Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-06-09
Palmer as
A Political
Phenomenon
MITCHELL PALMER:

A. MITCHELL PALMER:
Politician. BY Stanley Co.
ben. columbia University
Press; $7.50.)
This is a searching and
interesting study Of the ca
reer of an ambitious Penn
sylvania Democrat - a re-
former and an Unsuitable
grasper for more political
power.
Had Mitchell Palmer hailed
from q less rock-ribbed Re-
publican State than Pennsyl-
vania-from New York, for
example - he might easily
have achieved his ultimate
ambition which was to be
President Of the United
States. Although he was
able to win election to the
lower house Of Congress and
to become the most powerful
Democrat in his State, he was
unable to win a Statewide
election-for the Senator
to carry Pennsylvania In
either 1912 or 1916 for Wood
row Wilson.
In IL Years
Nevertheless, as the author
has pointed out, he was able
to achieve prominence, politi-
cal power and high office.
Within IL years-from 1909
to 1921-he was a member.
Of the House, he was Demo-
cratic national committee
man Of Pennsylvania and
party leader, he was alien
property custodian during
World War I and Attorney
General, and in the early
months of 1920 he was the
leading likely nominee of the
Democratic Party for Presi-
dent.
Although Mr.. Palmer was
able to fight his way from
genteel poverty to wealth and
affluence and always enjoyed
a certain amount Of luxury,
his real love-as shown by Mr..
Coben-was political power.
1t was his desire for political
power and high office which
led him from the champion
ship of reform and organized
labor to the exercise of dras-
tic action, as Attorney Gen.
eral. during the Red scare.
Mr.. Cohen has given the
keeneSt attention to the Red
scare and Mr.. Palmer's
handling Of the issue as At
torney General, particularly to
the so-called Palmer raids in
which hundreds Of aliens Sus-
pected Of being Communists
and followers of the Bolshe-
wiki in Russia we're rounded
up for deportation. No other
Attorney General, Mr.. Cohen
writes, has ever flouted to
such degree the civil liberties
guaranteed under the United
States Constitution. During
the Red scare SO bombs were
mailed from New York 10
blow up important Americans
in public office and private
life. A bomb was hurled at
the front Of Mr.. Palmer's own
home and had he been in
that part Of the house he
probably would have been
killed.
Mr.. Palmer's story, Mr.. Co.
ben writes, lis a classic ex-
ample Of democracy's most
notorious weakness. Saga
cious commentators, begin
ming with those who drafted
the Constitution, have warned
that the rule by majority Is
both the greatest glory and
the most serious hazard to
our system; that our liberties
are endangered most not by
tyrants, but by democrats. If
Mr.. Palmer was one Of the
dangerous men in our history,
1t was not because he at
tempted to impose his rule or
his policies upon the people,
but because he tried to win
power by carefully attuning
himself to what he thought
we're the strong desires Of the
American people," It seems
unfair to Mr.. Palmer, how
ever. to suggest he was most
dangerous" for such reasons.
A number Of our leaders have
carefully kept their ears to
the ground TO keep them
selves In office-some Of
them in the White House.
GOULD LINCOLN.