The OREGON STATESMAN, Salem, Oregon, Wednesday Morning August 9, 1939
r. Vo FarorSvaya tVs; Yo Fear SAa Am-i"
rom First Statesman, March 21, ltd
Sheldon F. Sackett - - - Editor and Manager,
THE S'l ATKSMAN PUBI JSIIING CO.
Charles A. 8pragua,'Prs. . . Sheldon r. Sackett. Becy.
alrtubrr t the
111 AMOvMlcU IIcM It srltM'tvcir entitled I tha
Cka of alt oawa tfiatmrnaa. crcdtu to U or not otharwis crtdltaa an
ttita pniwr. , . -
Welcome, Legionnaires
"Fot-God and country, we associate ourselves together for
-, the following. purposes: To uphold and defend the Constitution
-or the United Sutea of America to maintain iaw and order; to
foster and perpetuate a one hundred per cent Americanism; to
preserve the memories and incidents ot oar association In. the
' great war; td inculcate a sense of Individual obligation to the
community, state and nation;
thm clianea and-the masses: to
- - to promote peace and good will on earth; to safeguard and trans
mit'to posterity the principle of Justice, freedom and democra
cy; tT consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion
to mumal'helpfulnesa. '.'-Preamble to the American Legion con
- aHtwMnn . -
The World, war started 25
H quarter of a century a long time for recollection xo remain
vivid. MostAmericans have rather a hazy recollection of the
war's beginning, because it seemed at the time remote. Less
than three years later it was brought nearer home. Of its
concluding year, our memory is clearer but to no others are
its events so sharply etched as to members of the organiza
tion to which Salem becomes host today.
There is significance in the flight of years since the
World war. For now there is peril of another great war, more
devastating than the last. Many writers have agreed that this
- new war wouia aireaay oe unaer way cAtci w.
" recalls the nightmare of the last one. Yet with the passage of
.tirne, a new generation has arisen which knows not the hor
rors of wan ,
"Men donot willingly die unless they are fanatics,
writes Frank Gervasi, correspondent just returned from Eu
. rope. "So they must be keyed up to the point of fanaticism in
' the conviction that there is a cause worth dying for. The task
- of establishing such a cause and arousing mob enthuiasm is
the work ofskilled propaganda experts. This process is called
'emotional conditioning and it has already been begun in the
United States. . . . No harder task faces Americans than that
of silencing the warmongers, the bellicose intellectual patri
ots, who are the conscious or unconscious allies of foreign
proselytizers." '
Gervasi may be stretching a ooint. Members of the Am
, erican Legion are not conscious of having been fanatics about
the job they undertook 22 years a-o. Sergeant York, the war
hero, says he didn't know what he was fighting for, and
doesn't know vet Somebody showed the boys of '17 a job and
they went and did it "A fellow knows he's going to see a hard
' row of stumps, but if the rest can stand it, I can," remarked
one rather mature soldier boy. The younger ones marched
! away in a spirit of high adventure. Few analyzed the problem
of necessity or futility of war until they had gone too far to
hart? tin . -
That analysis came later.
participant m the war made it
t . . r
. erican jegion,neia its vregon convention iu otueui ten .yei
ago there was no immediate threat of war, yet Albert Rich
ard Wet j en, noted writer then a Salem resident who had
i fought in the British army, wrote for The Statesman's special
edition:
"If the young of every nation could be Impressed with the
J truth about War; could be shown the shattered bodies left after
the charge; could hear the endless crying of a human thing hung
on the wire; could watch the twisting agonies that come after
"TV KUK could the yoang of every nation learn of these things before
?.'. marehinc away in the glitter of an old-age illusion, it Is safe to
iinillfMkanvnnlilltfiiA Win
- And it seems to roe there is no finer task for the Legion to un
dertake than to insist upon-this. War is terrible!"
The American Legion has
militarism principally because
v: insist upon preparedness and because it has resented that por-
rinn et trio naMficf 1rvi-rin whirri Hennrscpm thf hprcAam and
- sacrifices nf anldiera of the nast.
Vmwaa V MIV Sr m v m. AM a
'rrarv that th American Tonrn ia in its own characteristic
-itrsv th Btrnncpt ino-lA fnrrA
l country today--strong because it knows, on this subject
whereof it speaks.
. We aren't no thin red 'eroes and we aren't no blaggards too,
- ' But single men In barrlcks, most remarkable like you;
And if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barrlcks don't grow into plaster saints."
f Rudyard Kipling In "Tommy Atkins."
