WAR SECRETARY GIVES PESSIMISTIC VIEW OF TENDENCIES OF AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT
Cleveland, Ohio (JFK+50) On June 15, 1922, Secretary of War John W. Weeks* gave "a frankly pessimistic view of some of the predominant tendencies of American political thought."
In his commencement address at Western Reserve University**, the Secretary maintained "the drift of recent years was gradually weakening the nation's government structure by undermining the Constitution and sweeping away the principles of party responsibility."
Mr. Weeks gave examples including the direct primary, 'bloc' agitation and constitutional amendments.
He said the federal legislative branch had never been at such a "low ebb."
*John Wingate Weeks (1860-1926) was born in Lancaster, N.H. & graduated U.S. Naval Academy, 1881. He served as a Lt. in the Spanish-American War, U.S. House of Representatives, 1905-1913, U.S. Senate, 1913-1919, Sec of War, 1921-1923.
**Western Reserve University, located in Hudson, Ohio, was founded in 1826. It was named for its being within the Connecticut Western Reserve & was called "the Yale of the West."
SOURCES
"America Menaced By Political Tendencies Mr. Weeks Asserts," The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., June 15, 1922, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/
"John W. Weeks (1921-1923), U.S. President Warren G. Harding, UVA Miller Center, www.millercenter.org/
