Evening star., 1936-12-07
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY C. GOULD LINCOLN.

Ills, III UTlcl, Is Cu6 plea WHICH 0cCTe-
tary of State Cordell Hull made at the
second plenary meeting of the Inter-
American Peace Conference in BuenOs
Aires on Saturday. 1t sounds sensible
enough. although there may be those
who reply that it does not dovetail with
George WaShtngtons speech to Congress
in 1890 when he said: ITO be prepared
for war is one of the most effectual
means OF preserving peace II was
Vegetius who said long before that: "Qui
deSiderat pacem praeparet bellum."
II X
Preparing for war IN time Of peace,
somehow, has never prevented wars,
although it may have been a means of
keeping the prepared nation from attack
until the would-be attacker considered
itself even better prepared. Just at
present, lot of the nations of the world
are preparing for war, and the peace
conference of the American nations was
called to see what could be done to keep
the Americas out of conflict, not alone
with each other, but out Of conflict with
the nations of the old world.
Secretary Hull, in mis- address, urged
upon the American nationS-and upon
the world through the forum Of the peace
conference.-the need OF education along
peace lines. There seems no doubt about
that need. The value Of peace has been
discussed at international meetings for
many years. Fifteen years ago, when
the world was still sick of the World
War, a great conference for the reduc-
ton of armaments as a means Cf 1nSur-
ing international peace. was convened in
washington. The then Secretary of
State, Charles Evans Hughes. now Chief
Justice thrilled the peoples OF all nations
with a generous proposal of the United
States to reduce its naval armament.
1t looked, for time, as If this plan for
disarmament might work. Gradually as
the years passed, however, the plan was
thrown into the discard. The nations
went back to preparing for war on huge
scale-in time of peace.
* xA
Mr.. Hull went much further in his
plea than q mere matter of education.
He stressed the need of change in the
dealings of the nations with each other
in the matter of trade He called for
a restoration of fair and friendly eco
nomic relations" If he could bring that
about. there would be real chance for
world peace: It's tough nut to crack,
this matter of economic relations.
The Dominican Republic has come
forward at the peace conference with
proposal for league of American
nations in the interest of peace. Whether
such league would work is question.
The last League of Nations has not been
eminently successful. The United States
remained aloof from that League, al
though it was conceived by the late
President Woodrow Wilson. The League
became a political foot ball in this
country. President Franklin D. RooSe-
welt. in 1920, ran as a candidate for Vice
President on a ticket that made the
adherence of the United States to the
League an issue and was defeated. 1t
scarcely seems likely that President
Roosevelt would undertake to bring the
United States into league of nations
American natlons-at this juncture. The
old repugnance of the American people
to entangling alliances with foreign
nations would surely raise its head again.
Secretary Hull made no gesture toward
a league of nations. But he did say
that the Americas might well do great
deal through cooperation toward the
maintenance of peace in the world.
X +
Senator Burke of Nebraska is pre-
pared to offer a resolution at the ap-
preaching session of Congress for the
presentation of a constitutional amend
ment limiting President of the United
States to one term of six years. The
chances are that he will not get to first
base with the proposal. The argumt ntS
| in favor of the plan for single term
have been heard often and have been
advanced frequently in the past. So
have the arguments against it. If Presi-
dent Roosevelt should throw his great
influence back of the proposed amend
ment it doubtless would receive many
votes in both houses of Congress. 1t
must be supported by twO-thirdS vrte
of both houses in order to be submitted
to the States for their ratification, how
ever. Support for the single term by
the President might go far toward still
ing the suggestions, heard frequently,
that Roosevelt may be candidate Tor
a third term The President, however,
could put an end to all thirdterm gossip,
on the other hand, by merely announc-
ing that he has no intention of being
candidate for reelection.
** * y
Senator Burke also let 1t be known
that he may include in his amendment
proposal a change from two-year terms
for members of the House to four-year
terms. This might receive considerable
support from the members OF Congress
who are under the necessity OF seeking
reelection every two years. But II that
plan were adopted, the close touch which
the members of the House must have
now with their constituents and their
wishes might be diminished. The idea
in providing a two-year term Tor the
members of the popular House OF Con-
gress was to foster the closest kind OF
relationship with the wishes and Sentl-
ment of the people.
X X X
It looks as though the coming session
of Congress would see large crop OF
proposed constitutional amendments all
of which must be referred to the Judi
ciary Committees of the House and the
Senate before they can hope for con-
sideration Amendments to give Con-
gress the power to legiSlate in the matter
of hours of labor and the minimum wage.
to give the Congress the power to deal
with agriculture and industry and social
and economic problems of national scope
will be thrown into the hopper in the
House and introduced more formally in
the Senate. There will be amendments
to limit the power of the courts in pass
ing on legislation of Congress and
amendments to make the issuance OF
further Government securities free to