. Toss a large number of young fellows, all strangers, into
a situation of close association and they're bound to make
strenuous effort to impress one another. The impression they
strive for may be their own version of manliness, and as like
ly as not that version will be devilishness. It may or may not
be founded upon natural inclination, but once established, the
impression has to be maintained. So the impression of dev
ilishness that boys in their early twenties built up as army
recruits, has been preserved in their capacity as American
Legion members, especially in moments of relaxation. In an
ticipation of the Legion convention Jiere a decade ago. Salem
did a bit of trembling at the knees, fearing what might hap
pen to some oi its sacred institutions and its morals.
' s . Somehow these things managed to survive: the conven
tion didn't seem, in retrospect,
A A.- - ..11 ' .
. T The devilish boys of '17 were then in their thirties. Now
they're in the forties; a little
Uiem,tut still full of pep, still thriving to maintain that ear
ly impression especially when out of town and relieved of
the necessity for sethnsr their
"good example. Sometimes we suspect their heart isn't in it
any more, if it ever was. But they'll still go through the mo
tions. The convention will be lively, the boys will have a good
time out tney won t tear the town apart. If there is any hood
lumism it will be the work of younger outsiders taking advan
tage of the occasion.
r" No longer fearful, Salem greets the Legionnaires today
and sincerely hones, their visit-here will be pleasant and that
the impression of the state capital they carry home with them
will be favorable. Citizens as well as the host Legion posts
have joined in elaborate preparations to entertain the visit
ing veterans. One remaining requisite is a warm greeting.
The weather is doing its part; the citizens may be trusted to
do theirs . ; . .
An anonymous correspondent, obviously a Townsend
dub member; asserts that the apearance of an item about a
To Tfrnsend club dispute on The Statesman's front page, where-as'other-Townsend
news goes on inside pages, is proof of this
newspaper's unfriendliness to "the plan." 'We thought The
Statesman's attitude had been made clear long ago; friendli
ness to the Townsend dubs, belief that the movement has been
beneficial in keeping the needs of the dderly citizens before
the public, belief thatj?the plan" has some features which are
preferable loathe present social security program, skepticism
of its soundness as a' recovery measure. As for The States
man's front page; its news is never sdected on the basis of
prejudice for -or against any movement or issue. The selection
is made on the basis of timeliness and our judgment of news
interests -V ;:; - l, : '
Whalers, according to the Christian Science Monitor, are
complaining About so much radio broadcasting the whales
won't bite, or at Jeast they aren't caught on heavy broadcast
days. -It's the same old straggle between sport and industry
that we've had here in Oregon.'";--ri ,
- j Basil Rathbdne, most 'aceompliaKed sneerer of the 'cur
rent cinema villains, turns out to be a lover of dogs and other
dumb animals. Another illusiondestroyed. '
Aassoraatt-d
to comrai me tuwcrwy m ooia
make right the matter of might;
years ago this month. That is
The "chances are that every
at some time. When the Am-
a.' j O t - i-
V.vcn T.Arlnnnara fk"rinWs this.
sometimes been accused of
its experiences have led it to
mmrmmm am-.w waw w - -
It is safe to sav. on the con-
oint war that prists in this
to have been so terrible, except
. -
gray ' trifle stout, some of
teen - acre sons and dautrhters n
,
Bits for
Breabfabft
Bj B. J. HENURICK3
Inquiry concerning the 8-9-31
massacre of a- Iresnp,
pal., man's grandfalher and
uncles by Indians Feb. 22,-'5 C:
-.
m -m
i "(Continuing from yesterday:)
Resuming the Bancroft account
"'The persons billed in the first
atiacK , were Benjamin Wright,
John Poland, John Idles, Henry
Lawrence, Patrick McCullough,
George McClusky, Barney Castle.
Uuy C.: Holcomb, Joseph' Wilkin
fcon, Joseph Wagner, E. W. Howe,
J. H. Braun, Martin Beed, George
Reed, Lorenfco Warner, i Samuel
Hendrlck. Nelson Seaman, W. R.
Tulles, Joseph Seroc and two
sons, John Gelaell and four chil
dren; ,Mra. Gelsell and three
daughters being taken prisoners;
and, subsequently to the first at
tack, Henry BuUen. L. W; Oliver.
Daniel Richardson, George Trtck-
ey and Adolf Schmoldt In all
21.
: "Warner was from Livonia, N.
T., Seaman from Cedarvllle, N. Y.
