-2-                             
 
 
democratic success than at any time since the foundation of our
Government - possible exception of Lincoln' s struggle for both the
Union and democracy; and you know two Senators and the most powerful
House leader expressed their
satisfaction when Lincoln was murdered.  Lincoln's plan for
reconstruction was democratic, even his slavery attitude.
 
 
The Supreme Court has often had very able judges, but their majorities
have nearly always opposed democratic principles.  I need not mention
again positive proofs of this think of the Newberry ruling of the
Supreme Court on Hughes' argument|  The Constitution does not grant
power to overrule Congress and Presidents' agreements on measures, much
as some lawyers argue that it does.  However, an amendment ought now to
be passed by the States, only millions of dollars would be spent in
critical States to defeat the resolutions to that effect.  No other
democracy in the world has a court to defeat acts of national
legislatures; and the Nazi papers here have more than once spoken of
our judicial dictatorship.
 
 
What can your Administration do in case your leading measures are
defeated? I think there might be a nation-wide campaign in 1938 on the
basic question: whether our country will save its democracy.  With
Europe about to go Nazi or Fascist, our people might be brought to give
another great vote like that of 1936.  You know how much propaganda is
being made in our country for Naziism or Fascism- scores of paid agents
active in all the greater cities(1).  I only wish you and your
cooperative friends may be able to make our faith in democracy plain to
all the world.
 
 
Sincerely yours,
 
William E. Dodd (signed)
 
 
(1) Even communists of Russia make propaganda with us.
(15) Schacht