Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-01-17

Miss i thompson are NOT Hee
soriiy those OF The Detroit
Times.)
THE protection Of the demo-
i cratic process demands more
than allegiance 10 its outer forms
n demands the strictest loyalty 10
It's inner purposes. lest we re
double our zeal as we lose sight oil
our aims.
Indications Of degeneration are
there when the forms and habits
fail to fulfill the function for
which they were designed; when,
for instance, the law, through Its
infinite complications and PECAN
tries becomes an instrument for
covering rather than publishing
crime; or free speech becomes dis
torted into a weapon of blachmail
and intimidation or free assembly
becomes a means OF organizing
open conspiracies against the
structure and purpose OF the state.
TVfIS holds, also. for the proc
l. esses of government itself.
All over the world. the party sys-
TEN, which grew up as one in
strument OF democracy. has been
carried to such lengths of par
tisanship that il has contributed
TO the wrecking of democracy.
That was true in Germany
under the republic. That was true
in Italy before fascism; that was
true in France, and was a factor
contributing TO her collapse.
President Washington was so
afraid of il, that he hoped never
10 see a party system emerge In
our democracy. He was particu-
larly afraid of it during times of
international disturban and
crisis, such as that of his second
administration, and the famous
Farewell Address is almos
wholly devoted to dangers to a
republic arising from the disease
of faction.
The first instinct. therefore, OF
a threatened republic-if the in
stincts have remained sounds
to abandon party strife in time
of emergency and create govern
ments of national concentration
with unified command.
The American Constitution has
excited the admiration of scholars
for a century because of the ex-
ceptional strength that 1t gives to
the executive in dealing with for
eign affairs and emergency situa-
tions-which makes him, for in
stance, the commander-in-chief OF
the army and navy, and which Sc
cures his Office for a fixed tenure
of years against the moods and
changes of the legislative body
and against the inevitable fac
tionalism of that body.
1t is this feature of the Consti-
tuition as much as any that has
enabled us time and again in our
history to achieve necessary con-
centration of authority without
violating or circumventing the
Constitution and which has as
sured US a more perfect continuity
of historical development than
that of any other republic except,
perhaps, the Swiss.
A ND again, in all the minor
"A functions of government.
clear concept of purposes is a
guide against pitfalls.
This holds for legislative hear.
ings. The purpose of holding hear
ings is to afford a means whereby
the members of Congress may re-
ceive facts and information which
will help them TO frame intelli-
gent legislation.
The Congressional hearing has
become in our days an instrument
whereby interested groups are
afforded a rostrum from which TO
make partisan speeches and a
means of pillorying and intimidat-
ing groups and persons whose
public prosecution without the
benefit of counsel, and with the
exclusion of all the rules of evil
dence-is means Of furnishing
the public with a confirmation of
current prejudices.
THESE thoughts are induced by
l. the hearings on the lend-lease
bill now in progress. Certainly the
Congress is justified in giving this