The drowned were'H. C. Gerow,
a merchant of Port Orfordrand
formerly of N. ,Y., John O'Brien,
miner; Sylvester Lou g , farmer,
William Thompson and Richard
Gay, boatmen; and Felix McCae.
S
"Those who took refuge in the
fort were kept besieged 31 days,
when they were rescued by the
two companies under Colonel Bu
chanan seat by General Wool. . .
A few days after the arrival of
the troops a schooner from Port
Orford effected ia landing, and
the women and children at the
fort were sent to that place, while
buchanan commenced operations
against the Indians,
So ends thi Bancroft' account.
(Comment further along.) The
account of Frances Fuller Victor
In her "Indian Wars of Oregon,"
page 379, follows:
m 1.
"So quiet had been the coast
tribes for some time that suspl
cion of their intentions was al
most forgotten; and on the nieht
oi tne zznd of February (1856)
an anmyersary hall was riTen at
Gold Beach, or Whaleshead. near M?1-MMi', slnt
tho mA,.i. :l 1:00 Len Salvo.
river), which was attended bv
Captain Poland and the majority
oi nis men, a few being left to
guard camp
Early in the mornine of tha
23a, beiore the dancers had re
turned to camp, the guard was
attacked with such suddenness
and fury by a large number of
Indians that but two oat of 10
were able to escape. One of
these, Charles Foster, being con
ceaiea in the woods near the
scene or the massacre, was wit
ness oi much of the terrible
slaughter and mutilation, and
able to identify those concerned
in it, who were seen to be sneh
as lived about the settlements.
ana were-professedly friendly.
Ben Wright (Indian aeentl
was then at the house of J. -Mp-
Gulre, about four miles from lh
coast, ana between the 'Volunteer I
rnmn nrM Wh.lv.. a t
v w UKicoucaU. JMU1Y 111 I
me aay, ana while Captain Pol
and was with him, Wright re-
ceivea a visit from spme Indians
of the Mackanotins tribe, who had
a vUlage on the south side of the
riTer opposite McGuire's. who
came ostensibly to inform , him
mat Knos, a notorious half.
breed, who had been with the hos
tile Rocrue Rivers sill winta, W710:00 Betty and Bob.
in their rnmn .4 . -i-u.I
. . - '"W "uueu
to nave nim arrested. 1
"Without a SUSDicion Q
treachery, Wright and Poland
repaired to the Indian Tillage, I
Where they were immedlatolw 1
sIh hiuj t.v' TCTl " 1
uuu icu, mm tut9 most
revolting bloodthlrsUness, being
inuuiaiea oeyona recognition.
Wright's h e a r t. as subseanentlV
learned from the Indiana thorn.
selves, was cut out, cooked and.
eaten, in admiration of his cour
age, which they hoDed bv thia ct
of cannibalism to make them
selves able to emulate.
a
Evei i house on the river hu
low the big bend. 60 in all, was
burned that day, and 2C persons
killed. The persons who Buffered
were Ben Wright. Cantaln Pol
and, Lieutenant B. Castle. P.
McClusky, C. H. Holcomb, Henry
Lawrence, Joseph Waaoner. Jo
seph Wilkinson. Patrick M.Pni
Inn V Trr tt I
craun,
aiuU xveea, ueorge Keea, Lo-I
ren SO Warner. Samnel Henrfrllr I
Ne l. o n seaman, W. R. TuUex
uuu iuni, josepn Leroe and
two sons; John Gelsell and fnm-
. nuuo mo, ueiBtsu ana
two daughters were taken into
captivity. Subsequently to the
first attack, Henry Bullen. L. w.
Oliver, Daniel Richardson. John
Trickey and Adolf Smoldt were
auiea, making 31 victims of this
massacre. Seven different points
on the south side of the river
were attacked within 1 2 hn,n
showing how well concerted was
the outbreak. -
When the alarm was sriven at
Gold Beach, some of the officers
of Captain Poland's mm nn n v vara
still there, and Relf i Bledsoe.
first lieutenant, was at once
chosen to command. - He concen
trated the men, women and chil-
aren to the number of 130 at the
unfinished fortification known as
Miners' Tort, which they hasten
ed to complete and to stock with
provisions at hand, and otherwise
to prepare to stand a siege for
siege it was likely to be, with no
force in that nart of th Mnntn
either regular or Volunteer, suf-
iiucuuj strong 10 aeiirer them.
