The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-09-21

1 gered as to raise the question whether they will survive in their present form for another genera ton. In England, which has been developing democratic principles ever since the Revolution of 1888, the change since the war has been so peaceful that it's revolutionary character has received but slight comment outside of Great Britain, Spain has passed through a .dicta- torship to a republic. In Italy 2 Caesar stands by the side of an empty throne. Russia has given the world another Reign of Terror, followed by a government which regards itself as still in a state of war. China is fighting to naintaitl a republic. Egypt and India have l seethed with discomfort. The league of nations has performed the great office of symbolixing and centering international cooperation in a world of national antiquities. but there has been friction in the lands under it's mandates. In some der gree some of these changes were predicted twenty years ago, but recall no prophet bold enough to l foresee them all or to foresee any one of them in its momentous en. tirety. Even H. G. Wells, expert. extraordinary in prophecy. failed us there.
 "The most stabilized forms of popular government to-day are those of the United States, France, and Great Britain. Yet in these countries the people are restless, increasingly so with the continu- ance of economic depression. Ital- ian fascism and Russian commun- ism each in it's own way a direct challenge to the social, political, and economic philosophy of tradi- tional democratic government such as that of the United States. What will the result be for Europe and the Americas? If democracy, 1t will be a democracy destined to undergo changes so great that a century hence they will appear to have been revolutionary.
 | ''It is frequently said that the great war removed the inhibitions of mankind, social and intellectual, letting loose forces over which | there is as yet but partial control. Less is said about the new restric- tions and constraints for which it was in part at least responsible. The results, taken altogether, are so far good and bad, about equal ly. In the United States, prohibi- tion of the manufacture and sale of distilled and fermented liquors was put into the fundamental law of the land, with the result that our entire system of law enforce ment has been threatened while 1t has proved impossible to enforce prohibition itself. On the other hand, the placing of women on a political equality with men in the Federal Constitution, has had the indirect result of opening nearly all professions and occupations to them. It was an economic reyolu- tion as well as a political revolu- tion, but it has been a peaceful one.
 "Yet if we have learned any, thing from the war experience, it should be that leadership is not enough. It is true that because of their ever-increasing complex ity our major social questions need long and careful study by trained investigators, and one of the most hopeful signs of the present Is the movement for bringing together such specialists under university organizations or in outside founda- tions. But a citizen of a demo- cracy such as ours cannot with a clear conscience delegate his au- thority to the expert in times of prosperity and hide behind him in times of trouble. The present period of diversity will have its uses if it recalls people in all walks of life to the elementary rights and duties of citizenship. If I may judge by my own experience with the readers of this magazine and with the citizens of my state, the public is not so apathetic towards what are called public questions as has been alleged.
 "The charge is often made that the young Americans of to-day are particularly indifferent to such is- sues. It is said that they do not car. My observation leads me to take not quite this view. Appalled,, as we all were, by the war and Its aftermath, many of them very nat urally became fatalistic or morbid and cynical. It was not to be ex- pected that with this background they would rush into public affairs with the zest of the young progres- sives in the early years of the cen tury. Yet I have found them more often uncertain how to make the effort than unwilling if they could see their way. I do not think 1t to their discredit that meaningless phrases of political platforms have usually left them cold. If I have any misgiving about them. it is that they may not have the pa tience and the stamina Cthe guts would be their own expression) to stand the long strain of effort and opposition that attends any at- tempt to do something towards the public welfare. Here again perhaps the discipline of the present re- verses may prove, useful. At any rate, Wall street has lately lost something of it's glamour as the one center for the college graduate I axxk AV-t