The Carbon County news., 1931-07-23
AMERICAS MOST PRECIOUS GIFT
By GEORGE B. LOCKWOOD

Emil Ludwig, Gemany's chief literary figure saws that
what impressed him in the American people is the spirit
of optimism and self confidence as contrasted with the
pessimism and fear prevalent In Europe He declares
that America has the spirit of YOUTH Europe of old age
and that this fact mderle much that is characteristic
of both civilizations
This statement is true and of great Importance The
despair which has seized upon Europe since the World
War accounts for the readiness of millions who have lost
confidence in themselves and hope for the future to sur
render the control Of their destines to dictatorsips or
centralized governmnts drifting toward despotism.
America is monument to the courage and confidence
OF er people, 1t took adventurous spirits to leave behind
the associations of the Old World in the 18th and 18th
ues, make the perous passage of the sea, and seek
hohes III the virgin Wilderness It took courage for the
pioneers of that to fight their way toward the interior
against the warlike savages and the savage Wilderness
such conflict bred III men and women self-confdence
that finally sought and achieved national independence
1t was longer olerabe that Amrca should be III lead
ingtstrings to European kings.
European commentarans III the earlier years of the
public found stock subject for rdicue in what they re-
galed the boastfuness and fsufficiency of Amer
cans Who amid their crude surroundings believed in the
superiority of their institutions and the future greatness
of America Their villages they believed would be cities
thel Wilderness they believed, would in time be teemng
with people, Their hopes have been realized their dreams
have true
For Americans to lose their spirit of optimism would
be to lose that which possession of greater value than
all they have inherited of material possessions from the
past For courage and confidence create anew Cow
ards and weaklngs cannot defend that which they
inhtrit. u qa,A
Preachers of pessmsm have been busy in this country
in recent years We have extensive literature Of cyn
elm of deprecation of despair The Sinclair Lewises
the enckens, the Dresers have filled the air with their
supfrsophiscaed sneering villifying assaults upon
everything American They have sought to break down
the faith Of Americans in Themselves in their country
in their civilization, and with the superficial they have
achieved degree Of success.
1t would be difficult to overesmate the part played in
the creation Of the present depression the United States
by the preachers Of pessmism 1t is generally agreed
that fear lack of faith lack of hope and confidence
chiefly responsible for the present halt in America pros
perty and if the belief to arise tomorrow that the
future is bright, it would Immediately become bright
Those who become subject to such mood have already
failed The resolution to do is half of the deed Those
who constantly preaching lack Of faith in America in
her traditions her ideals and her future doing all
they to break down that quality of the American mind
which has been responsible for most of American achieve
ment And many of these preachers of despair
known to be radical social revouonares there is meth
cd in much of this madness.
Americans should preserve that psychology of youth
which has made America great They should close their
to the caterwaulngs of the moral weaklngs who
choose to ignore all the values of civilization, dwell
solely upon the abuses and msuses of the existing order
and thus do what they to make failure of America
by giving to Americans the psychology Of failure