Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-07

and power and prosperity We boast of
would crumble to naught.. Every right
minded citizen, therefore, will agree
with me that we owe a generous recog-
milton to the Supreme Being, who has
bestowed upon us this wealth of re-
sources upon scale never before wit
messed in this world. We owe to Him
the great fundamental duties of all
ellgionS-worShip, gratitude, praise
and prayer. Whatever the forms we
use, we are only discharging the debt
of our hearts to our Creator and our
Provider when we acknowledge His love
and His never-failing concern for the
welfare OF the great, numerous and
prosperous people whom He has brought
together in this Nation in the heart of
the New World for wonderful designs
of His own, but surely for the perma-
nent uplifting and true progress OF
all mankind.
Liberality and Security.
The next cause of our material well
fare is the character of liberality and
security of the fundamental institutions
Nation established. How definitely and
inspiringly they expressed their noble
purpose in the words of the ConStitu-
tons preamble: I'm order to form a
more perfect union, establish Justice
and secure the blessings of liberty to
ourselves and to our poSterity."
Establish justice!" Equality of
rights and opportunity, unmoleSted pur-
suit of happiness, free assembly, free
speech, free press, free pulpit, free bal
lot--theSe are the foundations upon
which our political and social institu-
tons have been built. It is the spirit
that inspired these principles and the
application of them that alone is the
solution of our future civic, social and
economic problems. In whatever direc-
ton we turn for aid, inspiration and
guidance, We revert again and again to
the founders and their liberal and Sa-
gaciouS purposes. Establish juSticel
This is the beginning and the end, the
Alpha and the Omega of Americanism
Let me digresS moment to quote a
few OF the great sayings Of great men
with respect to justice:
Justinian. the greatest of lawmakers.
says: Justice is a firm and continuous
desire to render to every one that which
is his due"
Britain's outstanding statesman, Ed
mund Burke, proclaimed, Justice is
the great standing policy Of civil So
ciety."
Whittier has called justice "the hope
of all who suffer; the dread of all who
wrong"
Cicero puts it thus: "The founda-
tons Of justice are that none shall be
harmed, and next, that the common
veal be served"
The problem of our future Is not
merely to preserve material greatness
and prosperity; rather the problem is
to preserve the soul and spirit of Amer
he L. -.
founders constitute the soul of America.
If We lose the spirit of the fathers, we
lose an-both material greatness and
that which makes it worth having.
Our very accomplishment, even our
unmeaSured material achievements and
power over things material, constitute
our greatest dangers. without a con-
tlnuing and growing justice, there will
come into existence vast mechanism
OF oppression-a great subversion of our
hberties-and the priceless heritage of
our people VIII be gone: Those now
living If that happens will not beuueath
to their children what was handed
down to them.
There are, indeed, many develop
mentS OF our time that may well give
us concern and cause us TO give heed to
what Is perhaps our chief national
Ialllng-an easy-going and unthnking
optimism. We take it altogether too
much for granted that we shall con-
tinue to be fortunate, that ours is a
land OF destiny, that our superior and
extensive system of education will al
ways produce a sound discretion. that
our natural resources will be inexhaust-
ible, and our genius never dimmed.
Great Shift in Problems.
A great shift has taken place In our
Time from the political and social prob
lens OF pioneer society to the dam
gers and problems of a grown-up ma
ton. In contrast to the past, the DO
litical problems of the future will be
chiefly economic. Formerly our great
treasury of natural resources made it
unnecessary that much consideration be
given to insuring equality of oppor-
UNITY for all. Now, with the steady
oepleClon OF our national resources and
concentration of economic power. we
must look more carefully into Economic
conditions and their effect upon the
masses of the people.
me economic problems of the day,
DVcoiilllg ever more and more complex
eVoiVe around the struggle of the masses
al thelr natural aspirations to have
reasonable chance in life. In every
part OF the world the great struggle
LOW. olten involving political recon-
~ uctionS' Is for more equitable dis
~ OF wealth and opportunities.
III certain countries the masses have
gone to extremes in their attemnts tn
WIN TINS struggle, which, in a different
IoEni Is heie also. Our very economic
greatness, our industrial efficiency orr
lnenly Speeded mass production. the
vast scale OF our industrial and COM
MeIclaI units, raises challenging cues
tloLS ana brings them closer to our
people IMAM ever before. The percep-
LloLs ana aspirations of the poor, of the
tude, must be recognized and dealt
with adequately. We must not think
entirely OF the strong and powerful
We must not think only of ourselves ar
OF our particular social class. or Of orr
political party. More than ever we
must watch, work and think for the
common welfare; and realize what are
the means alone by which these
problems can be solved. 1t is by es-
tablishing that justice-in this instance
economic JuStlce-which the fathers of
the Republic decreed. Abolish Justice I"
once said st. Augustine. land what are
governments but great robberies?" Not
only governments, but economic sys-
TENS resting upon them. may become
great instruments of oppression and
denial of opportunity.
The establishing of justice in our
time means the adequate facing and
handling of complicated economic ques-
tons; and they are difficult because of
their completely. They require wide
acquaintance with facts and an amount
of study that the average man is hardly
in a position to give. He cannot take
the time: he is necessarily engrossed in
the stern struggle to provide a liveli-
hood for his family. 1t is not TO be
wondered at, therefore, tina: in despera-
ton and parplexity many may be led
to form judgments through prejudice
and consequently to accept unsound
remedies, or be swept into the adoption
Of one or another of the dangerous
"isu1s" of the day. More than ever is
tnere need oi craftsmanship and Of