New Britain herald., 1928-02-13

the two. as far as Nr. lincoln wa
 concerned. were tnseparable. One could dot be without the other.
 'In his plan for tho treatment of the south following the war we can see clearly that there was to be no opportunity for the demigods of the north, or the politicians of the north, to override or humiliate or degrade any further the people of the south. There was to be restraint there. And all through hts conduct of the war. although he had power greater. perhaps, than any other sovereign in the world. it was tenn pered always by restraint.
 Free government to MT. Lincoln did not mean freedom from re- straint. from authority: but rather it meant the enjoyment of the op- portunity of the individual to par ticipate in the government and to choose his leaders. The conduct of the war again. if we had time to draw from the illustrations of 1t. shows us clearly that Lincoln stood firmly in his belief that every in- dividual hadsresponsibility and a duty to perform for his state. his government But all of this that was to be achieved in the demo- cratic government came. as Mir. Lincoln saw clearly. only through struggle and sacrifice.
 Truth and Honesty
 Then, perhaps. as greatest of all, MT. Lincoln stood for truth and honesty. We'll, haven't other people stood for truth and honesty? Haven't we all stood for truth and honesty? But somehow or other there was q new note in the en- phasis that NIT. Lincoln placed upon those qualities. Many men were willing to say, Yes, truth and hon. esty fit very we'll in the moral realm when it is question of moral virtues; but for practical everyday life. for political life most of all. they are ill-fitted.'
 ''At the time of the war there was nothing that was concealed The armies of the north were re- peatedly defeated. Mir. Lincoln thought 1t was right that the peo- pie should know. There was no need to keep back the truth. Open diplomacy that was his idea of democracy, and the application of the principles of truth and honesty clear through the whole gamut of life, making no difference between the moral side, the moral questions merely, and the questions of every day business and political control. Well. it does seem today, as we go over these ideas and ideals of Abraham Lincoln, that this country of ours, this nation. is still in need of the same sort of patient but firm enunciation of these truths as it received in the days of Abraham Lincoln. Liberty and restraint. How many times we have to stop today to consider the effects of the lack of restraint in our land. It has been noticeable perhaps espec- ially among the young people: not exclusively there by any means. but our attention has been drawn in these later years to cases of young men brought before the courts charged with crimes; terrific crimes; horrible crimes: brutal crimes, ali seeming to lead to one conclusion, that lack of restraint, lack of self control has been the cause of their downfall.
 Tn our government in Washing ton we have seen the same results of lack of restraint: lack of moral restraint; there. and the Haunting Of so-called personal liberty. That $ a pretty hard thing to define, per sonal liberty and that fine line of distinction between an individuals S i freedom to do what he thinks he wants to do. or ought to do. and that larger control of authority which every individual must respect. 1 That fine line-where is it? It is hard to say; but we hear a good deal today, especially connected with the problems of prohibition and the enforcement of the prohi- bition laws as they exist today. about personal liberty
 T am not here to defend the laws as they have been framed. but am here to say that Abraham Lincoln believed that if a democ- racy should succeed the people of tho democracy must recognize that there is a restraint that must be exercised by every individual as well as the recognition of his per sonal freedom and rights.
 Looking at Chicago
 "One of the most disappointing and discouraging things that has happened in our land in recen. years has been the situation which has developed in a midwest city. know a good deal about that city; probably some Of you do. It is not stranger to us When We look for the signs of the times and the pos sibil'v of the development o1 dem mocracy. real democratic govern lnent in our land, where the people shall rule and shall express their
 own wishes in the matter. and they shall go to the polls and the result
 of that election shall be what the people want. we look at the city oi