Evening star., 1947-02-10
Busic Americunism
Seen Cool Of House

SCCti 0O0t VI tbONSS
Tenure Vote Shows Democrats
From South Back COP
By David Laurence
There are public questions that cut
deeper than political party lines nova
days and 1t appears there is now two
thirds majority in the House Of Rep
resentatives In favor Of fundamental
Americanism.
The test came on the proposal to sub
NIT to the people q constitutional
amendment to limit presidential tenure
to two terms. When 1t is considered
that Al Democrats voted with the solid
Republican membership Of the House
to make total Of more than the neces-
sary two-thirds. it Is clear that New
Dealism is definitely on the wane.
The issue presented could have been
regarded as partisan-in fact, III
Democrats who voted against 1t prob
ably considered 1t so-but the fact that
At Democrats were not swayed BY the
New Deal type Of argument is o hopeful
augury OF the 1uture.
The Republicans have been having
their troubles getting organized and 1t
has been suggested in many quarters,
where the wish Is father to the
thought, that the Republicans are
splitting apart. Nevertheless not q
single Republican vote was cast against
the proposed amendment TO the Corsti-
tuition. Much more important, however.
is the evidence that q substantial
number Of Democrats will Join the
Republicans on important issues to
make the two-thirds vote necessary to
override a veto whenever a f,lnda-
mental issue Of Americanism il at
stake.
Many of these Democrats come from
the South, where the fires Of the Wash
ington and Jefferson tradition still burn
brightly. These Democrats will be found
voting with their Republican brethren
from the North on issues involving
fundamentals.
Northern Democrats Scared.
Such issues will arise when the big
challenge on monopoly comes. For the
Northern Democrats have to q large
extent become the party Of special
privilege and monopoly. The anxiety
Of certain Northern Democrats to pro-
tect the CLOSED shop" monopoly and
the effort being made to allow the Wag-
ner Act to 60 tnrevised, so that the
labor vote can be maintained by those
Northern Democrats in the large cities
are reminiscent of the. alliances that
the reactionary Republicans used to
make with business and financial in
sterests to maintain special privileges
on the traiff in exchange for campaign
aid.
1t Is the Republican Party which now
has the chance to earn the plaudits of
the vast number Of Americans who want
fair deal instead Of the New Deal, and
who want the executive, legislative and
judicial branches Of government kept
free from the collectivist doctrines
which have swept Europe.
Whether presented under the name
Of public ownership or state socialism
or communism or fascism. or at times
under the much abused term liberal
ism," the tendency toward making the
central government the master rather
than the servant of the citizen IL the
same. The trend toward removal from
the Individual Of his right to work and
earn a livelihood has been growing In
the last decade under New Dealisrn.
Worker Must Pay Tribute
Today national unions have system
Of law all their own, and worker who
is trained In q trade cannot get Job
unless he Is willing to pay tribute to
such q union. It Is surprising 10 find
q liberal of former Gov. stasser's
understanding Of free government
speaking words Of tolerance for the
closed shop" monopoly, even on the
expedient ground that its abolition
would add to management fric-
ton.
Sooner or later, the issue Of the
CLOSED shop" has to be faced, because,
if legalized by custom, it means that a
group of private citizens can make the
laws and deprive individuals Of. their
right to work. This is so contrary to
American tradition that, on the CLOSED
shop" issue, 1t may be taken for granted
that q coalition of Republicans and
Democrats will vote against such q
monopolistic practice whenever the op-
portunity arises In test VOTE.
The special privileges which have
been given to national labor unions
transcend by far any that the corpora
tions ever had in the heyday of their
power. The present Republican Con-
gress was elected on mandate Of
liberalism, which means that the people
want no authority set up that can para
lyze their sources Of food distribution
or impair their opportunity to keep
warm in winter just because q small
clique of labor leaders has abused the
right to strike.
This issue may not be settled In
few weeks or months, but the presence
Of a two-thirds vote In the House
against third or fourth term for Presi-
dents is q conspicuous manifestation Of
the resurgence of fundamental Ameri-
canism in Congress. It also Is . vote
against the Machiavellian doctrine that
"the end justifies the means" the
fayorite philosophy ef groups which seek
to perpetuate their political power by
evading the spirit, If not the letter, of
American constitutionalism.
tseproduction Rights ReservedJ
nnI,, H. E:k r~ c..~..:..