Norwich bulletin., 1920-06-23
TO THE EDITOR
The Right of Independence.

Mir Editor One hundred and forty five wears ago our forefathers raised the cry of "self-deternination." GoVern- ments derive their first powers from the consent of the governed was heid oy them to be a fact. So they do, within limits But is it not practical fact that in 8 world of adults, nationally speaking, nations in state Of childhood can not with perfect safety be turned absolutely loose No line of argument can bolster up any such idea. It will be a step in the right direction if we can break away from the easy but wholly er- roneous notion that whenever any peo- ple demands to be free it ought to be free from all oversight. No one de. nies the justice of freedom from cruel explorations or oppression. But com plete independence is another question. Independence depends upon the respon- sibility of the people making the demand At this distance discerning minds can see no occasion to doubt the sufficient re- sponsibility of Ireland. But discerning minds can see every reason to doubt the i responsibility. of the illiterate Egyptian fellaheen.
 Obligations are imposed by independ- ence, Unless one is prepared to give rec ognition to those obligations and fulfill them in reasonable manner. one has nc | national entity To assume respensi- , blity of all men equally is sheer non 1 sense. and where such responsibility is non-existcnt, guardianship among nations is exactly as necessary and exactly as justifiable as it is among individual hu- man eingS-fereigne or the mentally deficient. or the pauperized. This world | of ours is dependent upon intelligence and
 good faith. For the visionary who l Rct free as the tutored, because freedom is a natural right" We have no indulgence | toward. Political independence is a ! natural right, in the world that we now | know. only for such as can exercise that
 right without prejudice to the peace and security of themselves and others. There i remain numerous races of whom this
 proves to use their coveted freedom sim
 ply. cannot be epostulated by any human | being with ordinary intelligence.
 l Freedom is very precious thing
 a too precious thing to De considered | lightly. It is an edged tool. capable of doing infinite harm in the wrong hands 1 It is sheer insanity to overlook the fact 1 The peopie who overlook it are as a
 rule those who do spoil their own chill dren through unt,illingness to cross them
 in any way. even for their own geod. The Egyptians want to be free-and lttie l Eddie, aged five and a half years, wants
 rifle Egypt is about as fit politically \ to be independent as little Eddie is te possess a rifle, or use his dads old
 fashioned razor as a piaythins. There it
 a stage in every development when inde. pendence is both necessary and right ,l The most that can safely be done in sucl cases is lay the sure foundation for uiti,
 mate rise to the actual fitness te be free Even then it may prove to be inpossi,
 ble of attainment. It is very unlikely
 ever to be achieved & by, the tnoderr
 Egyptians. It is very dubious of tn, people of British India. And one ha. very faint hopes of the F'ilipines-ant yet one entertains a doubt that their day
 has yet dawned. But there never hal
 been a time when our theorists did no demand immediate independence for tn, Filipino, on the amazing ground that be
 cause other men were free and mad
 good use of their independence the Til l ipino ought also to be free and woult , similarly make good use of his inde l pendence. That last, unfortunately, i
 something that cannot be assumed ei
 hand. Fitness for independence canno
 be created where it does net exist, an,
 more than 3, lad of seven can be mad . as wise as an adult of f1fty-seven, or spendthrift into man of prudence, o
 a lunatic into a sage, by mere Na
 of emancipation.
 a Crimes. are perpetuany committed ii t the name of liberty, and nonsense I | perpetually being talked in the name O
 the national right of all peoples to D
 independent. = Even that wise law Of ou k own progenitors~ referring the just DOW CTS of the government to the eonsen f of the governed needs qualification wit
 reference to human imperfeetioas. An
 it must, not be forgotten that our ow
 country demand, in blood and Eroan, the right of its several component state d to be seIf-deterninative, independenti, O of the government of our Union.
 EUGENE BERTRAM WILLARD.
 Chelsea, Mass, June 21, 1920.