The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1923-04-12

American
Lndiuidualism
A Timely Message to
the American People
BY HERBERT HOOVER
Secretary Of Commerce.


tenn cannot march toward
better days unless it is in
spired by things of the spirit. 1t is
here that the higher purposes Of in
dividualism must find their susie
nance. Men do not live by bread
alone. Nor is individualism merely
a stimulus to production and the
road to liberty; it alone admits the
universal divine inspiration Of every
human soul. may repeat that the
divine spark does not lie in agree
ments, in organizations, In institutions,
In masses or In groups. Spirituality
with its faith, its hope, its charity, can
be increased by each individuals W
effort. And In proportion as each in
dividual increases his own store OF
spirituality. in that proportion In.
creases the idealism OF democracy.
For centuries, the human race be-
iieved that divine inspiration rested In
a few. TBe~result was blind. faith in
religious hierarchies, the Divine Right
of Kings. The world has been disif.
lusioned Of this belief that divinity
rests In any special group or Class
whether II be through a creed, a tyr
amy of kings or of proletariat. Our
individualism insists upon. the divine
In each human. being. II rests upon
the 6rm faith that the divine spark
can be awakened in every heart. II
was the refusal TO compromise these
things that led TO the migration OF
those religious groups who so largely
7 fed religious faiths are the ~apotheosis
of spiritual individualism.
The vast multiplication Of voluntary
!. organizations for aitruistic purposes
are themselves proof of the ferment
of spirituality. service, and mutual re-
sponsibility. These associations for
advancement of public welfare, i'm
proyement, morals, charity. public opln-
ion. health. the clubs and societies
for recreation and intellectual advance
ment. represent something moving at
a far greater depth than Joining
They represent the widespread aspira-
ton for mutual advancemeDt, self-ex-
preston, and n~eighboriy h~elpfulness.
Moreover. today when we rehearse
our own individual memories Of sue.
cess. we find that none gives us such
comfort as memory of service given.
De we not refer to our veterans as
service men? DO not u merchants
and business men pride themselves In
something of service given beyond the
price OF their goods? When we trav.
erse the glorious deeds Of III fathers,
we today never enumerate those acts
that were not rooted In the soil OF
service. Those whom We revere are
those who triumphed In service, for
from them comes the nplift Of the
human heart and the uplift Of the
human mind.
While there are forces In the growth
OF U i~ndividuaiism which must be
curbed with vigilance. yet there are
no less glorious spiritual forces grow
ing within that promise for the fu-
ture. There is developing In our peo-
pie q new valuation OF individuals and
of groups and Of nations. II Is q
rising vision OF service. Indeed IL
were TO select the social force that
above all others has advanced sharp
ly during these past years OF suffer,
ing, II Is that OF service-service TO
those with whom we come In contact.
service to the nation. and service TO
the world itself. If we examine the
great mystical forces OF the past seven
years we find this great spiritual force
poured out by our people as never
before In the history Of the world-the
ideal OF service.
u Just now we are weakened by the
feeling Of failure OF immediate realiza
tfon of the great ideals and hopes that
arose through the exaltation of war
War by It's very nature sets loose cha
otic forces of which the resultants can
not be foretold or anticipated. The In
sensitiveness 70 the brutalities of physi
cal violence, and all the spiritual dis
|, locations of war, have left US, at the
moment. poorer. The amount of sc
!. reu.ty and content In che world u
smaller.
The spiritual reaction after the wal
has been In part the fruit OF some ID
iusIons during those i've years. In tn
presence OF unity Of purpose and thu
mystic emotions. Of . many mel
; came to believe that salvation lay u
! mass and group action. They hav'
: seen the spiritual and material mobil
lzation OF nations, Of cinsses. ant
: groups, for sacrifice and service; the
have conceived that real human pros
ress can be achieved by working o.
! .the Psychology Of the people'-b,
the mass mind" they yielded TO leaf
ership without reservation: they con
. ceived Thar this leadership could con
, tinue without tyranny; they have fol
gotten that permanent spiritual pros
ress lies with the Individual
cTo BE CONTINUED,
: ecopyrshL lszs. by Doubleday. Paso
D CO, Published by arrangement wit
Western Newspaper Union.l
wonan Astronomer.