Evening star., 1936-10-14
~ the Associated Press,

DETROIT, October 14.-The text o
Gov. ALI NJ. Landon's address here las
oignt follows:
Tonight / am going to discuss the
threat of the present Administra-
ton to our American form of gov
eminent. I am going to discuss 1t
in terms oil inc rights and oppor-
tunities secured to us as citizens by
the Constitution of the United
States.
Make no mistake about 1t: This
threat to our form of government
Is a major issue in this campaign.
It is time to bring 1t out into the
open.
We live in a world in which hu-
man liberties are falling. In nation
after nation ideals of democracy
have been swept away.
In every case, the process of de-
struction follows the same pattern.
First, the Executive sets himself up
as a popular leader, and in the
name of national emergency, asks
that additional authority be given
to him.
Then, the legislature gradually
yields more and more power to the
Executive, until the legislature be-
comes q mere instrument OF the
Executive.
Rights and Liberties Gone When
Courts Are Undermined.
Finally. the courts of law are
undermined. and the judiciary
ceases TO be a protection for the
people.
When this final stage is reached
when the independence Of the
courts is destroyed-the rights and
liberties of the people are gone.
The people are then at the mercy
of the Executive. The Executive Is
all-powerful.
We have seen the results Of this
process abroad. The first steps
have already been taken here.
Think back over the last three and
one-half years, and see what has
happened. In the name of emer-
eency, the President asked for and
received the right to change the
amount Of gold in the dollar.
In the name Of emergency, the
President has accepted authority to
issue three billion dollars of green
backs.
In the name of emergency the
President asked for and received
the power to set up So-called
stabiliBation fund of 50 900 900 900.
He can use this fund secretly to
buy or sell gold. silver and foreign
exchange at any price he sees fit.
And he can use it TO control the
price of United States Government
bonds.
Complete Control
Over Money and Credit Taken.
In short, the President, in the
name of emergency, has acquired
almost complete control over the
money and credit system of the
Nation. Think what that means.
One man, without notice, can alter
the value of the dollar-can threaten
the savings and the purchasing
power of the wages of every man
and woman in this country.
Also in the name of democracy,
the President asked for and re-
ceived authority to determine how
much agriculture and industry
could produce and sell; at what
wages and for how many hours la
Dor could work.
In the name Of emergency the
President asked for and received
appropriations from Congress to be
spent at his discretion. These So
called blank checks have totaled
sI35oo. 100000.
In other words, during period of
less than three and one-hah years,
one President has been given the
power to spend almost without re-
strictions eight times as much as
the discretionary spending power
given to 80 Presidents over period
of 143 years.
Congress in effect gave up its
constitutional powers and sur
rendered its control over the spend
ing policy of the Government. Yet
one Of the most important victories
in the history of popular govern
ment was that which won for the
peoples representatives control
over the public purse. Congress
should never abdicate the rights
won by the blood of men deter
mined to be free.
Permits Constitution
To Be Circumvented.
Through this transfer of power
over the purse-strings to the
Executive, he has been able to
override the rights of local COM
munities and the States. He has
been able to accomplish indirectly
what the Constitution forbids him
to do directly. 1t Is a shameful
thing when our Mayors and the
Governors of our several States
must appear before the Chief Ex-
ecutive as Supplicants, or else lose
their share Of the Federal handout
The President spoke truly when
he boasted before Congress in his
report on the state of the Union
last January. 1--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 enslavement for the
public" The people of the United
States have never authorized the
President to set up powers that
supersede their Constitution. They
do not want any Government to
have powers that could be used
- snackle their liberties and en-
slave tne1H.
Would Ask Repeal
OF All Autocratic Powers.
If am elected I shall recon-
mend to Congress the repeal of all
acts giving autocratic powers to
the Chief Executive.
I have listed only q few new
powers asked for the President.
These powers were granted with
the understanding that they were
only temporary. But after the
powers had been obtained and
after the emergency was clearly