Waukesha Daily Freeman from Waukesha, Wisconsin • Page 6

Editorials He is a free man whom the truth makes free. --WILLIAM COWPER Senate Fails to Pass Constitution Safeguard By a margin of one vote Friday night the U.S. senate failed to give approval to a Bricker amendment substitute proposal to limit treaty making powers. The action apparently ended, at least for this year, efforts to strengthen the federal constitution against the threat of changes forced upon it by treaties. The compromise proposal offered by Senator Walter George (D.Ga.) would have nullified provisions of treaties and other international agreements which conflict with the constitution.

It also would have provided that international agreements other than treaties could become effective as international law only by an act of congress. It is a tragedy of no little consequence that so many representatives of the people in the senate (31) do not value ine federal constitution highly enough to save it from attack by treaty-making powers. Since January 20 the senate has been battling over adoption of the Bricker amendment and various compromise proposals to amend the constitution so as to make it impregnable to change outside the congress. That battle has now ended in failure and defeat. The irony of this situation is that crafty treaty writers -without any of the fanfare and opposition encountered in 'the senate have long been quietly at work rewriting provisions of the constitution and putting them into effect.

Their work can now go on unabated. The big opportunity-will come in 1955 when internationalists hope to reap rewards of 50 years of propagandizing Americans. This is the year when the United States charter will be revised. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles has already stated that revision of the charter offers "a ''great opportunity" for change. Under the UN charter delegates from nations all over the world may consider practically any subject they choose, draft a law, call it a treaty, get it ratified by member nations and then declare it international law in the countries which adopt it.

Since the framers of the U.S. constitution never conceived of this country joining a world union of nations, they wrote into it no safeguards against changing the law of the land by treaty. Judging from the temper of the founding fathers they would certainly have done so had they foreseen this possibility. But today we do not have enough members in the United States senate who see a threat to constitutional government to adopt even a watered down version of the Bricker amendment. The final vote for the George amendment was 60 to 31 in favor of it one short of the required two-thirds majority needed to adopt a constitutional change.

Dramatically Senator Harley Kilgore (D.WVa.) arrived late and cast his ballot on the side of George amendment objectors. It was enough to defeat the proposed change. We hope Senator Kilgore, and millions of Americans who support the principles of our constitution, will not live to regret his decision. If the fight over the Bricker amendment has accomplished nothing more, it unquestionably has alerted the nation to the threat of treaty-making powers and there certainly will be a new awareness to the dangers inherent in them. Power to Vote as Vital As the Right to Vote When President Eisenhower in January said he favored lowering the voting age to 18 years, just about everyone had an opinion.

Those who favored the president's proposal argued--and with some merit--that boys who are called upon to fight for their country, should also be allowed to vote. But there is a less spectacular issue which gets very little attention, even though it is basically the right of servicemen to vote, regardless of age. Of the million men and women in the armed forces, more than two million are old enough to vote under the present 21-year-old law. But 36 of the 48 states either ban or hamper absentee voting by servicemen. Surely here is a situation that ought to be corrected before any attempts are made to lower the voting age.

It is a iragic thing that men and women 21 and above who serve their country cannot vote simply because the laws of 36 slates do not provide adequate machinery. This, it seems to us, is a much more important issue than lowering the voting age and must take precedence over other voting problems. among the 36. In his 'state of the union' message Jan. 7, the president asked congress to cooperate with the states in the adoption of uniform voting laws to smooth the way for ballots by overseas servicemen.

Under the constitution, the states have the main authority in establishing voting procedures but congress may change the rules governing federal elections. A servicemen's voting law has been on the books since 1942. In 1944, congress provided a federal ballot, but this innovation was not revived for later elections. Current law relies on state ballots, with the federal government offering tools and suggesting standards for making them more effective. States are not compelled to follow the advice of congress and critics of the present law demand stronger provisions.

One bill now before congress is the same as a measure which ran out of gas halfway to enactment in 1952. Sponsored by Rep. John W. McCormack the bill sets up four standards of adequacy for state absentee voting laws. It calls for: Provision for voting by all qualified members of the armed forces; waiver of personal appearance; recognition of federal post cards as valid applications for ballots; availability of ballots for mailing to servicemen 45 days before the deadline for counting.

Under the McCormack bill, servicemen from states failing to comply with these standards would get the chance to vote on federal ballots. Congress should make a sincere effort during the present session to adopt this bill or one that is similar which would give the power to vote to those who already possess the right. New Burst of Loyalty To Memory of Stalin A parade of top Soviet general officers this week paid glowing tribute in the Moscow press to the leadership of the armed forces by the Communist party and Stalin. The tributes, coming on the Soviet army day last Tuesday, laid such heavy stress on party devotion that they suggest an internal necessity to impress the point upon armed forces, party and public. Mention of 'Stalin had just a hint of the unabashed extravagance which attended use of his name in the press during his lifetime.

