The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-03-14
POLITICAL TYRANTS


The more Senator Black of the Senate lobby
committee Eliminates the clearer it becomes thaA
he is doing the Administration great disserViee
Broadly speaking the opposition to the Roose-
Welt Administration seeks to have the. country
believe that the New Deal has undermined con-
stitutional government and been responsible Tor
what thu New York Herald Tribune calls the
inroads of tyranny .".-."'' '.'
When Senator Black. calls upon the Western
Union Telegraph Company to furnish him with
telegram sent by William Randolph Hearst con-
tanning instruction to one of Hearst's editorial
writers he furnishes the opposition with the very
kind of ammunition it is seeking. .1...-
Is it to be said that because Mr.. Hearst is
fighting the Administration he is not to be allow
ed the privilege of using the facilities OF a COM
mon carrier like the Western Union without haN'
ing confidential communication to one OF ms
EMPLOYEES seized by Congressional committee
and made public? That, of course, is what Mr.
Hearst will say He will probably say also that if
Senate Committee can seize his kilograms TO-DAY
it may seize his mail tomorrow.
Congressional committees should have large
powers. They are able through the exercise OF
such powers to serve the nation usetuHy at
times-and have done SO. But the IMPRESSION
is being made upon the country now 'tnat Ino
Black committee is abusing its powers ana the
danger is that Instances such as that noted IN
this article will support this impression with re-
suits that may well be unfortunate. -.
The Times-NewS quotes the foregoing
from an enthusiastic newspaper supporter
of the present national administrator
merely as an indication of the extent to
which the political tyrants who have seiz-
ed control of the federal government are
going in their efforts to retain that contfol
and to Hitlerize the country. This crlti-
cism of the valorous Senator Black of Ala
bama and his Senate lobby investigating
committee is mild, but it is to the point and
indicates the trend in Washington.
Blacks committee is pulling some or the
most high-handed and dangerous proceed
ings, under the guise of a Senatorial inVes-
tigation, ever known outside of Germany
Russia Or some other country where dlcta'
tors and despots hold absolute sway. -
With government strangle-hold on. the
telegraph companies, similar to the con- CON
troll exercised over radio, the alleged III
vestigating committee has been engaged III
an effort to compel the Western Union
company to deliver copies of private tele,
grams sent to a firm of lawyers In Detroit
and now the mighty Black calls upon tne
telegraph company to supply his commit
tee with a telegram sent by William han'
dolph Hearst to one of his editorial exeeu
ties and containing instructions ABOUT tne
operation of Hearst's private business.
If the political tyrants In Nashingtol
can go as far as Black and has commlttee
are going and get away with it, how long
will it be, as The Citizen suggests, unti
they will be using the POstoftlce Depart
ment to seize the mail of their pollt'cai OPP
ponentS in their efforts to retain contto
of the government?
The country will do well to keep close
watch on the antics of the gentleman iron
Alabama and his and other investigating
committees of the Congress. Biack ana iiiS
committee are being curbed at present by
the restraining order of a high court II
their efforts to seize the private kilograms
of Attorney Silas Strawn and his assoei
ates, but this country has undoaoteol!
reached the stage when men Of the type o.
Senator Black, who are of the same typt
as the European dictators,, are plunglng re
lentlessly ahead with their plans to Hit
lerize the United States. ....