Evening star., 1936-12-20
BY MARK SULLIVAN.
s THE new Congress approaches

~ tHcIC arc LuaAJ lLotAABc Va bAAC
~ business before 1t. BY news
= paper articles, by interviews,
by radio we are told Of the measures
the new Congress must take up.
Among these problems and duties
one can be fairly picked out as para
mount. In spite Of long learned re-
luctance to use superlatives. do not
hesitate to say the new Congress has
one obligation that towers above all
others. This is the obligation of Con-
gress to preserve itself. to continue to
exist, the obligation Of self-preserva-
ton.
To suggest there is any faintest pos
sibility of the American Congress
ceasing to exist and function may
seem fantastic. 1t is fantastic. But
throughout the world the fantastic is
happening. This particular fantastic
is happening. In country after coun-
try daring the last 20 years parlia-
mentary government has perished. In
its place has arisen dictators whose
attitude toward it is frank. I'VE have
brushed aside" said one Of Hitler's
minions the other day, German Air
Minister Goering-"we have brushed
aside that institution called Parlia-
ment" That is likewise the attitude
of Mussolini 1t is likewise the atti-
tude of Stain. (Though for reasons
of strategy Stain is just now propos-
ing a revival of a parliament, a kind
Of "window-dresSing" parliament, to
function along with the dictatorship
and subject TO it,
Abolition of parliaments and con-
crosses is fundamental in the two new
conceptions of society, fascism and
communism, which have been spread
ing over the world for a score of years.
Everywhere parliaments and con-
crosses are on the defensive, in re-
treat, losing ground. Preservation Of
''the processes of constitutional demo-
cratic government"-the phrase is
President Rdbsevelt's-is the deep, ul-
innate need of such democracies as
remain, among which the United
States continues. fortunately. to be
the most important stronghold.
Congress Should Deserve Respect.
What is the way to preserve parlia-
mentary government? What is the
way to preserve the American Con-
gress? The best path toward pre-
serving Congress lies in preserving
popular respect for Congress. And
that method lies largely with Congress
itself. The best way to preserve
popular respect for Congress 10 foi
Congress to deserve popular respect
That Congress should so act as Il
earn respect, and that when Congress
does this we should all give 1t respect
is about as urgent q need as nov
exists in America.
In September. 1885, committee d
the Senate-called after the name o.
its chairman the Black Committee
was engaged in investigation of lobby.
ing. The committee desired to SET
all the kilograms passing in and out
Of Washington-not merely the tele-
grams Of persons suspected Of lobby.
ing, but the kilograms Of all person,
whatever.
With that purpose the committee
sent one Of its agents to the two
great telegraph companies. The agent
asked to see all the telegraph mes
sages that had been transmitted
through the companies during the
seven months from Februa0 / tc
September /. 1885. The companies
apparently realizing that such q
wholesale dragnet demand was illegal
stalled" As it is put in the court
decision from which I take thes,
facts: THE companies expressed re-
luctance to make delivery OF the
messages"
Thereupon the Senate committe.
adopted q new tactic. The Senat.
committee went to Government
agency called the Federal Communi.
cations Commissions. THE reader o.
this article will need to keep in minc
the distinction between the ofiicia
names Of two bodies. the commit.
tee" Of the Senate and the com.
mission')
F. C. C. Given Right
To See Papers.
The Communications Commission
is an agency Of the executive branch
Of the Government. 1t was set up Il
exercise control over telegraph, tele.
phone and radio companies with Z
view to bringing about efficient serv.
ice. For this purpose-but for thi!
purpose only-the commission hal
been given, by the statute creating it
the right of inspection Of al
''' papers kept by such carriers"
The commission had this powel
solely for its official function of In
suring efficient telegraph service. Tht
commission did not have this power
for any other purpose whatever. Or
the contrary the statute setting uI
the commission specifically guaran'
teed the privacy of kilograms, made
1t illegal for telegraph companies t.
''divllge telegraph messages) s'' Il
any person other than the addressed
| 80
Nevertheless the Senate committed
asked the Communications Commits.
sion to assist it in getting all tn,
kilograms that had passed through
Washington. To this request Of thu
Senate committee the commission as
sented. I quote the decision Of tht
Federal Court: "The commission b!
O formal resolution detailed o mem
Der OF its staf to work with the ex'
aminer Of the Senate committee II
an examination Of the messages ant
records In the of1ces Of telegraph
companies" The agent Of the Com
munications Commission made copie'
Of or notes concerning thousands o
telegrams -" and turned the sam.
over to the Senate committee"
Hearst Telegrams -