They were an indication that Stalinism still reigns in Moscow, although Hhe leaders' glory has been somewhat dimmed in death. The stream of laudatory articles gives the impression that the party's present rulers have reached some sort of understanding with the armed forces. The articles read almost as if all had been dictated by the same source and were in the discharge of an obligation. If the party has the armed forces safely under control, the Kremlin power struggle may be over, at least for the time being. The struggle reached a climax last July with the arrest of Lavrenty P.

Beria. As head of the interior ministry, he bossed a private army for which the regular army officers had no love. Drive carefully in bad weather and you will have a better chance of being around until it changes for the better. By William Norris in the Milwaukee Sentinel: Waukesha County Wisely Hires a Planner The Waukesha county board has done a wise and farsighted thing. It has hired a county planner.

No county in the state, unless it be Milwaukee countj, has more need of careful, long-range piannmg than Waukesha county. It is tnc state's fastest growing county, judged by percentage of population increase. It is a county of change and multiplying problems. It is rich in agriculture, but its industries have far outdistanced its farms in their contribution to the economy. It is partially (and increasingly) a suburban county.

The eastern tier of towns--Menomonee, Brookfield, New Berlin, Muskego--are rapidly becoming part of metropolitan Milwaukee. With its lakes and moraines, Waukesha county is also a summer and winter playground for Milwaukeeans. Its troubles are mostly made in Milwaukee. It is Milwaukee traffic that has sent Waukesha county's highway death rate to a record high. That traffic will increase; so will the death rate unless something rather radical is done about it.

The hundreds of new homes going up all over Wuukesha county's hills and fields are being built mostly by or for Milwaukeeans. Waukesha county' schools are bursting at the seams with the children of young couples who used to live in Milwaukee. As the new homes go up, new schools also go up--and so do school tax rates in many of the school districts. It is easy to see that the future of Waukesha county depends largely on what Milwaukeeans arc doing now and what they will do in the future. And it is equally true thai what Waukesha county does now to guide and control its growth is of great importance to Milwaukeeans, especially to those who -will some day leave the Big City and move across the county line.

The young man hired as Waukesha county planner is William L. Nelson, of the planning staff of the Milwaukee land commission. It is a fortunate choice, both for Waukesha county and for Milwaukee. While Milwaukee will be losing a good planning technician, there will be compensation in the fact that Nelson will know Milwaukee's problems as well as Waukesha county's, and will understand how closely they are all intertwined. This columnist has watched a lot of planners over the years, both Milwaukee planners and others.

Not many of them have had a more sensitive appreciation of the land and its proper uses than young Nelson. On many occasions his plans were aimed at bringing into the city some of the ease, openness and beauty of country living. At the same time he is realist enough to know that a community must be efficient as well as comfortable, whether it be a big city community or a semi-rural community like Waukesha county. As Nelson well knows, there is a big challenge in Waukesha county. For the long pull, there are river courses that can become canoe and hiking trails, saddle paths and parkways.

There are lake to be developed, kettle moraines ideally suited for camp sites and parks, marshes that should be preserved as wild life sanctuaries. There are areas to be planned for industrial expansion, other areas for subdividing, still others for commercial use. And several hundred square miles that will remain in farms for a long, long time. It's no small job that Bill Nelson is undertaking. Up and Down Broadway in Waukesha Contented Cow by Shoemaker Army Style in Waukesha in 1899 W.

J. Wallace, 121 E. Park one of the fellows who sent us an old-timers sketch of himself recently, dropped by with a momento of the past. It was a program from a dinner served by the "Red Cross Society" and sponsored by the city as a welcome home to Co. 4th Wisconsin Volunter Infantry.

The occasion was the return of the company from Anniston, where, we presume, they were doing "occupation" duty. The date March 2, 1899. Some of the names may or may not be familiar but we'll give listing of a few of the principals cited on the program. F. J.

Clasen was toastmaster and of course the mayor was on hand to give the welcome address. Hizzoner at that time was A. F. Warden. Will E.

Meagher sang a song along with the Hayes Glee club. And then there were speakers such as Prof. C. 0. Merica, Capt.

W. C. Agnew, T. E. Ryan, Lt.

D. J. Martin, C. E. Armin, Col.

H. M. Enos and Lt. T. W.

Haight. After the big dinner, guests were invited to shake it up at the Athenaeum where the Waukesha Wheelman club was holding a dance. Other names on the program were committee members planning the event. There might be a few familiar ones here M. L.

