Evening star., 1938-08-26
AN OLD STORY.
A Comment on Roosevelt's
Intervention in Maryland
Senate Primary.
From the Baltimore Sun.

1t Is considerably more than q century
since Thomas Jefferson wrote:
What an augmentation Of the field
for jobbine, speculating, plundering,
ofiice building and Office hunting would
be produced by an assumption of all
the State powers into the hands OF the
general government"
JEFFERSON did not originate the thought
that grave dangers lie in the increase
OF the powers Of q central government
at the expense Of local governments, or
private business, or individuals, or all
OF them. He only stated the case for
preservation of the rights OF the indi-
vidual, of private business and OF local
government with clarity and power such
as few men ever have brought to bear.
In his time, the latter part of the
eighteenth century and the early part
OF the nineteenth. arguments that he
made with great force and effect were
on the lips of many lesser men. For
In that time men in many lands had
lived face to face with the evils of cor
ruption and coercion that proceed from
central governments which have power
to destroy the individual, to destroy
private enterprise, to destroy local gov
ernment. The struggle in the new
country for freedom from corruption
and from open or covert coercion was
but part. though an inspiring part, OF
struggle that was then developing in
all the civilized world.
1t may seem far cry from the massive
events OF Jefferson's day to such local
events of our day as the purge OF certain
Federal ONCE holders in Maryland and
the terrorism for other Federal office
holders that is embodied in this purge.
Actually, the thing that is happening
under our eyes is a part OF the ancient
pattern that caused men to rise in many
lands a century and half ago and to
risk all in revolt. What we see before
our eyes is central government of the
United States which has taken into its
hands many powers and rights that
historically have belonged to the individ-
ual or to private enterprise or to local
government. What we see before our
very eyes is central government which
thus is magnifled, in its authority and
IN its command Of public resources. be.
yond the Nightmares Of our fathers.
What We see before our very eyes is q
central government-that is, the men
in control of the central government
which is prepared to use with complete
brutality the vast resources at its COM
mand to break men who dare challenge
1t. 1t is the oldest story Of history.
OF course, 1t is all done in the name
OF God and humanity. That, too, is part
OF the ancient pattern. Few of the
despotic rulers of the past were wise
enough or bold enough to tell themselves
the truth about themselves. Men must
justify themselves morally. The old
despots proclaimed to themselves and
to others the lofty purity of their aims,
So do the despots of Europe and Asia
In our day. The gentlemen in Washing
ton are identical in method. Mr.. Roose-
velt, IN supreme command OF all the
resources in Jobs and public funds that
are supplied by the taxpayers Of the
land, is confident that he serves God
and humanity when he uses these re-
sources to crush men Of independent
minds who dare disobey him. He truly
believes that he serves God and human
ity. 1t is not difficult for men so to con-
vince themselves. Mr.. Hopkins, in direct
charge OF relief funds, can convince
himself that he serves God and humanity
when he becomes part OF a board OF
strategic purges. So can Mr.. Ickes, in
command Of construction funds. So,
doubtless, could Mr.. Wallace, in COM
mand Of the numerous agricultural sub
sides.
In Maryland, in Georgia and, Of
course, wherever else the authority Of
those who rule the central government
is challenged, the political terror is in
effect. A head is Topped OF here:
head is Topped OH there. Men in ofice,
with families to support, shudder and
obey. For decades, plain, simple, decent
men and women fought Croker and his
ilk in New York, Rasin and his ilk in
Baltimore, and such bosses in a thou
sand American communities. Today, in
the name OF God and humanity, vastly
Augmented central government Of ideal
lists" brutally employs Croker's methods
Of political terrorism to the end that it's
will may be unchallenged. We have not
reached the point where it may be said
that Jefferson's prediction Of plunder-
ing has been realized. We have definitely
reached that augmentation" of Office
hunting and Office building which he
foresaw and all the coercion and de-
struction Of human rights that is in
volved. The wise and discerning will
recall that the fathers did not fight
against giving overriding authority to
men Of evil intentions. They fought
against giving overriding authority to
any men.
That is the fight that is being made
today. 1t is being made, with deep pas
sion on both sides, even though the issue
is not formally joined. Mr. Roosevelt,
avowing his humanitarian purposes, does
not formally ask that the constitutional
guarantees against despotic government
be abolished. On the contrary, he ap-
pears before the world as the champion
of democracy and of constitutional gov
ernment, and it may be taken for
granted that he is entirely sincere in his
thinking. He would preserve the consti-
tutional forms. All that Mr.. Roosevelt
seeks to do is to break the back of any
Senator who dares exercise his constitu-
tional rights in disagreement with Mr..
Roosevelt. All that Mr.. Roosevelt seeks
to do, through his minions, is to drive
from their livelihoods unsupported OFF,
cials who dare refuse to help him break