Evening star., 1937-05-15
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

La 0NATAASAA Lin fNINs
w YHAT Is going on since Presi-
dent Roosevelt returned to
wv Washington Is the fixing
OF new boundary line be-
tween the President and Congress,
between their respective powers. The
boundary between the two always
luctuates. Is the present reflxing
merely like others that have often
happened? Or is 1t something new
and portentous?
The present refixing might not seem
novel, but for the attending condi-
tions. For four years Congress has been
surrendering more and more power
to the President. Recently the Presi-
dent has asked for still more, vastly
more. He has made the request for
mally, in the shape of his plan for
executive reorganization, which he
sent to Congress January II. This
plan has been lost sight of in the con-
centration of interest on. Mr.. Roose-
velt's other reorganization plan, the
court one, which he sent to Congress
little later.
A few days after Mr.. Roosevelt sent
his executive reorganization plan to
Congress there appeared in the New
York Times dispatch from Germany
1t dealt with Mr.. Roosevelt's plan and
with the German equivalent OF our
Congress. the Reichstag. 1t began:
Berlin, January 15-The German
press and radio are giving surpris-
ing amount Of attention to President
Roosevelt's proposal for administra-
tive reorganization. Such interest in
American affairs is unusual, but may
be attributed to preparations now
being made here for changes in the
Reich government. The most
influential and the largest number OF
Chancellor Hitler's advisers propose
that the Reichstag be abolished a.
unnecessary. 1t Is probable it may
vote itself out Of existence or be dis
missed forever. ="
Expected 10 Disappear.
What has been done about the
German Reichstag since that dis
patch? 1 have not followed. Nearly
every well-informed observer, think,
expects that sooner or later the Ger
man Reichstag will disappear. It
began to abdicate five years ago
when Hitler came to power and took
over many Reichstag functions. The
German Reichstag will disappear as
did the Italian Parliament, and for
the same reason. The Italian Parlia-
ment, like the German Reichstag, be-
gan by relinquishing its power and
functions gradually to Mussolini After
10 years Of that it voted itself out
OF existence at Mussolini's command
In the authoritarian form of society
and government = Parliament or
Reichstag (that is, Congress) ha,
no place. The new form is persona.
government, one-man government
Now what justification is there fol
asking the American Congress to
take notice Of what is happening tc
the German Reichstag? That Ger
mans think there is a relation be.
tween the two Is evident from thf
dispatch I have quoted.
There Is plenty Of American au.
thority which thinks that what Il
happening about the German Reichs-
tag may happen about the American
Congress. But it consists mainly o.
scholars. These scholars either ar.
not heard by the American people OF
If they are heard they are not be.
lieved. What they say strikes the
average man as too fantastic for belief
Congress disappear? That's the
bunk!"
What We need is authority that vii
convince the American people. Per.
haps it is not possible for any one tc
convince the people of their peri
until the peril has become actuality
I once followed conversation be.
tween an American statesman and s
German one. 1t was in 1882. jus,
when Hitler was overthrowing the
German democracy. The American
asked the German, why don't you
warn the people2" The German re.
piled, "A democracy can never Sc.
this kind OF disaster until it Is ovel
the brink" This profound and dis.
turbing truth is recognized by Dor
othy Thompson: "No people ever rec
ognize their dictator in advance"
Now just what is this peril? Wha
is it we would make Americans see
If we could?