Butterfield, Claud Butter-, field, Miss Bessie Agnew, Fred Phelps, Capt. M. M. Maxon, W. A.

Gault, W. A. Nickell, Mrs. W. L.

Davis, Mrs. G. 0. Austin, Mrs. G.

Carleton, Mrs. J. K. Anderson, Mrs. G.

L. Walker, A. W. Jones and Walter Hartshorn. We Hope We Live to See the Day Which calls for a litile speculation: There's no doubl in our minds lhai, some day In the disianl future if we don't blast ourselves off the earth with fission and fusion weapons -we mortals will be able to control our weather and temperature right down to a snowflake or a single degree of temperature.

The secret lies in the use of large plastic "bubbles" somewhat like those used over cockpits of modern airplanes. Such bubbles already are being used over outdoor swimming pools to keep out unpleasant weather. We here," in the northern climes, will be able to surround ourselves our homes and yards and entire play areas with electronically heated plastic bubbles and keep out snow and ice and cold weather whenever we chose. We'll be able to live and work and walk around inside the bubbles dressed for July weather even though the calander says January. Don't Stop Us.

You've Heard This From a kolm friend, Dominic Rapani, comes a little story that's always worth repeating around election time. We might have used it before, but who's to condemn Up and Down Broadway for repeating itself once in a while? After all, it's one of the oldest kolms of its kind in the country. The story: Three men were arguing over whose profession was first established on earth. Said the surgeon: "The bible says Eve was made by carving a rib out of Adam. I guess that makes mine the oldest profession." The engineer said: "Not at all, old An engineering job came before that.

In six days the earth was created out of chaos and that was an engineer's job." Said the politician: "Yeah, but who created the chaos?" 4 (By the way, Dominic, what kind of ribbon is that you use in your typewriter? From here it looks like purple in. Right?) Tom and Gene Yesteryears on Broadway February 27, 1932 It may interest you folks to know that Glen Macomber, who has contributed poems to this column, is having a- booklet printed containing his entire selection of verse. He has promised to give me a copy when the printing is done and unless he forgets, you will read something on this subject again. As I explained before, this column on Monday will appear above a new signature because of the extra (leap year) day. I haven't decided what to do from now until Tuesday, just sit, probably, and sing "Time'on my Hands." You should be warned to be prepared for Monday's column.

There's no telling what V. B. might write. G. H.

K. UNDER THE CAPITOL DOME, With John Wyngaord 'Both Swift and Commission Were at Fault' MADISON observer who has watched affairs in Wisconsin conservation administration for a reasonable period is likely to have a neutral attitude in the new crisis that is boiling there. It is now fairly evident that Conservation Director Ernest F. Swift quit his job as an expression of revolt against the present members of the conservation commission and that he had been holding in reserve, for quite a an offer of a federal government job for exactly such a contingency. Who is right, Swift the director of the department, or the men on the commission who serve as the part-time policy-makers and hired him for his position after the "resignation" of another director under whom Swift had served as a subordinate eight years ago? There are rumors and allegations, and charges and countercharges.

The facts of the matter, however, will be difficult to achieve and there is no real hope that a legislative committee will do any better at the chore than the professional reporters who have been watching the conservation department for a long time. BOTH DESERVE CRITICISM There is probably a poetic justice, so to speak, in the commission's embarrassing situation today, for it is quite clear that the commission has lost some rounds in the publicity about its troubles to date. Commissioners on the have been arrogant and stubborn and proud, seeming to hold that they possessed their offices out of some superior virtues and attainments, rather than out of the simple political circumstance that they knew a governor at a time when a commission vacancy occurred. It is difficult to resist the temptation, in this context, to point out that if the commissioners during these many past years had not treated the conservation department as a conquered political province, as a private property, and locked the doors on their deliberations with such obdurate regularity, they might now have a greater public understanding and sympathy. Many of the charges and counter-charges now being made could be evaluated for their real worth, had there been full public information about the relevant incidents in the first place.

There is something inherent about a conservation commission seat that changes the minds and outlooks of men. It has happened to dozens over the years. They come into office full of democratic instincts, eager to serve the public good, humble and genuinely concerned about their responsibilities. But they change quickly into men who seem to feel that they have a proprietorship. SWIFT It is easy to be neutral about Director Swift's difficulties, whatever merit his particular proposals that were in conflict with commission ideas may have had, because of the recollection of the circumstances under which he rose to his job in the first place.

Mr. Swift's predecessors had i troubles also. And Mr. Swift eagerly took the directorship, with full knowledge of what had gone before. No one ever bothered to look into the circumstances of the "resignation" of E.

