The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-06-09
NEWSPAPERS OPINIONS
DETECTIVES VS.. METHODS

For over five wears, the new dealers from 'he
President down have been buslly engaged Al
spreading propaganda in support OF their ooJe'
tives. The chief executive himself has stateu ti"'
the people" understand and approve THESE oDJe'
tives and are not particularly concerned ABOUT ''e
methods nsed to attain them.
The weakness of such statements is that thes
are based on pure assumption. because Peop'e'
listening to the president speak, cheer HIM OF 2s-
cause they vote for him or persons seeking TO fide
into office his GOAT tails" it is assumed that
they understand and approve.
TO learn how little the average person knows
about the detectives of the new deal, all one needs
to do is to question any typical group ouch I"
procedure will reveal that various lndlVfduals he
hazy notions of what it is all about put proDapiy
not one will be able definitely to state the oOJec
tves. Some will say that the purposes are u
curb the wealthy" "to distribute wealth. to I'M
prove the condition of the lower one-thlrd, u
take care of the unemployed" ito curb the utli
ties" and so forth.
This illustrates the tendency to confuse the par-
poses of specific measures with the broader oDJec-
tives of the new deal. These, as stated by the
president at various times the promotion OF re-
lief, recovery, reform and social security. vi
course, assuming that they understand them, the
people can be expected to approve these detectives
in general. This does not mean that they neces-
sariy must approve of all the individual measures
taken to carry out the program.
There is a vast difference between the general
detectives and the methods of the deal I'M
doubtedly, the average American understands the
methods less than the detectives. Because
one something commendable in the aVowed
purposes of the new deal, it is not necessary to
close ones eyes to the used to realize these
purposes. The end does not justify the means.
Briefly stated the methods of the new deal have
been similar to those used during the World war
AS in the war period, the federal government has
vastly extended its power by ignoring the reserved
rights of the states. At the request of the presi-
dent much of this centralized power has been dele
gated to him and to administrative agents. Scores
of new agencies have been created, adding almost
300 600 new employees to the federal payroll. FL
naly, great propaganda machine has been OPP
Grated to popularze the program and win votes IN
support of it.
Is it not time for the people to wake up and find
out what is going on? Americans seem to have
forgotten the old adage, Eternal vigilance is the
price of liberty" 1t is not the duty of political
party but of all Americans who appreciate their
heritage to curb the of time methods IN
time of peace.
Every step taken to increase the power Of the
federal government and to enlarge the authority
of the president and of administrative agencies is
step in the direction of what has recently come
to be called the "totalitaran state" The dictators
who have come to dominate the European scene
have invariably gained their positions by stressing
desirable detectives In doing they have so daz-
zled the people that the methods being used have
been ignored This lesson should be taken to heart
by all Amercans.-Erik Mckinley Ericsson, Pro-
lessor of History, University of Southern Cali
fornia.