'Charles Foster by nslnr rt
caution reached Port Orford,
carrying the news of the out
break. , But Major Reynolds, la
command of the poet, dared not
aiviae his handful of men, nor
would the Citlxens of Port Orford.
only about SO 111 number at this
time, consent to the withdrawal
of this force. . . . Anna. were
scarce, at the fort, the Indians
Daring captured those of the vol
unteers, bat they kept a careful
guard, and after a single attack
the 25th the Indians seldom ap
proached within rifle shot. . . .
under cover of darkness, milk for
the children was sometimes ob
tained from the cows feeding sear
the fort. -
Once aa attempt was made to
Fprmer Governor Indicted in "Hot OiF Case
"
m
- " nW""'?
I'M r
i "v, 'I 'm
i ''1'Jlt,'1, ilt ' -
I 4. i .r- 7 ju - ! i.
IU;hard AV. Lccho (left) former,
at the federal building In New
. iwuiw me tinuuy n
KSLM WED1TESDAT 1360 Ke.
6:0 Cutter Allen.
6 :45 Milkman's Serenade.
T:J0 Nw.
7 :S Uountaineers.
8:00 Morning Meditations.
8:13 Haves nf Best.
8:45 News. '
9.00 Pastor's Call.
9:15 Everett Homeland Orchestra.
8 :30 Surprise Toor Husband.
9:36 Will Hartsel Gan.
10:00 freddy Kstel Orchestra, v
10:15 News.
10:90 Morning Magazine.
10:45Women in the News.
10:50 Hollywood Kibiuer.
ll:00Lcn Soluo. organist.
11:15 John Anew, organist.
11:30 Piano Quiz.
11:43 Value l'arade.
12:15 News.
l?-an Hillhillv Soronarl
U2:S8 Koveitunes
1:15 Interesting Facts
1:30 jane Anderson.
1:43 Al Sack Orchestra.
2:00 Let's Play Bridge.
3:15 Johnson family.
3:30 News.
3:45 Manhattan Mother.
S:00 Feminine Fancies.
:S0 Chanel Moments.
S :45 Folton Lewis, Jr.
4:00 Chuck roster Orchestra.
4:30 Goldman Band Concert.
5:00 Seger Ellis Orchestra.
5:15 Shatter Parker. '
5:30 Rhapsody in Wax.
6:00 Raymond Gram Swing.
6:15 Hile Serenaders.
6:30 Work Wanted.
6:45 Tonight's Headlines.
7 :00 Westernaires.
7:15 News Behind the News.
7:30 The Lone Ranger.
8 :CO News.
8:15 Swinging Stringt-Softbsll Score.
8 :30 Paul Feadarvia Orchestra Bolt
ball scores.
:0O Newspaper of the Air.
:15 Swinctime Softball Scores.
10:00 Dow franeisce Orchestra.
10:15 Rhythm Rascals-Softball Scores.
10:30 Johnny Cascella Orchestra,
11:00 Tomorrow's News Tonight.
11:15 Beany Goodman Orchestra.
;t ?l Jlrf 7 vT I wenestr.
cession.
KOW WEDNESDAY 620 Xe.
7:00 Viennese Ensemble.
7:15 Trail Blazers.
7:45 News.
8 .00 Orchestra.
8:15 The O'Neills.
8:80 8tsrs of Today.
8:59.40 Arlington. Tim BigaaL
0:00 Singer.
0:15 Let's Talk It Over.
9:80 Meet Miss Julia.
9:45 Dr. Kate.
:15 "' I"ftter.
10:30 Valiant Lsdy.
10 54 Betty Crocker,
ll. 00 Story of Mary Marli
The. Guiding Lit.
12:00 Backstage. Wile.
13:15 BteUa Dallss
12:30 Vie and Sade.
12 :45 Midstresm.
1 :00 Faiaiat.
1:15 Tio.
1.80 Hollwood Mews.
2:00 Art ia the Neva.
2:13 I Lars a Mystery.
2:80 Woman' Msgasin at tha Air.
!:0O -Kasy Acew
8:15 Tracer of Lost Persona.
S :80 Neva.
8:45 Orchestra. "
4: SO Hoohy Lehhy.
5:15 Stars ol Teaay. -
5.00 Orchestra.
5 : 30 Cocktail Hour.
1:45 Stars at Today.
:00 Kay Kyier's KoUege.
T :00 Orchestra.
7:80 Orchestra.
8:00 Waal's My Kasse.
'.SO George Jestcl'i Celebritiei.
8:00 Concert Orchestra.
