Evening star., 1936-10-14
Landon's Challenge.

Gov. Landon's speech at Detroit last
night brought the campaign to focus.
II gave specific expression to question
that is unmistakably the issue between
the administration seeking return to
power and the party that is seeking to
effect change That issue is the alleged
violation by the President of the basic
ideals of the American system.
Reviewing the series Of legislative acts
which the President sought and obtained
from Congress which, in Gov. Landon's
words, gave autocratic powers to the
Chief Executive and which, though
granted as emergency measures, the
President has described as new instru-
ments of public power, Gov. Landon put
specific questions, in the light OF the
adverse decisions of the Supreme Court.
He asked:
Does the administration plan to re-
enact the N. r. A.? Does it intend to
return to the control Of food products by
Washington? If 1t does one it must do
lIlC OLllCls IL VIC 1ldNS Gil Az Ae' "A. W.
must have an A. A. A. If we have an
A. A. A. we must have an N. r. A. No
Nation can continue half regimented and
half free. Which course does this ad-
ministration propose to follow? There
Is only one man who can answer this
question, and that man is the candidate
for reelection to the Presidency"
These questions were prefaced in Gov
Landon's speech by recital OF certain
words spoken by the President before
Congress. He said:
THE President spoke truly when he
boasted before Congress in his report on
the state of the Union last January, We
have built up new instruments Of public
power He spoke truly when he said
these instruments could provide 'shackles
for the liberties of the people and en-
slavement for the public"
Urging that the only safe and proper
way to enlarge the executive powers to
bring about the changes in the sys-
tenn Of government which have been
attempted by the administration and
checked by the decisions of the Supreme
Court Is to secure the amendment Of
the Constitution, Gov. Landon says:
IF the President thinks agricultural
and industrial anarchy can be prevented
only by the re-enactment Of the prin-
ciples Of N. r. A. and A. A. A., let him
say so. Let him tell us-and tell us
before election day-just what amend
inents to the Constitution he has in
mind. BY his silence on this he is
dodging the fundamental issue of this
campaign, the issue of whether he in
tends to change the form of our Gov
ernment-whether labor, agriculture and
business are to be directed and managed
by government-directed and managed
by politics.
This is a direct challenge which can
not well be avoided. If it is the purpose
of the President to pursue the policy
Of regimentation, if reelected, he should
declare himself clearly and explicitly as
to the course he proposes to follow. If
that course is to be further pursuit of
the policy Of administrative law making,
under the cover of broad enactments of
statutes without regard for the limita-
tions Of the Constitution in its present
form, on the chance Of changes in the
personnel of the Supreme Court that
will turn an adverse majority of the
court into favorable majority, that is
one thing. If 1t is to be effected
through the amendment of the Constitu-
ton in proper order, by the established
mode Of procedure, that is another thing.
The challenge Of Gov. Landon for a
specific declaration Of purpose as to the
manner in which the now negatived
legislative-executive powers for regimen
tation are to be regained requires q
specific answer.