Evening star., 1949-02-07

wreck, even $5,UUU,UUO Is lot OF cfl1nk tc
spend for sentiment. For me and lot of
little guys who have trouble honestly paying
our Federal income taxes, we shall not be
happy unless the proposed repair bill includes
flying buttresses, rose windows in the tran
septs, and mink-lined balustrades on the
grand staircase.
A REPUBLICAN WHO VOTED FOR THIS
SETUP.
Why Mrs. Surratt Wasn't Spared
To the Editor Of The Star:
In his letter to The Star noting q contrast
between Mrs. surratt and Axis Sally. His
tory" does not tell anything Of the sinister
Vaccinations against justice on the part
OF the then Secretary of War Stanton and
Judge Advocate General Holt. The vote
for the death sentence for Mrs Surratt
resulted in four in favor and five against.
The five recalcitrants admitted her to be
guilty Of entertaining Booth, Payne and
Atzel odt, but that was no crime unless
she was aware of their plans. They held
firmly that there was no evidence of her
being guilty Of conspiracy to murder.
After hot debating and arguments. they
agreed on June 80. 1865. to find her guilty
and to be hanged by the neck until she
was dead. still protesting that there was no
evidence. provided they might recommend
her to the mercy Of President johnson.
Accordingly Col. Bingham wrote the Pc
tition: "The undersigned members of
the commission detailed to try Mary E..
Surratt and others for conspiracy and the
murder Of Abraham Lincoln respect
fully pray that the President in considera-
ton of the age and sex of the said Mary
e. Surratt, If he can upon the facts III
the case find it consistent with his sense OF
duty to the country to commute the sen
tence of death which the court have been
constrained to place upon her, to inlprison-
ment for life" When signed, this petition
was attached to the end of the court rec
ord by yellow tape ribbon that bound
the sheets together.
The sheets Of the record were wlltten in
long hand from the top to the bottom and
then on the reverse side. from the bottom
to the topsto make for greater ease in read
ing their many pages. AS Judge Holt read
these pages to the President in the White
House on July 5, the top sheets were turned
back under the final ones, so that they
completely hid from the President the in
conspicuous half-sheet (the recommended
tom resting under the top of the last blank
page. This half-sheet would remain in
visible unless the President took the rec
ord into his own hands and thumbed
through it page by page, turning over the
last blank sheet as though searching for
some hidden word He would not see the
recommendation for mercy unless it were
called to his attention.
That same day shortly after the reading
of the record by Holt. the death sentence
was signed by Andrew johnson. Mrs Sur
rats life had been in Johnsons hands.
but care had been taken that the President
should not know it. WASH1NGTONIAN.
The Evil of Planned Economy
To the Editor Of The Star:
With the upward trend to socialize every
thing from the cradle to the grave. it Is
impossible to form any concept Of what lies
ahead Of this utopian program. But there is
one thing that is dead certain and that is
that there is no instance in all history where
the protective spirit and planned economy
have been made a national institution with
out incalculabe damage to those 1t was
alleged to benefit.
The protective spirit from the cradle to
the grave is nothing new. It is as old as
Methuselah. and always has brought seri-
Gus consequences wherever it became a
national policy. could name many countries
whose downfall was caused by the very thing
we seriously are considering at this very
moment.
History is not always a lefthanded affair,
and If our politicians would devote little
more time to these matters the very things
which they now are creating would be dis
covered to have been condemned long ago as
evil forces raised against the social, eco
nomic and political stability of the Nation
would like to quote well-known au-
thority on this protective spirit. Here it is:
They were the legitimate consequence Of
state Of society in which the spirit of
protection had reached it's highest point
and in which every thing being done for
the people, nothing was done by the people.
Whenever this happens, there may be great
political progress, but there can be no really
national progress So far however, from this
benefting people, it will injure them in two
different ways. 1t has been found fatal to
the highest qualities of the citizens, and
therefore to the permanent grandeur Of the
Nation. And, in the second place, it multi
plies the resources OF the executive govern.
ment. and thus renders the country. unable,
as well as unwilling. to correct the errors
Of those who are at the head of affairs"
1t Is a great mistake when the people
abdicate their own proper functions, forgo
their own responsibilities. renounce their
highest duties. and degrade themselves into
passive instruments to serve the will Of the
state.
An evil day rapidly is approaching unless
We keep the eye of an eagle on events that
concern our liberty, freedom and the pursuit
Of happiness. LOUISE F. DIGER.
Hyattsville, Md.
Civil Service League Objective
To the Editor Of The Star:
Controller General Lindsay C.. Warren
says that this Nations growing Federal bu-
reaucracy is an ideal system for the tax
eaters" but bad for those who have to pay
the bill" His sweeping criticism was heard
hx the House Executive Exnenditllres Com.