Evening star., 1943-04-06

sage a passage M
that is worth David Lawrence.
reading again:
Il have referred to the legislative
history only because of some of the
criticisms Of my action. 1 know
that some members of Congress
differ with my Interpretation of
the law. I credit them with sim
cerity. I ask that they credit me
with equal sincerity"
If that brief bit of common sense
doctrine could be taken to heart
by controversialists, the criticisms
and differences Of opinion which
are such necessary part of the
workings of democracy would be
far more effective in getting the
end result-constructiv change
than Is the case today.
The tendency to attribute mo-
tive to one who disagrees, the incli-
nation to meet criticism constantly
by asking what is the motive of the
crltic-these are the most disheart-
ening aspects of present-day Gov
ernment. Too many people in posts
OF responsibility think of Govern
ment as personal instead of an
impersonal matter. They look on
criticisms as aimed at them per-
sonally instead Of at the functions
and acts of Government done in
the name of the people.
Merit Should be Weighed.
The important question always is:
What is the the merit or demerit
of the criticism-and not who makes
the criticism.
The President is in the midst of
crisis. He is attempting to ward
off the imitation spiral. He has
been advised that there are those
in Congress who think he misin-
terpreted his powers under the law
OF last october. He cites the his
tory to show that his advisers were
as much entitled to their interpre-
tation as were his opponents.
But the important advance is that
Mr.. Roosevelt does not accuse his
opponents of wrong motives. He
credits them with sincerity "A
course that is bound to erase much
OF the bitterness that has sur
rounded this particular controversy.
In which members of the Democratic
party have split with the White
House
There is altogether too much bit
terness and recrimination in WASH
ington. The ambition for power
and place can be commendahle, but
1t also can breed an intolerance
and an Indifference to the COM
plants of the people. Too many
bureaus seek more power than they
possess and too many officials seek
more authority than they are capa-
BILE OF exercising effectively.
But these excrescences would not
do much damage to the public in
terest and they could be confined
to a narrow area of injury were
1t not for the tendency every now
and then on the part of public Off
clals to hide mistakes. The theory
that mistakes must not be con-
ceded or error acknowledged is deep
seated in the political mind. 1t
would be refreshing If the trend
could be reversed-if as fast as mis-
takes are made there were a whole
hearted readiness to amend or elm
mate the action taken. But, un-
fortunately, this doesn't happen
often and those who are the victims
OF 1nJustlces carry away from Wash
ington deep-seated antagonisms
that sometimes amount to actual
hatreds.
Broad Perspective Needed.
In days like these, when govern
mental action can be harsh. espe-
cially as regulatory measures affect
the economic life of individuals and
businesses and groups, the necessity
for a broad perspective is even more
apparent. Hence, if the controversi-
alists could start at least by credit
Ing the other fellow with sincerity,
much light and less heat could be
generated.
This is particularly true of the
many persons who write letters to
the National Capital. Letters that
start out by questioning motives or
by accusing the recipients of insin-
certify do not as a rule command
replies, but go into waste baskets.
Officials in all branches of the Gov
ernment find it hard to carry on
correspondence with persons who
do not at least credit them with
sincerity This goes. too, incident
ally. for the many persons who write
to the press.
Debate is the healthiest instru-
ment yet devised to make democracy
work, but debate that Is personal
loses It's value. The tone of all
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