Smyrna times., 1938-04-28
Can the United States Become a
Dictatorship?


Dictatorship?
The United States is and always
shall be a democratic nation. But,
everybody cannot be its leader.
Some people think that everyone
should take part in the govern
ment of the United States. That
is true. But that does not mean
that everybody should rule. In q
true democratic government there
is cooperation. The people should
cooperate, each giving his own
opinion which is subject to APPROX
al, disapproval or alteration by the
others. Some people try to exceed
these bounds by influencing others,
financially, morally, or despotical-
ly In true democracy everybody
does things for the benefit of 9th
ers as well as himself.
Many of the present United
States Presidents former support
ers now oppose his actions and all
his reorganization bills because
they claim that the president is
getting too much power and is try
ing to, or will be eventually, die
tator. This is impossible. No
United States president can be-
come a dictator by merely trying
to pass bills giving, what most
think, the executive officer more
power in the United States govern
ment.
If the people do not want a man
to be president any longer they
will not vote for him. No matter
how much power that man has
while he is in Office, he loses it
when he loses the election. If,
while in Office, the president exer-
cises dictatorial powers and harms
the nation, he may be impeached
and put out Of Office. A man
would be forced to have a very
large army to execute a coup de
'etat in such a large nation as the
United States. There is too much
territory to control with anything
like an ordinary army. The Euro
pean dictators seized the govern
ment with the support of their
armies. But the Europeans in
those nations have always been
oppressed. They live in a small
territory. They have been recent
ly engaged in home wars. They
do not have the feeling and desire
for liberty that the Americans
possess. Besides, it does not re-
quire a large armed force to ex-
ercise military control over any Of
the nations that have become die
tatorships. The Europeans did not
have a government that suited
them and their positions so they
looked up to the man who seemed
IA forceful and adequate ruler. The
people of the Old World do not
trust each other as the people OF
the New World do. They strive
for superior military defence. To
be a military nation the people
must submit to military discipling
and leadership that can only be
provided by dictator. Democracy
has failed in most Of the Old
World.
The Americans are peace loving
people. They have a high stand
ard Of living and are used to more
iuxuries than the Europeans. Be-
cause Of this the people cannot be
easily dragged into conflict against
their government under which they
are living comfortably. The Euro
peans are always trying something
new in the government line" AT
the present the newest government
lis the dictatorship.
Freedom of speech is another
factor that will preserve democ-
racy in America. Anything that
IS true may be talked about in
pubic. In European countries
the International uneasiness and
tenison makes it necessary to cen
sor speech and other mediums OF
expression so that one remark may
not touch off the hostilities and
thus start war.
Ito be continued)
James Diacumakos