The Daily Alaska empire., 1936-01-09
THE REAL CONSTITUTION WRECKERS

The embittered cries of the special privilege crowd emanates from the wailing wall Its constant hymn of hate pierces the of people with the charge that President Roosevelt and the Democratic Party is wrecking the Constitution If propaganda were fact, one could be led to believe that just being Democrat is unconstitutional and no doubt the money barons of the Liberty League using the Republican banner would like very much to have Congress pass law to that effect. With such situation prevailing it is interesting to look into the record as revealed at the Jackson Day banquet here last night
 J. A. Helenthal and James J. Connors two of the evenings speakers, brought out clearly and forciby on just which side of the fence reside the real Constitution wreckers.
 MT. Hellenthal recited the history of the crash How the Republican Party with it's special interest government had loaned money to the big fellows who already had money, that the latter could use it for speculation and promote sale of worthless foreign bonds to the people of this country until the people were bankrupt and the big New York bankers had it all. Then came the panic and the banks and financial houses began closing by the thousands When President Roosevelt came into office, the situation demanded action He took it. He closed the banks. Had he not done so the Government would have gone overheard. It was his action that saved the country and the Constitution Yet, Mir Helenthal brought out there was a real question of the constitutionality of that act but big business didn't shout about it. because they knew it was the only action that would prevent overthrow of the Government and save the Consti- tuition from being tossed in the waste basket They were willing for anything then to continue their very existence for they knew full well they had almost wercked through special privilege manipua- tion. Only Rooseveltan action saved it and them at that time, yet now they shout loudest at the man and New Deal which gave them succor
 Stressing further the Republican policy at times has been the cause of Constitution violation MT Connors presented these revealing figures In the 146 years of our nations life, 67 laws have been declared uncon- stitutional. Of that number, 42 were passed by Republican Congresses but 20 by Democratic Con- greses. Four were approved by mixed Congresses and one passed by the first Congress which was non-partisan.
 Grants Administration, during Lincolns Ad- ministraton and six of them were passed under President Theodore Roosevets Administration MT Connors explained he asked: "Is there any one of those calamity howlers who would have the temerty to say that Lincoln, Grant or Theodore Roosevelt were trying to wreck the Consttution?"
 Mo- just as the speaker expressed it, it makes great difference whose is gored. Violating or even threatening to wreck the Constitution has The Constitution, noble document that it s is only in danger when the privileged few loot the nation that the harrassed people, through stress might rise to drive the money barons from the temple and in their hatred wreck the temple too.