10 :OS News Flash as.
10:15 Blaa Moaaligat.
I1C:S0 Orchestra.
xoao wkditxidat sss x.
:0O Tedsy'a Programs,
Hosnesaakera' Uai
ioiSTJ rss. Kewa.
ii:oo variety.
M'M l" h Masters.
12:15 Karat Hour.
8:00 Dinner Concert.
6:15 News.
6.80 Farm Boar.
8:15-Mnsie et Cseckoslorakta.
8:30 Guard Yoar Health.
8:45 Masic of the Masters.
KZX WEDNXSDAT 1
-1180 Xe.
S:80 Musical Clock.
T:00 J'smlly AlUr Hoar.
7:30 Tinsncisl Serrtet.
7 ;45 iBaainesa Parade.
7:55 Jiarket Qooiations.
T:57 Let and Found Items.
8:00 Dr. Brock,
8:30 Farm and Home.
0:80 Patty Jean.
t:45 Singer.
10:00 Home Iastitnte.
10:15 Roy Shields Berne.
10:30 News.
10:45 -Singer.
11;00 Fashion Msicale.
11.45 Between the Bookends.
12:00 dab Matinee. 1
13.80 News.
13:45 Dept. Africa tore. . '
1:00 Market Reports.
1:05 IThe Qoiet Hour.
1:45 Orchestra
S :00 Curbstone Quia.
3:15 Financial and Grain Reports.
2 :20 Musical Iaterlada.
3:35 iNeva.
3:30 Ink Spate.
2:45 Melodie BtriLgm.
E.15 Orchestra.
3:30 Cloo tier la Calliag.
4.-00 Ksnsom Bkervaa Freseats.
4: 30 atasical Visaataea.
5 :00 Horse A Buggy Days.
3:30 Marian MiUar. ..
5:45 The Cevhoy Rambler.
jOO rflymphoay Oreheatra.
S:SO Vieba Recital. -
:45 Praakest Tkiaf ia Team.
; 7:00 Frank Weteaaha. -
gather poutoes from a field la
daylight, but soon the men em
ployed discovered the wary foe
creeping upon them in the shelter
of the sand dunes, and were
forced to retreat ia haste to the
fort.-lone man being killed aad
four wounded before they reached
co ver j Whenever after this an
Indian's head was discovered
peering over the edge ot a ridge
it was shot at; and the marks
men took trne 'aim." -V
' (.Continue! tomorrow.) - - v
governor of Loaislana'anid Seywioar
Orleans to post bond following their
vu i, am canspiracj to aerrand the United States.
7:15 Organist.
7:30 Orchestra.
7:45 Tropical Moods.
8:00 Sports Reporter.
8:15 News.
8:30 Baseball.
10:15 Orchestra.
10:30 Dog Race Returns.
10 :35 Orchestra.
11:00 News.
11:15 Portland Police Reports.
11:18 Organist.
11:45 Bports Finsl.
.
KODJ WEDNESDAY 1 4 0 Xe.
8:15 Market Report.
6:20 KOIK Kloek.
7:00 It Happened ia HoUyvood.
7:15 KOIN Klock.
7:43 News.
8:15 When a Girl Marries.
8:30 Romance of Helen Treat.
8:45 Oar Gal Sunday.
9:00 The Goldbergs.
9:1j Life Can Be Beautiful.
9:30 Consumer Neva.
9:45 Yours Sincerely.
10:00 Big Sister
10:15 Aant Jenny.
10:30 Organist.
10:45 Orchestra.
11:00 Thia anl That
11:30 Swing Serenade.
11:45 News.
12:00 Prettv Kitty Kelly.
12:15 Myrt and Marge.
12:30 Hilltop House.
12:45 Stepmother.
1 :00 Srattergood Bainea.
1:15 Dr. 8asaa.
1:30 Singin Ssin.
1 :43 When We Were Young.
2:00 Fletcher Wiley.
2:15 Hello Again.
2:45 Singer.
3:0ft Newspaper of the Air.
4:00 8h ado va.
4:15 Singer.
4:30 Roadmaster.
4:45 Walts Time.
5:00 Knickerbocker Playhouse.
5:30 Philharmonic Symphony.
6:30 Women's Fashions.
6:45 Melodies.
7:00 Amos 'n' Andy.
7:15 Little Show.
7:30 Orchestra.
8:00 Honolulu Bound.
8:30 Neva. Vievs aad Sport Revievs.
8:45 -Sagebrnsh Symphony.