J. Vanderwall, the immediately preceding conserva- tion director, as they are now clamoring for an investigation of the circumstances of Swift's departure. There is reason to believe that it wasn't wholly voluntary, but there was nothing to show that Swift hesitated to take his place on that account. Director Swift has shown a breadth of comprehension of conservation problems that has set him apart from most of the officeholders in his field. He has shown a rare courage, upon occasion.

And yet close observation has made it clear to many persons that his administration a wholly happy and that there were some subordinates who feared him, while obeying him. Swift was more successful in his public capacity he had a gift for the apt speech and the striking phrase-than he was as captain of his big service A common complaint was that he was virtually inaccessible to his staff, even the ranking officers at his headquarters. There were petty feuds and quarrels within the service that had no possible relation to the commission's delinquencies, whatever they may have been. History in Review NINETY YEARS AGO Defeat The rebel papers report Gen. Sherman's march through Mississippi as a triumphant affair.

The rebels being badly whipped wherever they attempted to stand. No returns of losses on either side, except that cavalry lost 200 men at Jackson. Expedition The great cavalry expedition under Smith and Grierson has been heard from. They found that nearly all the rebel forces in Mississippi had gone to join Folk's command FORTY-FIVE YEARS AGO LAFF-A-DAY King Feature Artists j- 1954 King Syndiote. Inc.

World njhti rcxnei "Have you noticed how all the girls' mothers smile at now that we're approaching marriageable THE GOOD "So there shall be one flock, one shepherd." John 10:16 The writer of Psalm 23. have The Lord his "shepherd" be. we find Jesus felt the same. -And liked to have "The Shepherd" name. to Him and then we read.

John 10 how He'll meet the need all His sheep, not just one fold. how their safety He will His hand then we are sure. as His sheep we are secure. JUIIEN C. HYER Text of International Sunday School Lesson for tomorrow.

Waukesha Daily Freeman An Independent Newspaper Established 1859 Published every afternoon except Sunday by the FREEMAN PRINTING COMPANY 200-204 PARK PLACE Entered at the Waukesha, Wis. Postoffice as second class matter under the act of March 3. 1879 Saturday, February 27, 1954 PRIVATE PHONE EXCHANGE No 3355 Art for Department or Person Desired Basketball Games At Racine Friday evening the Waukesha first basketball team won by a score of 17 to 16 from the Racine first, and the second team lost by a score of 14 to 131. At Elkhorn during the week, both teams lost, the first team 26 to 22 and the second team 18 to 17. Griffith Ellis, a pioneer tencher of the country, has taken the agency for the Manual Smith Company of Minneapolis, who furnish heating and ventilating plants for public schools.

Mr. Ellis expects soon to make a tour of the schools of the country in the interest of the company. The plant is the leading one in use in the country. Abbott Promoted After a successful period as manager of the Cudahy market on East avenue, E. P.

Abbott has been promoted and takes a position for the company at Flint, Michigan. His uniformly genial ways and strict attention to business have resulted in a large augmentation of business for his company and his promotion indicates that the company fully appreciates the work. Mr. Abbott will be succeeded here by George Long, who has been assisting at another Cudahy establishment in Waukegan and has proven his ability and worth Mr. Abbott will leave here next Sunday but his family will not go until a later date.

Congress The reactionaries in congress are so occupied with the efforts to conserve the present rulers of the house that they have little time to devote to the subject of the conservation of the natural resources of the country which deserve attention and require it. TEN YEARS AGO Favors Enlarging Airport -Mayor George W. Courts lent his support to plans for enlarging the Waukesha county airport saying the city of Waukesha would back the county in any attempts to receive federal or state aid or to enlarge the airport with their own funds. "I am firmly convinced that the only cities which will get ahead after the war are those that will have large airports," Coutts said. He revealed that discussion of enlarging the Waukesha county airport to suit postwar needs had of the city's postwar planning com- of the city's postwar plannin gcom- mi'ttee but had not been incorporated in present plans.

Schedule Meetings A scries of milk production meetings will be held next week in Waukesha to determine methods which can be used for saving feed, at the same time increasing milk production, J. F. Thomas, county agent, announced. Norman Meineke will outline a plan that has been submitted by the dairy department at the University of Wisconsin to the counties actively participating in this campaign. Meineke will also discuss the expansion of Waukesha county's dairy testing program.

Ration Board Names Rent Control Clerk Mrs. Gertrude Yatzeck, a member of the Waukesha ration board, has been named rent clerk for the Waukesha board, it was learned here. Mrs. Yatzeck will have charge of the rent control here while another clerk will be named for that position in Oconomowoc. Persons with rent problems and questions are invited to visit their local board offices, where they will be referred to the rent clerk..