The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1953-09-17
American Constitution Is Only Hope
For Freedom Says Congressman Smith
Anniversary Of Constitution Is
Observed By Durunt Womun's Club


the only hope for freedom in the
entire world, said the Hon. Frank
Smith, congressman of Missis-
sippi's Third Congressional dis
trict in an address before an in
terested group of men and wo-
men Monday evening, at the
Durant school building.
The meeting, sponsored by the
Woman's Club Of Durant, was
held to commemorate the 1e6th
anniversary Of the signing Of the
American Constitution which
took place Sept. II, 1887. Invited
to participate were members Of
all civic organizations in Durant
and the interested public Of
Holmes county and vicinity.
Presiding over the meeting was
Mrs. c. A. Doster of the Woman's
Club who also introduced the
speaker.
Sitting on the stage represent
ing other community groups in
Durant were Reedy Mcclellan,
Junior Chamber Of Commerce;
Les O'Briant, Lions Club; Mrs.
Erma White, Business and Pro-
fessional Women's Club: Mrs.
Paul Odom. Twentieth Century
Club; Mr.. Clarence Robertson,
Rotary Club: Mrs. c. H. Blan-
ton, Jr.. Gamma Literary Club;
and Miss Annie Mcintyre, presi-
dent Of the Woman's Club.
America was sung by the
group with Mrs. L. c. Lipsey at
the piano and the invocation was
eiven by the Rev. S. L. McCul-
Touch, pastor of the Presbyterian
Church.
Civilized men everywhere look
to America and the American
constitution with its guarantee Of
freedom as the only hope for
freedom for the world, the young
congressman said.
Mr.. Smith, who is quite an au-
thority on the constitution, gave
some interesting high1ights on the
Continental Congress and told
how it was hampered with the
loosely defined powers attribut-
a. 70 it. General Georpe Wash
ington was one Of the LEADERS,
who made it possible for it to
succeed.
He told of how Great Britain
was occupied at the time with
other trouble and of the part
France PLAYED in aiding the
struggling colonies.
The articles of confederation
were discussed by the speaker
and he stressed that when the
constitution was written there
were no republics which could
be copied: the idea Of people gov
erning themselves had been heard
Of only in Greece from the philo-
sophers and only small degree
Of freedom had been manifested
in Rome. BY and large, how
ever, the idea was brand new
and extremely radical.
A long struggle evolved out Of
the question Of the distributor
Of powers with the smaller col
onies fearing the larger ones; the
method Of electing the head OF
the state also came in for its
share Of trouble.
The constitution, he emphasiz-
ed, was q compromise and the
first ten amendments which we
call the Bill Of Rights are today
almost considered a part Of the
constitution itself.
How well this noble document
has served its purpose is seen in
the fact that on1v about ten
amendments have been made to
it. excluding the Bill Rights, in
its 1866 years.
Mr.. Smith said he is convinced
that the great test of our con-
stitution still lies in the future.
None Of the founding fathers fore
saw present world conditions.
The United States today must
assume the leadership Of free
world and we can do so under
our constitution, he said.
The speaker expressed him
self as thinking America is in the
process Of eliminating the inter
nal menace of Communism in
this country and that by so do
ing we are strengthening our
republican form Of government
and our Democratic constitution.
Mrs. Smith accompanied her
husband.