Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-10-20
CONTINUED From Fourth Page)

surance laws for the protection OF
insurance companies and the protec-
ton of policy holders. A certain small
group of men attacked the problem.
And after months OF arduous toll cit
NAV have seemed awfully long at the
t;me) they worked out program OF
legislative reform. That law is still
in effect with only slight modinca,;
lions. The same basic law has been
adopted by many other States.
Twenty-Five years later our country
was struck by the greatest depression
in the memory of living man. Those
insurance companies, incorporated IN
States which had drafted similar
laws. represented the one investment
of the average man that stood up.
Hughes Recommendations
Stood Test u Time and Stress.
There is one man in the United
States to whom we can be thankful
as much as to any one else for this
great piece of social legislation that
stood the test of a generation, and
that man is Mr.. Charles Evans Hughes,
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
of the United States. 1t was Chief
Justice Hughes, heading an invesu-
CATION. who made recommendations
from which our sound insurance policy
was built.
But there is another tradition In
which our constitutional form OF
Government which holds that when
a man is to be appointed to an I'M
portant, reflective Office he shall be
submitted to the scrutiny and white
light of public hearings. The spirit
of our Constitution, like our marriage
ceremony, states Il. t if any one has
reason to show why man should not
be appointed to public ONCE, let
him come forwa. and speak. l am
referring to Justice Hugo Black.
l think it is fitting to refer to this
because it is another case in which
constitutional procedure was ignored.
There was a demand for public hear
ing. not only on the part OF private
citizens. but by United States Senators.
But the administration all It's
mighty power TO prevent such public
hearings-to prevent the operation OF
our constitutional methods of govern
mcnt.
Now. regardless Of what side you
take in this case, l believe every one
agrees that if the Constitution had
been followed, all of the information
concerning Mr.. Black would have
been presented to t. American public
before MIR. Black was confirmed. This
is one Of the important incidents to
which / referred. L think it illus
trates graphically that the Consti-
tuition does work when you give 1t
chance TO work.
Impulsiye Quarter Backing
May l. America Into War.
And now l come to the second point
of tremendous Importance to our
country. the second point which I said
I wanted to discuss with you this
evening. / have pointed out the lag
in social Progress which has been
caused by failure to follow the spirit
of our Constitution. These mistakes
have been costly. They have set us
back repeatedly, but they can be
corrected.
Now. however, we are faced with
situation where he may make mistake
that would ICED be tragic, that
might lead to war. The Presidents
impulsive quarter backing, his readl-
ness to assume the responsibility of
one-man government in international
affairs, is far more dan: -rous than
the same tendencies in dealing with
domestic matters.
Rightly, q may ask the question
the world is asking: How far does he
intend to 60?
In a recent declaration OF his inter-
national policy, Mr.. Roosevelt said
that If the rest Of the world is at
war, quote, Let no one imagine
America can escape peacefully"
He spoke OF guarantees, which
mean either economic sanctions or
blockade. Our experience with Italy
has proven the inef1ectiveness Of eco
nomic sanctions. and blockade means
war. The statement that America
cannot escape peacefully when the
rest OF the world IS at war sounds
>just like what we were told in 1917.
BY the time the special session OF
Congress convenes it u TO be hoped
the President will have thought out
what he proposes 10 do. Close observ-
ers have increasing doubts ii he
thought his recent declaration through
to its logical conclusion. Moreover,