The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-03-27
Walter WimCIAeIl
In NezC York
"A nEPoRTER's REPORT TO THE
NATION

"A mEPoRTER's REPORT TO TIN
NATION
InlB - q newspaperman's per-
s0nal Declaration Of Independence
livery citizen Of the United states
u America has the right Of free
speech. Any newspaperman worth
his salt regards Il rs his duty. ]
believe that absolute independence
and absolute integrity mean the
same thing. That means that ]
speak only for myself. But II also
means that no one else has the
airEight 20 speak for me.
mig The Constitution Of the United
states not only provides for the
three great arms Of our government.
The Constitutions heart Is that 1t
limits the powers Of that govern
And its soul (its Bill Of
Rights Is that It protects the clti-
zen who disagrees with the men
who run the very government
.s,At establishes. The history Of lib
erty is the history Of resistance to
certain men who happen to be
y armed with the powers Of govern
IN anent.
'r
~ II was no group Of idle theorists
& who met In 1889 to draw q Con-
stltution. They were the Scared
veterans Of terrible war. And
they were determined to write into
the Law Of the Land with pen and
bank what they had won on hum
tered battlefields with bali and pow
der.
They made grimly sure that they
had done more than establish a
government; because an established
government was the very tyrant
against which they had Just so Bit
terly fought. They left a Constitu-
ton designed not only to protect
the people from their own govern
,stnent: they left Constitution
(which protects that government
from itself.
They gave the greatest powers TO
Congress. The powers over COM
..tierce, the general welfare, and the
treasury. So that Congress could
be fearless, its members were CIV
en- absolute immunity for anything
they might say on the floor Of Con-
gress. And, so that all informa-
Lion may be available to them as
lawmakers, Congress was given the
power Of subpoena.
But the power OF Congress TO
subpoena Is not the right OF an In
!. dividual Congressman to hold court,
j A congressional committe can rem
der no decisions. The only con-
stitutlonal purpose Of congressional
hearings Is for the instruction and
. information Of Congress as o law
making body. They cannot be used
. for the purposes Of an Congress
man.
Year Congressman like yourself
has the American courts. And con-
stitutionally the American courts
alone can administer American JUS
tice. Before these American courts
am charged with absolutely Moth
ingl And no Congressman has yet
elected to challenge me in any open
immunity dong enough so that
I can challenge him there.
/ The founders Of our country did
not stop after creating Congress and
q Supreme Court. They wanted O
nation of free people. Not gov
eminent by political police over
grovelling slaves. And so they armed
every citizen.
Yes, armed him against his gov
eminent with Bill Of Rights!
They gave 1t TO him directly. They
gave It to him absolutely and they
gave 1t to him Independently. An
Americans right TO be man de-
ponds on no branch Of our gov
eminent: Neither does his right TO
earn @ Nving-because the Constitu-
ton also guarantees due process OF
law.
It is often the thankless and
ironical duty OF q conscientious citi-
zen to warn those with whom he
disagrees most OF their rights In O
general principle. A Constitution
which fails to protect all protects
nonel
Conservative and Liberal, Capital
and Labor, Banker and Merchant,
Farmer and City Dweller-all have
the same interest In due process
Under that clause lawmaker has
no more right to sit as Judge and
jury Of his critics than the Presi-
dent Of the United States has the
right to demand the next edition
Of any newspaper which attacks
him.
II any lawmaker thinks he Is
damaged personally he Is guaran-
teed his full day In court. The
American courts are independent
They make no exception against
and they grant no privileges to
either radio commentators or United
States legislators.
As for myself, will gladly APP
pear before any open court or any
Constitutional authority, and I
here and now freely waive oil I'M
munity. I demand only two rights,
those guaranteed TO every Ameri-
can citizen: "a That ! have the
right Of cross-examination and 90
That the public be present.
Far from retracting O single state
ment, I reiterate every one Of them.
Far from apologizing for any action,
Buy NOw-Save Ia
Ill 2OeS On ~
GIFTS AWI.