Evening star., 1925-10-26
HOOVER DEPL0RES
MORAL DECADENCE
Tells Y. M. c. A. Convention
Religion Must Meet New
MateriaIiSm.

Expressing the belief that there ex-
lists a larger, more widely distributed
will to peace than ever before in his
tory" Secretary of Commerce Herbert
Hoover today warned that 'perils
ahead" We're not economic" but
moral" and of such nature as 10
challenge all the forces of orderly
constructive progress"
The great growth of national pros
perity." Secretary Hoover told the In
ternational Convention, Young Mems
Christian Associations at the Willard
Hotel, together with the loosening of
moral and spiritual standards by the
war, must give us question as to the
impairment of the reserves of indi-
vidual and national character"
Sees Moral Fiber Weaker
Evidences of this trend, the Secre-
tary said, lie in the weakening moral
fiber, in loosening family and home
ties. in youthful criminality, in the
asily breaking of law by adults, in
growing intolerance, in a leaning upon
the state without corresponding will
ingness to bear its burden, in DISPOSE
ton to disregard or suppress discon-
tent instead of discovering the causes
and removing them, in the intriguing
or open purposes of groups to profit
themselves regardless of the conSe
quences to others and TO the whole of
society, in the complaisancy of millions
over the wrongs and sufferings within
and beyond our borders, in waste and
extravaganza.
Building up the case of the chal-
lenge to the forces of moral construc-
ton. Secretary Hoover went beyond
the bounds of the United States, and
declared that although he had no
fear for the ultimate cause of re-
ligion," it was a lamentable fact that
lin many lands religion is losing the
vital power to instruct and inspire"
Religion Falling Behind.
THE flooding in of modern knowl-
edge" he said. has cost religion
heavily where it has not kept pace in
intellectual respect and confidence.
Out of our materialism has grown a
series of PHILOSOPHERS which insist
that materialism alone is the sole
basis of human action and inspira-
ton.
Large areas of socialism found
their philosophy and promise solely
on economic materialism. In Russia
and elsewhere the Communist revolt
insists on sweeping away all existing
human institutions, including religion.
Thus, religious faith is to be swept
out as refuse incompatible with
communism. theoretically and prac-
tically.' Goddess generations are to
be reared on national scale The
Chinese people are being exhorted to
discard their own faith with its an
| cient moral sanctions and to refuse
that Of the foreigner. Well meant i'm
| pulses for social betterment in those
directions will end in failure and dis
| illusionment, for they are as a struc-
| ture built on sand"
His warning that perils ahead were
moral" Secretary Hoover declared,
| was a call to create and maintain
| agencies for strengthening the moral
and spiritual fiber parallel with our
material agencies Of progress"
Material Progress Vast.
This material progress, he said. had
been astonishing" The application
| of "the many discoveries in the ply
sical Sciences" the Secretary said,
/ 1.-The increase in efficiency both in
| workers and executives, the elimina-
ton Of industrial waste and the ad-
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