THE GOLD DECISIONS

When dollar diplomacy and the white man's burden led us to take the far-flung Philippines to our bosom there was considerable doubt whether the Constitution followed the flag. Mr. Dooley was asked what he thought about the problem. After considering a moment the humorist replied that he didn't know about that, but he was sure that the Supreme Court followed the election returns. Mr. Dooley apparently not only had a keen insight into his times but the ability to grasp and aptly phrase that which would have meaning for successive generations. Yesterday's "gold decisions" bear ample witness.

It would be futile to argue from precedent or constitutional interpretation against the court's decision. All that, supposedly, received learned consideration from the bench. The man who demanded this legislation had received the most emphatic endorsement ever vendered a chief executive by the American people- that was the controlling priciple stated or unstated.

Those classes of people must now stand aghast. First, those commentators on American government who held in their writings that the Supreme Court stood as a legal bulwark against democratic tyranny. Second, those foreign statesmen who recall what American writers and politicians said in connection with the war debts--that if was "morally reprehensible" for sovereign governments to "funk on their contracts." The third class is not really a class, it is just Senator Borah. Will he endeavor to have his legislation, making it impossible for governments that defaulted on their debt contracts to borrow again in the United States, made applicable to the Roosevelt government?