 4,
1888, all classes of society bore
the marks of such a combina-
ton of maladies that it is only
possible to mention them in the
Vaguest outline.
These maladies we're not local.
They were not set off by meteS
and bounds. They were not
walled in by territorial barriers
nor quarantined by yellow flags
nailed to tree.
They were maladieS which
took root deeply in the whole
body of our social and economic
fabric and were therefore
chronic.
They had been foStered by en-
during neglect, magnified by po-
litical folly, aggravated by venal-
ity and perpetuated by the fran
tic effort to cure them by their
causes.
No nation can prosper long
or truly which finds no outlet
for the surplus products Of its
genius and labor.
FARMER LOSING FAITH"
But in four years-yea, -four
long yearS'-under the guidance
of the man who was applauded
but not renominated at Cleve-
land, we saw our trade with the
world decline from ten billions
to three billions of dollars per
year, setting the feet of 5000, 900
men upon the streets and turn
ing their faces toward the
lengthening bread-lines.
For 10 long" years the con-
dition of the American farmer
had steadily declined in spite Of
the hectic flush Of prosperity
found on other portions of the
economic body.
The farmer was losing not
only his home, his toll, the re-
wards of his life and energy
he was losing faith in the abil-
ity or willingness of organized
society through its only agency,
government, to give him the
same kind of break it had for
generations given to others.
He was losing faith in politi-
cal promises which had made
him the victim of cynical indif-
ference and devastating greed.
In the realm of finance chaos
greater than was ever seen in
this or. any other nation spread
its shadow across the country.
In the four years from 1923
to 1882 more banks had closed
in failure than had ever closed
before, and more than in all
the rest of tfSe world in the same
length of time.
Led on by the sirens Of specu-
lative excess, and by the false
signals flashed from the doors
of the Treasury and the Execu-
tive Mansion, millions of men
and women found themselves
stunned by the falling debris of
worthless securities foisted on
them by investment pirates.
They saw their substance drawn
from their hands as if by some
unseen magic force.
TLLEGITIMATE PROFITS"
Archaic and unethica al
methods of business competition
obtained illegitimate profit
e