America—Land of Liberty

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 918, 11 March 1930, Page 8

America —Land of Liberty

ITS PROBLEMS REVIEWED CANDID remarks about politics, law and order and the administration of justice in America were made last evening by Dr. C. E. Martin, professor of international law at Washington University, in an address on “Contemporary Problems of American Society,” given in the Auckland University College.

On Labour in the United States Dr, Martin said the average American worker was something of a student. He knew a great deal more about economic theory, political science and world politics than the teller behind the grill. The American working man was fortunate in not being tied down to an official Labour Party for the expression of his political views. Although the Labour forces were suffi ciently numerous to outvote any other party, they had made it perfectly clear that they preferred freedom of political suffrage, and the results of recent elections showed that the Labour vote had been fairly evenly distributed between the two larger parties, the Democrats and the Republicans. “There will never be a Labour Government in the United States as there is in England because the labourers do not want a Labour Party,” Dr. Martin said. Labour in America was no longer regarded as a commodity; it had acquired a definite consciousness of its importance and power, and, along with industry and business, it was now able to press its fclaims through the proper political channels.

It was recognised, however, even by Labour itself, that, political victories must be sought through constitutional means. Direct action was not favoured, and Labour was not and in the opinion of the speaker, would not be dominant or dictatorial, for the reason that there could not be a preference of one class to the exclusion of another, as was happening in Russia. PROBLEM OF EDUCATION The greatest social problem confronting the Republic was that of education, continued the professor. The system had been built on the fallacy that education was the pana-

cea for all social ills of tlie body politic. Universities had become ‘‘intelligence factories,” turning out average citizens. Further, practical education bad been overdone, the classics and their culture having been relegated to the background. Discussing disregard for law and increase in crime, Dr. Martin said the prime cause was the transformation of the administration of justice into a process. In no instance was this so clearly exemplified as in the office of public prosecutor, which was as a rule a step to political advancement. The office was one which afforded opportunities for outside interests to exercise vengeance and to indulge in favouritism and it permitted occupants to rely too strongly upon their powers of oratory to the exclusion of worthier considerations. Another serious cause of the present laxity was the decline of popular faith in the efficacy of the machinery of justice and this was a factor which struck at the foundations of the State. Prohibition was a question upon which it was dangerous to prophesy, but it was safe to say that there was no likelihood of the amendment ever being repealed. In favour of prohibition it- could be said that it had abolished the saloon evil and had placed the working man in a better social and economic status than before, while on the other hand there were certain classes which were now consuming alcoholic liquor at a rate not previously dreamed of. There was also a danger that the lightness with which the amendment was regarded would lead to a wholesale disrespect for law and order. It was Impossible to ensure complete enforcement of prohibition, but it was possible and indeed probable that steps would be taken to ensure that the amendment was respected.