Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-10-02

men of this country, but I have not
| done and shall not do, such thing.
If there are among women the vir-
tues Of stalwart conscience and the
finest appreciation of the needs of hu-
mainly. as | think there are. then the
words that might be in my heart to
say to women would be better ad-
dressed by me to the men of the
United States.
! l have refused. and | refuse now,
to make an emotional or meretrlc-
! ious appeal to the hearts of the wo-
men Of America When we all ac-
knowledge that the time and the con-
| ditions of the world call for fuller
recognition of human rights. the pro-
| lection of the life of human beings
and the conservation of our human
! resources, it becomes the duty Of the
women of America, and it becomes
my duty, to deal with these matters
of social justice upon a high plane of
an idealism which is not too proud to
work. More, it is our duty to con-
slider without hypocrisy or high
sounding phrases program of ac-
ton. And it is my duty to address
not only you who are women. now
entering by justice, by the principles
of sound democracy, and by the wis
dom of a progressive civilization, into
citizenship. but also to address.
through you, every American who is
| interested in our common welfare.
| pledge myself today to support
with all that is in me whatever prac-
teal policy of social welfare and So
cial justice can be brought forward
by the combined wisdom of all Amer
leans. Nothing can concern Amer
lea, and nothing can concern me as
an American, more deeply than the
health, the happiness and the enlight-
ment of every fellow American.
Would Have All Americans Safe
l believe that none of us can be
safe and happy or reach our finest
growth until We have done our ut
most to see that all Americans are
safe.
The social justice that I conceive
is not paternalisnl. 1t would be easy
to make 1t SO, and dangerous indeed
to the best spirit that Americans can
have-the spirit. of expressing by the
individual free will ones own mer-
its. capacity and worth. We do not
want government to suppress that
expression Of free will, even by be-
nevolence, but we do mean to pre-
serve in America an equal opportuni-
ty and a preparedness for self -ex-
preston therein, even though we use
the. government to do it,
Not Mere Sentiment
Social justice, on the other hand,
is not a mere sentiment To my
mind social justice policy in gov
eminent can not and should not be
confined to program for the flow
of benefits from some uncertain and
magic source at the seat of governA
ment | could not even consider a
policy of social justice which is con-
ceived. as so many Missionaries con-
celve 1t, as a right of mankind l
will only consider it as an obligation
Of mankind.
L refuse to subscribe to the doc
trine which has gone 80 far to de-
lude the world that even citizenship
is based UPON rights. 1 believe, and
!
is based upon obligation.
| will not even approach the con-
sideration Of policy of social JUS
ticc unless it is founded on the stall
Wart American doctrine of the duties
of every one of us to all of us. The
first measure of social justice to
which America must always devote
herself is the duty of citizenship to
vote with conscience to preserve laws
ana to demand their enforcement.
1t is the obligation of all true Amer
leans to live clean lives and to en-
gage with head and hands in honest,
useful production and toll.
Best Social Welfare Worker
The best social welfare worker in
the world is the man or woman who
lives righteously and does the task
well which he or she is most capable
OF doing, thereby adding to the sum
total OF human accomplishment
Civilization, however, has recop-
nized, and sound administration Of
public affairs will recognize with in
creasing conviction, that individu-
alism and the free willed self-ex-
preston of the individual, even the
safety and the prosperity of all of us
may not be maintained if We do not
act together to maintain them .
Ihere can be no more efficient
way of advancing humanitarian
program than by adapting the ma
chinery of our federal government
to the purposes we desire to attain.
While others may have their eyes
fixed upon some particular piece OF
legislation, or some particular policy
of social justice which calls for the
sympathetic interest of us all, l say,
without hesitation, that our primary
consideration must be the machinery
of administration. and that when the
time comes for us to reorganize our
administrative government in Wash
ington, we must all stand together
for the creation of a department of
public welfare.
At the present time we find social
welfare bureaus and social welfare
undertakings scattered hopelessly
through the departments, sometimes
the one overlapping the work of the
other and sometimes, indeed, en-
gaging in chickering's between them
selves. The picture is one Of in
efficiency and of wasted funds.
I have no doubt that there will be
some who will find in this proposal
cause for calling me an extremist,
but when we have task to do,
hoc diofo FRA