| Show t U U. S. S DRIFTING TOWARD DICTA DICTA- DICTATORSHIP SAY DEMOCRACY DE LOVING G ALARMISTS By Dy RODNEY ROD DUTCHER NEA EA Service Writer WASHINGTON July 28 Nearly Nearly every cry other day now someone warns us that we ue are drifting toward a gov gov- government government government by dictatorship This warning has almost superseded ed the old threat that the existing form of ot government In the United Unite States Stairs was In danger of being over over- overthrown overthrown overthrown thrown in n favor of a soviet regime These differences are promptly seen by comparison of the two bogeys The viewers alarm who vho feared communist domination were conservatives conservatives es to a man while those who fear or predict a dictatorship are of ot aU all shades hades of political opinion Everyone E In this country worth orth mentioning is strongly opposed to any communist form of ot government but there are arc many who are arc enthusiastic over o European dictatorships and ap apparently ap- ap apparently view the general theory v complacently The United States was never eder in danger dar of being communized m I but b there is a 8 tendency today which If it If not checked checked checked-as as it undoubtedly will be would be-would would In Its logical conclusion find the American people and the congress bereft of ot most of their gov goy governing governing privileges SEVERAL SE DICTATORS I If It were possible to dispose of this dictatorship bogey by laughing It off ott the subject would not be die die- cussed In this article The dictatorship Idea has taken takena ft a firm hold in some sonic European coun coun- countries tries notably Italy but lately it has edged right over Into the western hemisphere Chile has a military dic dic- dictatorship dictatorship dictatorship so firm as to rival Mus Mus- Mussolini's President Borno is altering the Haitian constitution so as to be become be- be become become come that republics republic's manon man man on horse horse- horseback back and the A. A A F. F of L L. has ex exposed ex- ex exposed posed the persecution of union labor under Machado In Cuba where here the constitution is also being revamped re to prolong the presidents president's term and fed fed- federalize Havana IIa vana In hi Mexico tha th dictatorship bogey bObey Is raised against a Obregon because he seeks a second non consecutive pres pres- presidential presIdential term All this may be but bu a swing of the pendulum but the symptoms of the dictatorship dicta trend are to be seen right here at home Terrific blasts have lately been de delivered de de- delivered livered at the direct primary system system tem tern by reactionary statesmen and politicians The direct primary is supposed to be one of the big bul bul- bulwarks bulwarks bulwarks of popular government In this country PRESIDENT NEAR DICTATOR Some folks are arc so convinced that the present bureaucracy Is working for lor a dictatorship that they have even formed an organization called the American Constitutional association association association to fight the trend The Incorporators Incorporators incorporators declare that the current rid rid- ridicule ridIcule ridicule to which Congress is constantly subjected and the tho gradual usurpation of the rights of the states are both botha a part of the Insidious attempt upon the right of free tree government School children ha e always been told that the president of this coun coun- country country country try held more power than most Eu Eu- European European monarchs which Is true Woodrow Wilson attained the high highwater highwater highwater water mark marie of presidential power to date during the tho war The presidents president's greatest instrument of power is still the of leto eto but It has seen ocen reinforced In recent years ears by oer o er important pow pow- powers powers powers ers The right of the president to remove all appointed at will which has been confirmed within the year ear Is another of his dictatorial powers The more congress is discredited the stronger becomes the position of the executive e The house ham ham- hamstrung hamstrung hamstrung strung by its rules is discredited and ruled by an oligarchy The senate where exists the unlimited debate which some liberals describe as the thelast thelast last bulwark b of democracy m is threat threat- threatened threatened i ened with drastic cloture The perfect type of man on horse- horse horseback horseback back sack In this country today is Vice President Danes Dawes who wants to abol abol- abolish abolIsh abolish ish the direct primary and amend the senator rules But Dawes Is so 1 0 Indi Indi- Individualistic Individualistic and so 60 unwilling to play the he game that Coolidge dislikes him The gossip Is that he will wili bs be b absent from the Republican national ticket In 1928 Frank O. O Lowden and Governor Ritchie of Washington are the latest lat st public figures to warn that popular government is on the defensive as ashe the he dictatorship movement gains strength Senator Norris used the argument In his third anti-third term blast and other progressives have echoed the thought oo |
