The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-03-10
X X X
Appreciation of a
Many-Sided Man

~ EW financiers in this country
Is are so we'll known by name in
the business world as Otto H. Kahn,
but he is just as familiar figure in
the world of art, while to the general
public he is known best of all as a
writer and speaker on patriotic sub
jects. A native of Germany, he is
passionately devoted to America, and
has "a clearer understanding of what
constitutes patriotism at this hour
than many a native born American"
Mr.. Kahn's addresses on the right
eousness of Americas war against
the central powers, delivered on vari-
Gus occasions within recent months,
and widely circulated in pamphlet
form, have been at once chaste, human
and authoritative. AS man Of letters
his style is both clear and contentious
and no collection of political or social
maxims would be complete without
excerpts from his Milwaukee address
on the "Poison Growth of Prussian-
ism," and his address given at the
University of Wisconsin on "Frenzied
Liberty-the Myth of a Rich Mans
War"
In discussing the militant bolshe-
wiki in our Midst" Mr.. Kahn Says:
The preachers and devotees of lib
erty run amuck, who would place
visionary class interest above patri-
otism and who in ignorant fanaticism
rould substitute for the tyranny of
autocracy the still more Intolerable
tyranny of mob rule as for the time
being they have done in Russia
If it were not for the dlsablement
of Russia, the battle against autocracy
would have been won ny now AS SO
often before liberty has been wound
ed in the house of its friends. Lib
erty in the wild and freakish hands
of fanatics has once more, as fire.
quently in the past, proved the ef-
fective helpmate of autocracy and the
twin brother of tyranny = =
The deadlest foe of democracy is
not autocracy, but liberty frenzed
Liberty is not fool-proof. For it's
y beneficent working it demands self
restraint, a sane and clear recognition
Of the practical and attainable and
Of the fact that there are laws of
nature which are beyond our power
TO change.
Liberty can, does and must limit the
rights Of the strong, it must increas-
ingly guard and promote the we'll
being of those endowed with lesser
gifts for the struggle for existence
and success, it must strive in every
way consistent with sane recognition
Of the realities to make life more
worth living to those whose existence
is cast in the mold of the vast aver
s age of mankind; 1t must give political
equality, equality before the law; 1t
must throw wide open to talent and
worth the door of opportunity
But 1t must not attempt in fatuous
recklessness to make over humanity
or the pattern Of absolute equality.
If and when it does SO attempt, it
will fail as that attempt has always
failed throughout history. For an in
scrutable province has made in
equality of endowment fundamental
law OF nature, animate as well as in
animate. and from inequality of phys
ical strength, of brain power and OF
character, springs inevitably the fact
Of inequality Of results.
Mr.. Kahn has faith in the ultimate
triumph Of right and thinks that
after little while and much suffer
ing the supremacy of sanely re-
strained individualism over frenzied
collectiyism will reassert ITSELF" even
A. Russia.
Current Opinion of this month,