Evening star., 1938-03-20
DemOcracies Still Lead
DictatOrships
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

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the world against nine principal Dictator
ships. People living under principal de-
mocracles number 1282,OO 900. while
510,000,000 people live under principal
relationships. The remaining world pop
ulation OF 228,o0O,OO live in countries
which are neither frankly democratic nor
f1atly dictatorial, and do not greatly In
fluence world policy.
Peoples living under democracies have
never been much excited or greatly criti-
cal about their neighbors who live under
a dictatorial form Of government. Dur
ing the past decade, however, more than
passing concern has been noticeable
over the worlds three newest dictatorial
governments-Russia, Italy and Ger
many. These three countries have a
combined population of approximately
PSI 600, 900, and it is obvious that when
so great population has been subjected
to the rule of dictators in less than IS
years, the trend is in favor Of dictators
against democracies. This is probably
why more has been spoken and written
about dictators in the past few years than
In former times.
While Russia, Italy and Germany
function under government labeled diff
ferently, they have one common differ
ence from democratic form of govern
ment. Communism in Russia, Fascism
in Italy and Nazism in Germany mean
about the same in point of principle and
application to the individual who lives
under and believes in a democracy 1t
is apparently for this reason that nearly
all discussion about relationships centers
about these three countries with little or
no distinction. The regimentation car
ried on in all three of the newest dicta-
torial countries is so contrary to the
principles and practices of the people of
the United States that people In this
country look with disfavor upon the
trend of world governments changing to
relationships.
Recognized students of governments do
not agree as to the exact causes that
transformed Russia. italy and Germany
into dictatorial countries. Neither can
these students find common technique
by which the three dictatorships seized
power. The common belief is that the
economic breakdown that followed the
World War opened the door of opportu-
nifty that dictatorial minds had been
watching for. 1t does appear to be
fact that the old regime in all three
countries broke down. The process of
collapse was different in each country
but the striking similarity is that all
the regimes went with ease-another
point of alarm to peoples living under
democracies.
The regimes in all three countries had
lost confidence in themselves, and when
faced with a major crisis were unable to
take definite and decisive action. Such
actions being demanded, and in quick
order, the reins of power were seized by
dominant minds. Emergencies give rise
to and open the way for change from
a democratic to dictatorial government.
Germany Russia and Italy became dicta-.
torial governments in periods of despair,
when populations Of these countries were
willing to accept any form of government
that held hope in their hour of distress.
In such times the public good becomes
the entering wedge to justify reduction
OF the masses to regimentation. Propa-
ganda plays no small part in keeping the
spirit OF collectivism alive-it always de-
nies that the dictator rules for his own
pleasure. but only as servant Of the
proletarlat.
In such a state Of affairs laws may be
made null and void at the will of the
dictator, or, if he chooses, he may use
laws to serve his purpose. The national
need is what the dictator thinks it is, and
taxes may be imposed to cover the cost
of any plan for the public good While
no information is available as to tax bur-
dens in Germany. Russia and Italy. 1t is
not denied that the masses are heavily
taxed. and are denied the usual recourses
for relief permitted in democracies.
In Germany emphasis is placed on the
race, as has been publicly declared many
times by Hitler In Russia the prole-
tariat is paramount, while in Italy it is
the nation. Concept of the group may
differ basically, but welfare of the totali-
tartan state Is always placed above the
welfare of the individual. The individ-
ual or corporation has no legal or con-
stitutional protection. Religious freedom,
freedom of speech and redress against
personal wrongs are lost to the will of
the dictator, who works the population
harder than it could be driven under the
parliamentary form of government All
profits under planned economy accrue to
the use of the state. It Is through this
process that capitalism Is destroyed and
the individual becomes subservient to a
national life.
History points to the fact that parlia-
mentary governments, so long as they are
reasonably firm in maintaining order,
and economic conditions favorable, can
easily defeat attempts to establish dicta-
torships. Changing from a dictatorial
form of government to a democratic
form would apparently be more difficult
than the reverse order, since the power
of dictator becomes so strong that fear
overcomes individual expression. The
well known purgeS in the worlds newest
dictatorial governments confirm the fact
that different opinion, either minority
or majority, if against the powers that
rule, cannot make headway.
Under a democratic form of govern
ment people will endure economic condi-
tions to certain point, and then through
their processes of correction bring about
changes. Under dictatorship people
suffer hardships that would be intoler-
able to people living under parlia-
mentary government. Thus distress un-
der dictatorship may go from bad to
worse without concerted action for i'm
provement If dictatorship is backed
by party organization and propaganda,
force may be able to rule indefinitely and
with apparent ease, since the population
at large has surrendered its rights and
centered all authority in the dictator.
Alt.