The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-03-19
y. S. Idealism Is Based on
Equality Of Opportunity
Secretary Hoover Asserts American Individuaism
Is Tempered by Fixed Ideal of Fair Chance for
All-Says World War Was Conflict Of Social
PHILOSOPHERS in Its Last Stages

inciudng Germany, Austria, Russia,
and China. arrive at a state Of angry
disgust with this type Of social mo-
tive power and throw it on the srrap
heap.
All these thoughts are in fefinent
today in every country in the world.
They fluctuate i'll ascendency with
times and places. They compromise
with. each other in daily reaction on
governments and peoples. Some of
these ideas are perhaps more adapted
to one race than another. Some are
false, some are true. What We arc
interested in is their challenge TO the
physical and spiritual forces Of Amer
lea.
The partisans Of some Of these
other brands of social schemes chal-
lenge Us to comparison; and some OF
their partisans even among our own
people are increasing in their agita-
ton that we adopt one or another Or
parts Of their devices in place Of our
tried individlalism. They insist that
our social foundations are exhausted,
that like feudalism and autocracy
Americas plan has served its pu--
pose-that it must be abandoned.
Warns Against Phrases.
There are those who have been left
in sober doubt Of our institutions or
are eonfounded by bewildering eatcn-
words OF vivid phrases. For in this
welter OF discussions there is much at
+ tempt to glorlfy or defame social and
economic forces with phrases. Nor Al
/ deed should we disregard the potency
OF some Of these phrases in the stir
to aetion-"The dictatorship of the
proletariat.. "eapitalistic nations .
Germany over all" and a score Of
others. We need only 10 review those
that have jumped TO horseback dur
ing the last 10 years in order tha,
We may he properly awed BY the
great social and political havoc that
can he worked where the bestial III
stincts Of hate, murder. and destruc-
tion are clothed by the dema gogucs
in the fine terms Of political idealism.
Fer myself. iet me say az the very
outset that my faith IN. the essential
truth. strength and vitality OF the de.
veloping creed by which we have hith-
erto liveS IN this country Of ours has
been confirmed and deepened hy the
searching experience Of sewn years os
service in the hackwash and misery
II ..ar. Seven years Of contendlns
with economic degeneration, with 90.
clal disintegration. with incessant 20
itieai disloeation, with all OF its seeth.
ing and ferment OF individual and
class conflict. could but impress me
with the primary motivation Of social
forces and the necessity for broad
er thought upon their great issue;
u 10 humanity. And from It all I
. emerge an individualist--an ur-
ashamed indiyiduahst But let nae
say also ,hat I am an American In
diHidualist. For America has been
steadily developing the ideals that
constitute progressive individuailsm
America Has FIXED Ideal.
No doubt. indiyidualism run riot.
With no tempering principle. would
provide long category Of lueauali-
ties Of tyTannies dominations. and
lnjustices America. however. has
tempered the whole conception of in
diNidualism hy the injection Of a def
rte principle. and from this principle
if follows that attempts al, domina-
ton. whether in government or in
the processes OF industry and com
meroe. are under an insistont curb.
lf we would have the values Of in
dividaahsm. their. stimulation 10 mi
tiatiye. 10 the development - hand
and intellect. 10 the high develop
meif Of thought and spirituality. they
must be tempered with that firm and
fixed ideal Of American indiviaualism
-an equality Of opportunity. II We
would have these. values We must
soften ifs hardness and stimulate
Gnrn Ia rsH. Sir. Column oneN