Evening star., 1948-12-05
|Bricker Urges Study
Ito See Whether u. ).
Heads 10 Dictatorship
by the Asseeiotsd Press

Heads 10 Dictatorship p
by the Asseeiotsd Press
DETROIT, Dec. "A commission
to find out whether the United
States is rushing toward Dictator
ship was suggested today by Senator
Bricker. Republican, Of Ohio.
Speaking at the final session of
the General Assembly Of the State.
Senator Bricker expressed concern
that the Federal system was being
abandoned and with it individual
freedoms.
After the Senator made his pro-
posal, the assembly adopted q series
Of resolutions aimed at expanding
State government functions.
Federal System Debated.
Senator Bricker's suggestion was
made during a four-man panel dis
cussion of the Federal system at
the meeting Of state ofdcials.
The Ohioan declared:
Maybe State governments are an
expensive, archaic manifestation OF
q bygone day and should be dis
solved. Heaven forbid such q rec
ommendation. But II they are let's
find 1t out and stop paying lip
service to the Federal system"
The proposed commission, pat
termed after the Hoover group now
studying the executive branch,
would study the division of powers
between levels of government. It
also would determine appropriate
fields of taxation.
The Senator said the commission
should be composed Of represent
atives from the three branches of
Federal Government, from the State
governments and from the people
Lane Is Speaker.
Gov. Lane of Maryland said "a
tide, yelling up from the people,
demanding better living conditions,
has swept away forever many of
the narrow limitations of govern
ment conceived by the founding
fathers"
It was the opinion of Roscoe
Drummond of the Christian Science
Monitor that the old type of Fed
eral system was finished. 1t had
no more chance of returning than
had IAN apple pie of being put back
on the apple tree" he said.
Prof. John Gaus of Harvard ex-
pressed belief that the Federal sys-
tenn was simply growing more COM
plex. He said it had developed into
a three-part system, with the in
clusion of municipal governments.
Gov. Lane said that an awaken
ing social consciousness" in the
States has brought a new interest
in State governments.
States Are Criticized.
Despite the growth of centraliza-
ton, he said, "the fact that we have
been and are maintaining the Fed
eral system is obvious"
Gov. Lane declared that he and
other States Rights advocates
realized that. the States had not
kept UP with the desires Of the peo-
pie, and therefore national power
had expanded.
Fundamentally, the people, be-
lieve in the old principles of States
rights and local self government" !"
he said. But they also believe in
having for themselves a reasonable
share of the Nations prosperity anI
a fair chance for themselves and
their children to live under decent
conditions"
They have turned to the Federal
Government for these things, Gov.
Lane pointed out. He said in many
cases the people were willing to set
aside the old principles to achieve
social betterment.
Interstate Projects Cited.
AS proof that States are now as
Stunning more responsibility. the
Governor cited number Of move
ments for exchange Of information
and carrying out of interstate prof.
ects.
He said the Conference Of Gov
ernors, of which he Is chairman, Is
one Of the most important examples
of collective State action.
Nevertheless, Gov. Lane said. Fed
eral appropriations for public well
fare, public education, public hous-
ing and conservation. labeled as
grants-in-aid, we're increasing "at
an alarming rate"
The Governor called for balance
between States and Nation. giving
scope for the development and func-
tioning of each.
The United States is a creature
of the Constitution" he said. "and
cannot be the United States of
America except as an indestructible
union of indestructible States"