The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-11-17
An Outspoken
Governor

In the thick of these trying days of bewilder-
ment and confusion, Americans still crave
for courage and candor in their leaders, Their
respect goes to him, whether he be Presi-
dent Governor, Senator, or merely a candi-
date who possesses these qualities.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer has unearthed
such mana Governor who is among those
mentioned prominently as a 1914 Presidential
possibility" What he has to say about 1.-THE
trend of affairs in Washington, remarks the
Cleveland paper, may seem old-fashioned,
and off the throb to some of our New Deal
friends, but seems to us to represent sound
American thinking
We believe most of our readers, including
many of both political parties, will agree with
the Plain Dealers opinion. That paper quotes
from radio address by the Governor as
we'll as from an inaugural address which, it
thinks, has received too little national at
tention.
From the inaugural address this quotation
we believe. is timely and should be helpful:
There is present dangerous tendency to
forget fundamental of American democracy
the tendency to encourage cons olidaton of
power at the top of governmental structure
alien to our system and more closely akin to
a dictatorship or the central committee of a
Communist regime. We have met difficulties
before this and have solved them in accord
ance with the basic theories of representa-
tive democracy. Let us not at this time pur-
sue the easy road Of GENERALIZATION of author
ity, lest some day We discover too late that
our liberties have Disappeared
And from the radio address these straight
forward remarks are likewise pertinent:
1T was clear to the trainers of our Con-
stltutlon that any administration attempt
ing to make all laws for the whole nation
would inevitably result at some future time
in dissolution of the Union itself
The doctrine of regulation and legislation
by master minds has been too glarngly ap-
parent in Washington during these last 10
years. To bring about government by oil
garchy masquerading as democracy it is fun
damentally essential that practically all au-
thority and control be centralized in our Ma
tional Government
This, it must be admitted is biting pretty
hard. Some may feel justified in complaining
against hitting beneath the belt, when there
is talk of dictatorship, of a Communist re-
gime of an oligarchy masqueraojng de-
mocracy. 1t might, indeed, be proper to plead
that greater restraint be exercised in speaking
of President of the United States-that there
is limit beyond which partisanship should
not go. 1t could well be charged that a per-
sonal animus against President Roosevelt is
clearly revealed in this Governors ruthless
attack.
Fortunately the partisan charge may be dis
missed, For it was not Governor Bricker, of
Ohio, or Governor Dewey, of New York, or
Governor GrisWold. of Nebraska, who spoke
the quoted words. 1t was not any Republican
Governor.
The words are those of Democratic Gov
ernor. And while Mr.. Roosevelt has a good
many enemies in his own party, both personal
and factional, this Governor we believe, could
not be represented as an enemy of our Presi-
dent. He is rather a friend, who uniformly
has given Franklin Roosevelt his hearty and
unquestioning support.
For, as the Plain Dealer discloses these
remarks were made by Franklin d. Roose-
welt when he was Governor OF New York
and Herbert Hoover was in the White House"
That fact, however, has little bearing on
the case For the important thing is not who
said it but is it true?
Is there "a dangerous tendency alien
to our system akin to a dictatorship or
a Communist regime -. government by
oligarchy masqueradlng as democracy That
is the cause of the present confusion OF the
home front affecting labor, industry, COM
merce, and agriculture alike, and giving rise
to justifiable fears that we may discover
too late that our liberties have disappeared !?
That question every citizen, including MIR.
Roosevelt, NAV answer for himself. Perhaps
some may saw that the dangerous tendency
so evident in Mr. Hoover's time, deserving
of such unsparing attack mas by now prac-
tically disappeared And that defense, II you
have split lip, would cause you CONSIDER
able pain