New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1919-02-17
RESPONSIBILITY TO
Be INTELLIGENT
F.P. O'Brien Discusses Important
Question Of Foreigners

''>A~~'NN'
with the subject ct Inc f-eSpol'S'-
hlitv to Pc IntelliGent:
"N-hct7oor VIC regard this moral is i
sue as the responsibility to be lntoli !
gent or as the peril of ignorance 1t IS |
still the same problem of oVerWhelm~ |
ing importance. but the emphasis is !
certainly not IDENTICAL Most ire
quently ana generally we have regard /
ed such questions with the viewpoint /
Of the individual, and as affecting IN
dfyiduals mainly. Such viewpoint \
! is particularly unsafe in society con-
stituted Oh democratic lines, Ignor-
ance. il1iteracy and prejudice are
everywhere recognized mistor-
tune ard a handicap for the indi-
vidual, but it is Of fundamental I'M
portance for us to recognize the M
pediment and the serious FISK to Il
society of free people that mas SuCh
unwieldy millstones tied to its gov
! rnmcntal and social life. The people
| Of the United States are by the very
| nature of their form of government
! required to think together and to
| act together. This demand pre-sup-
| poses that they are to be intelligent,
| literate, and tolerant. 1t likewise i'm
! poses q duty and obligation upon each
| one to promote that end.
The Law Expects Intelligence.
! TT is a presumption OF the law
that every one shall be familiar with
| what is legally required of him by
| it's enactments. ignorance is a weak
excuse for violating it's precepts. Such
! familiarity is a part Of his respon-
! sibility before the law. t is similar
| ly demanded of the soldier the
sailor that his responsibility shall
| comprise both the knowing and the
doing of his duty. If he fails this
! responsibility of his, he is a coward
| or a traitor. But what shall we say
of the citizen who neglects, shuns. or
betrays his not uncertain duty and
responsibility Is 1t possible that
! our civic consciousness may rise so
high in the future as to regard him
likewise a coward OR traitor or enemy
of dem ocracv? It is certainly q, safe
observation that such type is a
very undesirable sort of citizen, but
his usual comfortableness is not in
\ keeping with his undesirableness.
Some Responsibilities Definite.
I During the war period there have
4 | been continued reminders of the re-
sponsibility of each one to be loyal,
in word and spirit to America, our
| country. It was discovered that the
| IStu VI StlAA ulctIlLS aLIA IOAAlCIAIALLS
this loyalty was of essential impor-
! lance The responsibility to render
. service was presented in SO many
| ways by draft laws, by food regula-
tons by demands for maximum pro-
\ duction, by appeals for gigantic loans
and for generous gifts that the habit
| of service to the nations cause be-
came conta gious. The duty was SO
definite that it was comparatively
| easy to respond.
Others Easily Overlooked.
4 But when it comes to a moral
\ responsibility the duty Is less obvious,
i because it Is not SO definite and con-
4 crete. The unthinking will not only
i disregard but will often deny the
i existence of such duty. Already
8 there Is a marked tendency to regard
the war and all it's attendant prob
lens as settled and due to receive
a prompt dismissal from considera-
ton. The people of such views are
apparently disposed to have all the
q old prejudices, stupdities, confusions
y and injustices re-instated as though
they were simply normal and neces-
sary. They would even label a con-
4 scious and deliberate attempt to re-
duce some of these as a fad or in
n novation. It is merely a confession
4 of their own short sightedness to EN-
n ploy a shibboleth to discredit what
n is progressive and constructive be-
81 yond their understanding. Here is
n the application of their responsibility
n to become intelligently informed.
q Designating Intelligence.
d ITO be democratic one must think
n in terms of democracy and act in the
n SINE spirit OF the common good. The
Il negative of this is the spirit of dom
N nation and of intolerance, and one
81 need not look far to find it. Whether
u one traces it to ignorance or preju'
q dice, there Is no greater bane in the
81 intercourse of a free people. 1t sug-
n gests the subject of this article, al
s. though the readers of these para.
u graphs may not include many Of the
III sort touched most directly by sucf
ia reference. Unfortunate as it may be
81 democracy has been frequently called
81 the rule of mediocrity', largely be-
~ cause the expert and the specially
"a trained are so little respected I'll
M said that no premium is put upon in
IN telligence by us. The intolerance anc
M presumption Of the multitude or thu
M boss would dictate a policy or proceed
E ure to the expert, which virtual,
N means that he is disregarded. H
III may need counsel but not disrespec
n or rejection. Here is where German
ID administration of peace times laugh
IA US its best lesson. Although misdi
N rected for vicious purpose by her
" it is equally well adapted for worth