Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-03-18
THE REAL ISSUE BEHIND THE
SUPREME COURT CONTRON ERSY

Editor ASkOv American:
President ROOsevelt's proposal in re-
CARDS to the Supreme Court has raised
a storm of speeches and arguments
over the whole country. To my way
of thinking. few of the speakers and
writer's have been able to put the issue
clearly before the people.
We hear on the one side, arguments
like this: Roosevelt wants to pack
the Supreme Court so he can inval-
idate the Constitution and take the
liberty away from the American / co
Pile On the other side we fear ar
gumentS like this: Roosevelt wants
to restore the Constitution to the CO.
pie in the form and with the meaning
ii was originally meant to have by our
fOrefathers.''
The real issue is not the interpre-
tation of the Constitution as this
document was written more than ore
hundred fifty years ago. Let me
make this clear. 1t was at that time
the most remarkable document ever
written championing the rights of the
the money lords
Time has proved. however, that it
did not, or could not cope with chang
ing conditions which could not at that
time possibly have been fOreseen. For
instance, the rapid development under
the machine age, which made possible
a concentration of wealth never before
dreamed of: and raised problems
which have to be solved with greater
speed than our (pardon me, if this is
treason. make the most of it) horse
and buggy" Cons titutiOn provides for
The money lords of today see in
this slow working legislative machine
the most effective protection for their
interests in upholding their pl operty
rights against human rights, and take
advantage of it to the fullest extent
| do not know if they themselves be-
lieve they can hang on to their alb
normal share of wealth and increase
it forever, in spite of the awakening
of the masses to the fact that they are
not, and cannot be. beneficiaries I'M
der the society which they themselves
are supposed to uphold morally, and
which they actually uphold materi-
ally.
1t seems clear to me that a democ-
racy which failed to protect the eco
nOmic interest of the masses to the
extent that majority lost all its
equity in it, would cease to be a de-
mocracy. This is fast happening in
our democracy.
| do believe that Roosevelt's pro-
pOsal. if passed, will speed up our ma
chinery of legislation to make it pos
sible for us, the majority. to force
enactment of laws which will be of
benefit to the masses and which will
be able to cope with problems arising
out of fast changing social conditions.
| further believe that if the legisla-
tive channels stay blocked for any
length of time, the pressure will blow
the lid off in an explosion the like of
which has never been experienced be-
fore.
Roosevelt has shown that he will
yield to pressure from the majority.
| recommend that you send letters to
senators and congressman so that they
may know the sentiment. Make the
pressure felt in accordance with the
mandate of November 3, and tell them
that the issue is not the Constitution
or sacredness of mOldy traditions,
but rather;-shall we be liable for
prosecution if we ignore the sign
Keep Off the Grass" when tie house
| is on fire?
| LARS p. JENSEN.
Askov, Mimi.