LOGIC
Keductio ad Absurdum
The above phrase means “reduced
to an absurdity.” Oftentimes the
falsity of an argument or a position
can be clearly shown by continuing
the argument and showing the “ab
surdity.”
Probably the best argument that
can be made to support a Literacy
Test Bill is contained in the last
issue of the Alaska Legionnaire.
First, lie says: “A number of years
ago Congress in its wisdom made
literacy a requisite for an immigrant
to enter this country.” And, again,
“If illiterate immigrants are right
fully barred as undesirable, etc.’
The bill to which the writer re
ferred did not become a law and so
more than one half of the editorial
can be passed over.
The second argument reads like
this: “To be consistent, like the
politicians, if a man is good enough
to fight he is good enough to vote.
If he is good enough to vote, he is
god enough to hold office. If he is
good enough to hold ofifce he is
good enough to be selected to a high
executive position, even though he
has to depend on someone else to
read state documents for him and
affix his official signature with a
mark. The Legion is able to dis
tinguish that although a man might
be physically qualified for combat
he may not be mentally competent
to discharge one of the highest
duties of citizenship.”
Is there a thing wrong with the
logic of the Legion writer? Not a
thing. The above statement is a
good definition of a pure democracy.
I would change one sentence to read,
“providing the majority of the citi
zens want that man to be elected
to a ‘high executive position even
though he has to depend on someone
else to lead state documents for
him and affix his official signature
with a mark.’ ”
Let the Legion members reread
the Declaration of Independence, and
square their resolution against illit
eracy with that great cradle of our
liberties. “To secure these ends
(pursuit of life, liberty and happi
ness), governments were established
among men, deriving their just pow
ers from the consent of the gov
erned.” . This is the challenge of the
Alaska Fisherman to the American
Legion. It is not whether or not
I am a “cheap politician.” The
thinking citizens of Alaska know
that the literacy test issue has not
been raised to strike at the Natives.
It is something entirely different,
altho many sincere people believe
in the measure. The real purpose
of those who raised the issue is to
cut down the liberal and labor vote.
It is a measure proposed to con
tinue in power the Bert Faulkner
Robertson-Troy-Tripp-Bone machine.
But let us keep to the philoso
phical discussion of the literacy bill.
1 ask the editor of the Legionnaire
to square th eresolution with the
Constitution of our country. Certain
ly he cannot look any further or
deeper for true principles of demo
cracy. The Constitution begins:“Wc
the PEOPLE of the United States,
in order to form a more perfect
Union, establish Justice, insure do
mestic Tranquility, * and to se
cure the blessings of liberty to our
selves and our Posterity.”
I believe that of all organizations
who have proposed a literacy test,
the American Legion has the least
prejudice. The trouble is not with
their intention to be just and fair,
but the failure to study tne rights
of so-called illiterates, or the animus
which first proposed this literacy
test. The superficial treatment
which the proposed measure would
afford and the utter lack of effort
on the part of proposers of this
measure to go to the root of the
trouble is an evidence of ignorance.
The cure is not to have a literacy
test law, but t<> provide adequate
schoo’s for all children and a strong
compulsory school law with officers
to see that all children shall go to
school. This is the final test of
consistency and sincerity.
At Juneau, where the Legiomure
is printed, all Natives pay the school
tax,, but no child goes to the public
school, supported in part by these
funds until the school board has
made the child comply with many
conditions which are not imposed
on any other race, or color. Foi
years, sixty or more of these chil
dren have been crowded into a crack
er box, with no facilities, and only
one teacher, who was asked to teach
all grades. This same is true of
Ketchikan, Petersburg', Douglas, am1
Sitka. The facts are really worse,
for these incorporated towns con
tribute directly only one-fourth of
the school expenses, deriving; the
other 75 per cent from territorial
funds. Thus native communities
where there is no public school what
ever, like Yakutat, Hoonah, Kake,
KiHisnoo, Angoon, Bayview and oth
ers are contributing to the support
of these schools from which Indian
children are excluded.
Lastly, if 1 were a mere “cheap
politician,” 1 would drop the school
issue. 1 would also drop the “trap
issue.” Hundreds of children in
Alaska are growing' up in compara
tive ignorance because of the lack
of school facilities due to the direct
opposition of the territorial school
authorities. Thousands of laboring
men are kept in comparative pov
erty by the ravages of the Fish
Trap. These questions will not be
settled until they are settled right.
We have no quarrel with the Am
erican Legion; but we believe that
they are wrong' on this issue, not
because the bulk of the Legion are
wrong, but because certain leaders
of theirs, living in the false atmos
phere of Juneau, have not taken the
care to go to the root of the ques
tion. I hope the Legion editor would,
in his next issue, treat with the
Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution and square his argu- •
ment with these great documents.
Never mind my poor1 efforts. Tackle
the cradles of our liberties and see
if your literacy test for voters can
be justified therein.
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