Word: referendum
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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...your editorial, "Legislating Peace," you declared that a war referendum would probably bring a vote for war. Possibly such would be the outcome; but who can be more surely depended upon to keep us out of war than the mass of the voters? Still, as in 1917, they are the most pacific group in the nation after months of interventionist propaganda. Can we rely on the President after his disregard of the neutrality laws, after his Chicago speech, after the tone of his representations to Japan in the "Panay" incident? Or can we rely on the Diplomatic Service, as notoriously...
When the House of Representatives convenes today, it will begin the discussion of the Ludlow War Referendum Amendment, another in the modern series of peace panaceas. Like so many similar plans, it is totally impractical. Like all attempts to paralyze further American foreign policy, it is potentially harmful to the very cause it wishes to promote. Congress can never legislate peace, and the longer it continues to try, the nearer will be second World...
Representative Ludlow proposes an amendment to the Constitution prohibiting Congress from declaring war, except in case of invasion, until the nation casts a favorable vote in a general referendum. Presumably he expects that the vote would be negative. The masses have never yet demonstrated calmness and clear thinking in the face of jingoistic propaganda, but even if the vote were negative, nothing would be solved. International conditions would change, and in a week another referendum would be necessary. While the nation was busy conducting Mr. Ludlow's weekly referendums, the central government would be paralyzed. As a peace measure...
...compromise between complete neutrality as expressed in the Oxford Pledge, and collective security, the Harvard resolution as adopted appeased isolationists with provisions for supporting constitutional amendments calling for a national referendum to declare war, and an anti-conscription amendment. A provision for endorsing economic sanctions drew votes from the collective security adherents...
Stimson on Ludlow. Alf Landon's complaint against Congress was due to the Ludlow Resolution (TIME, Dec. 27), a proposed amendment to the Constitution providing for declaration of war by national referendum rather than act of Congress. The Ludlow Resolution has almost no chance of passage anyway, but Henry L. Stimson, who succeeded Frank Kellogg as Secretary of State, came to aid his own embarrassed successor, Cordell Hull. Policies of the U. S. State Department change less with changing administrations than those of any other department. Secretary Stimson and Secretary Hull see almost eye to eye on many matters...