Evening star., 1937-12-08
INHABITANTS HEAR.
VOTE FIGHT PLEAS|
D. c. Ranked With VoiceIess
Countries at Annual
Banquet.

Warning that the remaining free
peoples" of the earth faced the
''gravest challenge to their liberties
since Napoleon" Frederic William Vile.
political commentator, last night called
on America not only to enfranchise the
heart of its own democracy, the Dis
trict of Columbia, but to 60 to the aid
of other democracies in an effort to
help curb world banditry"
international law has ceased to
function" Mr.. Vile told the Associa-
ton of Oldest Inhabitants at its an
nual banquet at the Raleigh Hotel
'The RUE of the jungle has taken its
place. Autocrats have supplanted
democrats"
1.-THE peril threatening democratic
peoples and institutions is no scare
crow" declared the speaker. Ways
and means to save our brand of civili-
cation must soon be devised, if it is
not to be handed over, lock stock and
barrel, to the lawless forces lately
leagued in Europe and Asia for brig
andage and conquest"
ItCduN " SIlCdSH
In speech bristling with sharp
language, Mr.. Vile charged allen
idealogies" threatened the Western
Hemisphere that economic re-
forms now projected in Congress would
be Of little use IF a free America re-
mains in jeopardy at the hands of
international adventurers who despise
our kind of government, and would
not shrink from trying to wipe it out
If they thought their war machines
powerful enough to make the gamble
worth while"
The voteleSs District of Columbia
was listed by the political commenta-
tor in roster of other countries that
either never had the vote, have had it
taken away from them by dictators, or
cast votes that don't count. He in
cluded Arabia, Morocco. Albania, Aus
tria, Bolivia, Brazil, the Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Greece, Haiti, Iran,
Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, China, Tur-
key, Germany, Italy and Russia.
"Those are Washington's companions
In political misery" he declared They
say that misery loves company. Well,
We don't banker for company of that
kind"
Theodore w. Noyes, editor of The
Star, and president of the Association
Of Oldest Inhabitants, predicted that
forces fighting for Washington would
win their battle for fiscal and political
equity.
CharacteriZing the tax situation
here as ''menacing," Mr. Noyes called
all Washingtonians to stand together
sin common defense of the Capital
community" In the present crisis"
he said this city may rely with CON
f1dence for final protection on its
legislators justice and sympathetic
consideration"
Calls Roll in Fight.
Distinguished civic leaders from
both mems and womens organiza-
tions, guests of the evening, were
introduced by Mr. Noyes in the roll
call of organized forces that fight for
Washington" It was the second time
In the long history of the Association
OF Oldest Inhabitants that women had
been invited. This innovation last wear
had been termed so successful that it
was followed last night. Many were
at the head table and scattered
throughout the hall Mr.. Noyes sat
between Mrs. Henry Grattan Dovle,
president of the Board of Education.
and Mrs. Louis Gutenberg, president
OF the Voteless District of Columbia
League of Women Voters.
In charging that the peril to democ-
racy throughout the world is no
scarecrow," Mr.. Vile declared: at
is real. 1t is here That is whv T
deplore the wave of apparently irwin
clole paciflsm that is sweeping over
our country-the peace-at-any-price,
turn-the-other- cheek spirit that seems
70 nave infected the Nation.
Fears Invincible Rise.
America may think we are in no
danger tonight from the Jesse Jameses
oludgeoning their way over the face
OF the earth. But the realities of
aggression, now remote from these
sheltered shores, may be suddenly
upon us, unless world banditrv is
curbed before its exponents are ire
slstloIe. We are told that what is
happening in China or Spain is none |
OF our busineSs-that we should tend
10 our own knitting. If we don't |
watch out, We will have no knitting tn |
attend to-"
Pointing to President Roosevelt,s
speech at Chicago andtSecretarv Hul1,s
subsequent address at Toronto as eyi-
oence that the administration is
awake to these possibilities" the |
speaker said "its immediate task is tn |
convince the country that an ostrich
pollcy is neither safe nor wise for
the United States"
referring to Brazil where the speaker
SAID "Fascism has at last crossed the
atlantic and set foot on American soil ),
tne speaker quoted the Monroe Doc |
tllne as significant today. There is no
eilmmer OF doubt" he said, that the
un-American systems Monroe had in
mlnd-though they were not known az
Fascist or Communist-now cast their
o'ei lice government IN our
quarter of the globe"
1 have profound conviction that
aggressors are destined to discover
there is limit to Uncle Sans pa
thence. do not believe the United
states will wait, as our isolationists and
neutrality-apostles would have us wait.
until American territory is ravished by
invasion. am confident that long be-
lore such calamity overtakes us, this
proud and powerful people will find
methods OF assuring all whom it may
concern that we shall not stand bv
mute and inglorious, and see the world
60 to He'll"
Publicly accepting service in the
army fighting for political justice for
washington" Mr. Vile declared: "Un-