9:15 Orchestra. f '
10:00 Fire 8 tar Final.
10:15 Nightcap Yarns.
10:30 Orchestra.
Parole Law Eyed
As to Retroaction
Legal action to determine
whether penitentiary Inmates re
ceived prior to June 14 are sub
ject to the provisions of the new
state parole law approved by the
1939 legislature, was being con
sidered by relatives ot convicts
here Tuesday.
Under the 193 J law the new
parole board fixes the minimum
sentence of prisoners. The maxi
mum sentences are fixed by the
Judges. The law became effective
June 14.
One section of the parole law
provides that Its provisions are
retroactive. Another section pro
vides that the provisions are not
retroactive.
Governor Sprague announced
recently that he intended to com
mute the sentence of a large
number of penitentiary prisoners
in order that they might receive
the credits Intended by the legis
lature in passing the new parole
statute.
Young Mountain Mother
V
4
Sirs. Jotia Stackhoase, 14, who lire tw m snoutaia cabin Bear Pewaa.
boco, W. Va, proadly holds her secesad child, Jast bora to her. Mrs.
Stackhouae's first child died a month after tt was bora. She still
plays with dolls. -
ii I s - '?
4 5
i " , - ; j
Weiss are sliown as they
indictment on charges of
arrived
consplr-
Putnam Defends
Teaching Styles
Ideal to Build Individual
, Intelligent, Truthful,
Cooperative
Education and educators of to
day should not be criticized for
their apparent disagreement as to
methods of accomplishing their
aims because such confusion is
not peculiar to education, Rex
Putnam, state superintendent of
public Instruction, told the Salem
Kiwanis club yesterday.
Educators do have certain def
inite principles which they believe
should guide their efforts, Put
nam said. Those In totalitarian
nations seek to perpetuate their
particular state by education from
early childhood of a type that -deprives
the people of initiative in
thought and action, he declared.
Principles guiding "education for
tomorrow's America," Putnam's
subject, are distinctly different
from the totalitarian theory, he
explained, because they seek to
develop a community of individual
souls who are intelligent, truth
loving, . unselfish and cooperative.
Putnam enunciated a set of ed
ucational principles which he said
were designed td perpetuate and
improve democracy. They call for
striving toward the golden rule,
developing strong bodies and
strong minds, mastering skills and
a wide fund of knowledge, attain
ing definite standards and values,
accepting civic responsibility and
"holding fast to our ideals of free
dom." Mrs. Alice Tipton
Dies at Las Vegas
Mrs. Alice Tipton, 73, Salem
resident for IS years, died a few
days ago at the home of her
daughter and son in Las Vegas, N.
M., it waa learned here yesterday.
Eight children survive, includ
ing Gladys, principal of the Grant
school, Mrs. Lois Beck, instructor
at Parrish, Stuart of Salem, Frank
and Mrs. Alice Meade of Portland,
Mead of Los Angeles and Dave
and Lou of Las Vegas.
Verdict Is Guilty
In Kiifner's Case
A Justice court Jury yesterday
returned a verdict holding Ed
ward Kufner guilty of a charge
of aruaaen driving.
Kufner gave notice op appeal
from the court's Imposition of a
su-day jail sentence and Sloe
fine. Bail undertaking for 250
previously posted was continued
in erred.
A v
t V
(Dnn itllD nBKa;aDDodl
By DOROTHY THOMPSON
-President Roosevelt ha auf-
fered in congress as complete a de
feat as it ia possible for the
chief executive of a nation to suf
fer. This fact will be. bailed by
'glioma aa an inex-
JorS ble retribu
,,tion for . mistak-
len policies; by
others it will be
welcomed as the
v. herinnlne of a
new era and bet
ter times; the
I party politicians
of the opposi
tion, whether
Inside or outside
Dorothy Thompson the President's
party, are gleeful: the New Deal
ers are dolorous, and it is ru
mored that many of them in
Washington are putting out feel
ers for new jobs. Sixteen months
sition is In the saddle in Wash-
before a new election, the oppd
ington. congress will go home
after having , said one of the
loudest and most universal noes
in recent times.
a
The more thoughtful of our
citizens, and especially those who
;are not Immediately engaged in
the political game, will, however
be inclined neither to rejoice nor
to condemn, nor to sit down upon
the ground and tell sad stories
of the death just where this
wholesale sweep of the new deal
by congress, this general emascu
lation of executive powers, this
large-scale nay-saying leaves us.
