, 1922-06-09
Opportunity in America

INDIVIDUAL ENTERPRISE, under a c~onstitu-
L tional government like that of the United
States, offers every opportunity and every encour-
agement to the citizen who would advance. The
advantages are in striking contrast with the dis
couragements that exist under other forms and
particularly the communistic plan that at present
exists in Russia Americans take so much delight
in recording the attachments of those who start
out in life with no aid except their own individual
ability and energy that one might almost reach the
conclusion that there is little opportunity for the
son of a wealthy family. The attachments of those
who rise from modest surroundings are so widely
heralded that there might almost be an impression
that the young man of wealthy antecedents stands
little show of making a success by his personal eff
forts.
OF equal opportunity which n constitutional gov
eminent affords, where property rights arc re.
spected and protected there is practically no limit
TO the success that may be attained by either the
rich or the poor. In the last few years, two young
men of well known families have attained ma
tional prominence entirely through their own abl-
iy and efforts, Notwithstanding their families were
possessed of unusual wealth. One of these young
men is John Hays Hammond, Jr, who has invented
many devices in connection with wireless control
of seacraft. The other is Sherman NJ. Fairchild of
New York, who has attained worldwide distinction
by inventions in aerial photography.
So far as gaining a livelihood. is concerned prob
ably neither of these young men needed TO do any
work whatever. They could have gone into some
line of business where their invested capital would
have brought them a sure and steady income with
out any personal exertion on their own part. They
chose rather, a career that required the most exact
ing personal attention, and, as a result of their
efforts, have contributed TO the worlds store of sci.
entific knowledge and have benefited mankind for
all time to come.
There would have been neither encouragement
nor opportunity under a communistic government
for either of these young men. Having their money
taken away from them would have hurt them least
of all. They were using not their money but their
brains. A communistic government, exercising the
right to nationalize everything, would have under
taken to tell them in what occupation they should
engage and probably would have set one of them
tlling fields and the other bearing a rifle in a
soviet army. If in their spare time under a soviet
government they created inventions which would be
of benefit to the world they would be denied the
special rewards of their efforts for the government
would have confiscated their rights and their prop
erty. Under such a system there would be no in
whatever to put forth the effort neces-
sary to discover the methods by which new and
more valuable use could be made of wireless trans.
mission or of optical devices.
These illustrations serve to emphasize the truth
that it is not only the man of property who gains
advantage under. a constitutional form of govern
ment but every individual who has the desire to
work, to create, and to enjoy the rewards of his
energy and his ability.