Browning chief., 1949-03-18

PAIIEkSON A'e Will ouSh iiiSh
running it" she said.
In the senate one senator was
making a speech. There were not
more than a dozen senators in the
chamber and none of them was
paying any attention to the speak
er. Some were reading newspapers.
Others in small groups were talk
ing among themselves. There was
no decorum, no dignity. no interest.
"In the house of representatives. it
was different, but more discour-
aging. There it was rabble. Every
one was talking and interrupting
every other one. It was senseless.
had expected to see two great de-
Lucrative bodies, the membership
of which represented the brains of
our nation; to be thrilled and en-
thused by their deliberations. I was
not. I was only discouraged by
rabble."
The lady had built up wrong
conception. She had envisioned
gathering of supermen who
would deliberate with great and
austere dignity; whose every
word would represent wisdom
and statemanship ability.
But if we did have such men,
bership of both the senate and
house, they would not represent
government "of, for and by the
people," What she had seen has in
the past, represented America and
that for which America stands-and
always will In the membership of
the two houses of congress are to
be found the types we have in every
community. They are typical of the
people they represent. AS it has
been in the past, is now, and will be
in the future, there are to be found
a limited few of outstanding ability
in each congress, but the vast ma
jority are the types that are our
real Americans.
Congress is, as it should be,
but a national town meeting. 1t
has been that since the begin
ming of the federal government.
1t is that now, and let us hope
it continues to be national
town meeting. As long as it is
that, ours will be a government
"of, for and by the people,"
AS she looked at the indifference
displayed in the senate and the pam
demonium in the house, Mrs. Pat
terson did not realize that the real
of LoI;ae &c l0rn hnhinl
committee room doors. That in
those committees careful considera-
ton is given each piece of proposed
legislation. All too frequently that
consideration is based, not always
on the best interests of a majority
of the people, but often on partisan
advantage, on the number of votes
it will attract for party candidates
at the next election.
That is a flaw created by self
ish political interests inherent
in our two-party system. 1t
does not spring from any defect
in the federal constitution. With
all of that. government "Of, for
and by the people," as repre-
sented by congress, is far supe-
rior to the rule of an army of
bureaucrats. directed by die
tatOr.
They may not be able statesmen;
they may not be men of exceptional
ability; but as long as we have the
Joe Doaks, the Bill Smiths. the
lack Rrowns and the Mary Lees
representing us at Washington, we
will continue to have government
"of, for and by the people," They
are the average Americans.
Bruce Barton conducted an ad-
vertising agency before his election
to congress and is again back on
his old job after four years in the
limelight. He was, and is, repre-
sentative American. He is typical.
1t began as the Marshall plan,
then it became ERP, to which has
been added ECA, OEE, OUSSP,
PAB, ACFMP and MACIMFP. What
they all mean do not know, except
that they are parts of the Marshall
plan operations, resulting in COM
plications in America and confusion
in Europe. They also add many hun
dreds to our government payrolls
plus travel and living expenses in
Europe.
Stain makes a bid for time; not
for peace.