We may well ask why it has hap
pened; and we must certainly in
quire what has happened. And
it would be well for us to ask
what next.
For congress, although it has
said "no" to a great many things,
has said "yes" to nothing new.
It has taken away the Initiative
from the president, but developed
only a negative initiative of its
own.
Whether these ImDosina- vetoes
Swill be bad for the personal lead
ership of the president with the
country at large will depend upon
how things turn out. It econ
omic and social conditions and
the general international, situa
tion improve congress will get the
credit. if, however, conditions
deteriorate there will certainly be
a renewed clamor for the leader
ship of the president or for
other leadership of an even more
radical nature. For the people
are not today If they ever were
under the discipline of any
party. They want certain prob
lems solved cr, at least, they
want to reach a tolerable modus
Vivendi.
-
It seems to me that the im
passe reached between congress
and the executive during the sum
mer session of congress is due to
two things, for one of which the
president may justly be held re
sponsible, the other of which is
inherent in our system of gov
ernment.
' When Mr. Roosevelt went into
office in 1933 he went in as the
leader -of the nation. That is a
position which, in a country as
volatile as ours, with ar articu
late a public opinion, and as many
organized groups, it is extremely
difficult to maintain. The presi
dent, however, had a very good
start; first, because there was an
almost universal ' demand for
leadership in recognition of an
emergency, and, secondly, because
he had peculiar gifts for lead
ership. Greatest among them was an
awareness, not very clear, not
well formulated even in his own
mind, not reduced to even basic
principles, hardly more than a
h u n c h b a t, nevertheless, a
hunchthat existing needs and
trends demanded new techniques
of government action.
Mr; Roosevelt never made the
mistake of believing that the dic
tatorships were' merely the per
sonal work of ruthless and am
bitions men. He realised that
dictators had ridden into power
on tne waves of real needs, real
problems, real trends and the tn
cempeteney which democratic
government had shown in deal
ing with them. The necessities
which fascism and communism
ootn have recognized and met,
each in Its own peculiarly objee-
uonaoie way were nrst the need
of organizing a society in which
the productive, economic forces
of capital, management, and la
bor should have a share ef politi
cal responsibility of conscious
responsibility for the welfare of
tne communitv as a whole, and
that the automatic operation of
laisses falre economic "law? was
something that could not be de
pended upon, and that. Indeed,
was never a "law" at ail
The president also accented
the thesis that t he need of keep
ing the people workinr and fed
is a primary function of govern
meni, 1. e. or politics; that it
was the function of government
to protect the physical welfare of
the nation and to create a sollrlar.
ity against atomizing and destruc
tive forces within and wit h on t it
Tne articulation of this aware
ness and not his radio taIm
made him the leader of the na
tion. He was not listened to be
cause he said "My friends" in an
excellent Harvard accent but be
cause what he said was In the
back of most peoples' minds.
. a . a - a
In order to maintain this lead
ership the president had to be sn
extraordinary statesman, persist
ently and courageously appeal
lag to the source which offered
him the leadership in the first
place; the decent enliathtenad
opinion of the country. Ia or
der to maintain his leadership he
would hara had to hare certain
basic principles as guides, a
limited program which could be
at all points justified In reason
and therefore designed to appeal
not only to interested groups who
would directly benefit by rerorm
but to i. wide msrgta of people
who would support him not. oat
J?!1 Dnt OB ot conviction.
This marginal body of the dis
interested bat . convinced is the
most lmnortant asset a dam rssti
le reformer can hare, for it alone
la not dangerous.
.. ". 'v',-7 ..:;.. ;
A democratic leader denimn. nt
taking action is in a peculiarly
vulnerable position. Dictators can
correct their mistakes by "pur
ges" -they, can llanldat tha iv...
8onal embodiments of the results
of their own miscalculations. Die.
tators can hill their enemies an
enormous advantage, in one way.
for men of action.
But democratic leaders can. at
best, "tmly make partial purges.
The purged comrades live on and
may, at any moment, become un
parged and extremely vindictive.
Democratic leaders hare to live
with their enemies. Therefore,
they must think not twice but a
dozen times before creating them
unnecessarily. .
But the democratic leader mun
be equally careful of his friends.
For they can be more embarrass
ing to him than his enemies. All
political leaders attract to them
selves the "lice of politics, plan
ners of sly Involution for - their
own preferment," to quote Walt
Whitman. And this is particu
larly true of any leader who sets
out to right existing, injustices
without any very clear idea in his
own mind as to how he is going
to do it.
