Milford chronicle., 1949-03-11

greatly discouraged
by what /, have
seen. cannot con-
ceive of the nation
PATTERSON continuing to live
with such men rum
ming it," she said.
In the senate one senator was
a speech. There were not
more than dozen senators in the
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 decorum1, no dignity, no interest.
''In the house of representatives
it was different, but more discour-
aging. There it was a rabble Every
one was talking and interrupting
every other one. It was senseless. I
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. / was
not was only discouraged by a
rabble.
The lady had built up wr0ng
conception. She had envisiOned
a gathering of supermen who
would deliberate with great and
austere dignity; whose every
word would represent wisdom
and craftsmanship ability.
But if we did have such MEM
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 e should be,
but a national town meeting. Il
has been that since the begin
ming of the federal government.
1t is that now, and let US hope
it continues to be a 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
work of both bodies is done behind
committee room doors. That in
those committees careful eonsidera-
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 flaw created by self
ish political interests inherent
in our twO-party system. It
does not spring from any defect
in the federal constitution. With
all Of that, government "Of, for
and by the people," as repre-
scented by congress, is far supe-
> riOr to the rule Of an army OF
: bureaucrats, directed by die
l tatOr.
q They may not be able statesmen;
v they may not be men Of exceptiona
f ability; but as long as we have the
= Joe Doaks, the Bill Smiths, the
II Jack Browns and the Mary Leel
O representing us at Washington, W.
r will continue to have government
l. "of, for and by the people" The!
are the average Americans.
l. Bruce Barton conducted ain ad
" vertising agency before his election
to congress and is again back o.
his old job after four years in tn
limelight. He was, and is, repre-
sentative American. He is typica
1t began as the Marshall plar
then it became ERP. to which hs
been added ECA, OEE, OUSSE
PAB, ACFMP and MACIMFP. Whs
they all mean l do not know, exceT
that they are parts Of the Marsha
plan operations, resulting in con
plications in America and confusic
d. in Europe. They also add man
Of hundreds to our government pa.
Of rolls plus travel and living e,
DO penses in Europe.
Iy
ne Stain makes bid for time; n
for peace.
s>---