Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-01-26

can do. We can either take on
the mantle Of hypocrisy or We can
take q walk, and we will probably
do the latter.
Now leave the platform alone for
= little while. What about this at
tack that has been made upon the
fundamental institutions of this
country? Who threatens them, and
did we have any warning Of this
threat?
Two American
Documents Lauded.
Why. you don't have to study
party platforms. You don't have
to read books. You don't have to
listen to professors OF economics.
You can find the whole thing in
corporated in the greatest declara-
ton of political principle that ever
came from the hands of man-the
Declaration Of independence and
the Constitution of the United
States.
Always have in your minds that
the Constitution and the first 10
amendments to 1t were drafted by
refugees and by sons Of refugees.
by men with bitter memories Of
European oppression end hardship,
by men who brought TO this country
and handed down to their descend
ants an abiding fear Of arbitrary
centralized government and au-
tocracy.
And listen, all the bitterness and
all the hatred OF the Old World
was distilled in our Constitution in
the purest democracy that the
world has ever known.
There is just three principles,
and in the interest Of brevity I will
read them. 1 can read them quicker
than talk them.
First, a Federal Government,
strictly limited in its power, with
all other powers except those ex-
pressly mentioned reserved to the
States and to the people so as to
insure States rights, guarantee
home rule and preserve freedom of
individual initiative and local con-
troll"
That is simple enough The diff
ference between the State consti-
buttons and the Federal Constitu-
ton is that in the State you can do
anything you want to do provided
it is not prohibited oy the Consti-
tuition. But in the Federal Gov
eminent, according to that docu-
ment, you can do only that which
that Constitution tells you that you
can do.
Congress Exceeded
Constitutional Bounds.
What Is the trouble? Congress
has overstepped its bounds. 1t went
beyond that constitutional limita-
ton, and it has enacted laws that
not only violate thai, but violate
the home rule and the States right
principle.
And who says that. Do say it?
Not at all. That was said by the
United States Supreme Court in
the last 10 to IL days.
Secondly, the Government, with
three independent branches; Con-
gress to make the laws. the Execu-
tive to execute them, the Supreme
court, and So forth. You know that.
In the name of Heaven. where Is
the independence of Congress?
Why, they Just laid right down.
They are flatter on the congress
sional floor than the rug on the
table here. They surrendered all
Of their powers to the Executive.
and that is the reason why you
read in the newspapers references
to Congress as the rubber stamp
Congress.
We all know that the most inn
portant bills were drafted by the
brain trusters, and sent over to
Congress and passed by Congress
without consideration. without de-
bate, and without meaning any Of
tense ct all to my Democratic
brethren in Congress, I think I
can safely say without 80 per cent
Of them knowing what was in the
bills, what was the meaning Of the
list that came over. and besides.
certain bills were must" What
does tnat mean?
Speaking for the rank and file
Of American people, We don't want
any executive to tell Congress what
it must de-. and we don't want any
Congress or the Executive jointly
or severally to tell the United
States Supreme Court what 1t must
do.
And further than that, we don't
want the United States Supreme
Court to tell either Of them what
they must do. What We want, and
what we insist upon. and what we
are gong to have Is the absolute
preservation Of this balance Of
power. which is the keystone, the
arch upon which the whole theory I
Of democratic government has got
to rest. and when you rattle 1t,
you rattle the whole structure.
Method " Mending
the Constitution.
The third one u methods OF
amen1,ng the Constitution. OF
course, whom our 1orefathars v1oee