There is a story of a sultan's
slave who was bound to a tree
in the potentate's garden and
cruelly whipped until his back
was bleeding. A swarm of flies
had settled upon his wounds. A
good Samaritan, passing through
tne garaen. sought to alleviate th
sufferer's misery by shooing away
tae nies. bui tne miserable
wretch implored him to leave
them, alone. "These flies," he
said, "are already satiated. If you
shoo them off new and much
more greedy and hungry ones
will come in their place."
So the problem of the reformer
is always a problem of getting
rid of one Bet of parasites with
out creating a new brood of less
satiated and more hungry ones.
If, for even a moment, it Is be
lieved that the democratic lead
er is overthrowing the oligarchy
to cast, its spoils to the mob he
III have the mob behind him
with a vengeance.
a a
But the leader of the mob ia
not the leader of the people. The
people are infinitely afraid of
the mob. They are more afraid
of the mob than they are afraid
of the old oligarchy: thev are
more afraid of the tyranny of the
mob than they are of any other
tyranny.
Confronted by the mob. the
people will put their destinies
into the hands of any one. anv
person, who will save them from '
it, preferring a personal tyranny
to a mob tyranny. They will
prefer Caesar to an incompetent
senatorial oligarchy constantly
threatened by a Spartacus or a
catiline; they will choose Napo
leon over the directorate: they
will prefer Napoleon the Third to
the coterie of haphazard and
half-baked theorists and dema
gogues who preceded him and
made the disorder of the second
French republic unendurable. I
pass over more recent history.
When something occurs over and
over again in history, repeatedly,
and without more than minor
variation, one must give it the
earnest attention that so signifi
cant a phenomenon deserves
Therefore, the democratic re
form leader must be less con
cerned with the danger from the
old powers he Intends to curb
than he is with the possible men
ace from the new powers that he
is creating. For it is on them
that he is most likely to be
wrecked.
This is not only true of demo
"atI leaders but of all leaders.
Mr. Hitler's first seriona
did not come from any remnant
of the previous regime neither
from the aristocracy, which he
deflated even further than the re
public had deflated It. nor from
the socialists or communists, but
from the nazls led hr RnhM u
nad an easy wav nnt tj ..
sinated his too letlnns foiin.
travelers. "
But the president, with m
on the economic roTalistn
oligarchy whose powers he wished
to discipline, I believe sincerely
i sraicr good of the com
munity, has neglected to look
into the credentials of his most
ardent yes-men, or foreseen the
Possible results of his own poll
cles. To take examples: It was a
highly accessary thing la this
country, and long overdue, that
tne grip of business management
over labor should be relaxed;
that the policies which con
doned the employment of labor
spies, strike-breaking thugs the
dismissal of men for trade-union
membership, the high-handed re
fusal to bargain collectively, the
authoritatrian and imperial at
titude toward workers of certain
industrial leaders should be chal
lenged and supplanted by the
recognition of specific workers
rights and by specific mechan
isms for the protection of those
rights.
But it does not follow that
carte blanche given to labor or
ganizers to- extend the rights of
workers according to whatever
Interpretations of those rights
may exist In the minds of the
more energetic and ambitious
labor leaders will establish Just
ice. It is far more llkelv to hrinr
about disorder and deadlock.
Tne democratic reform leader
who grants wholesale new ritrhta
without reciprocal obligations puts
himself Into a dilemma. -
It Is infinitely harder tn nrtth.
j vvi tiriAucgea once
granted than it ia not to mat
them in -the first place. Those
who are seeklnr nriviWM ar.
at first modest In their temands
and i grateful for whatever is
granted. But whatever has
once been granted assumes. In
their minds the natnr r .
right." It Immediarat. v..
tradition. .
He who has rranrtvt l taM..
the prisoner, of his beneficiaries.
If he seeks to,moiifw i-
tsh or more closely define a right
once granted ha Is not only a
"reactionary" he U a traiior!
fi-w a. n ;th': acting of the
ngat he has already made one
aet of enemies he can not afford
to make enemies of the newly
ereated friends. ThsrafnH v.
lays himself open to blackmail.
And, gradually, he loses the reins
of government, They are taken
?.p. hJ aa supporters and bene
ficlaries, who speak and act for
ugntmg for him against
Ws opponents while, at the same
time, They hold over him the
threat that if he does not do
even more for them then he has
they will seek another leader
(Copyrlght, 193. New Tori
Tribune, Inc.) .