The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-01-11
MEN AND LAWS

New England ne;ghbors of Calvin Coolidge like
to recall speech he made in which occurred the
ringing phrase, "Have faith in Massachusetts" The
occasion was his election president of the Mas
sachuetts senate, and another section of the adj
dress had wider application and perhaps deserves
even more to be remembered than the line so often
quoted.
Mr.. Coolidge was from first to last lawyer,
with conscientious lawyers respect for law and
property Hence the force of these words:
"Men do not make laws. They do but discover
them Laws must be justified by something more
than the will of the majority. They must rest on
the eternal foundation of Righteousness
Here is something for lawmakers to ponder ir
their search for legislative solutions to the diff
cuties of the day. The answer to what the nations
should do in order to climb out of the morass of
bewilderment and almost despair into which they
have fallen consists not in appeals to mob action
but in the quiet search to find out what is righteous
ness-righteousness not only as between man and
man. but also as between levels of the social struc-
ture
Not all are so sure today of the thesis held by
Mr.. Coolidge in the Massachusetts senate speech
and afterward that the diffusion of wealth through
society is best fostered by the protection of large
aggregations of wealth. Indeed it is sometimes
found function of government and social justice
to protect mems liberties against the influences of
large aggregations of wealth. Increasingly has II
been seen in recent years that, whether wealth is
concentrated or diffuse, the more important issue
is that it shall be used genuinely to the needs
of men-and that there is educational if not also
economic value in having it scattered as widely as
there is the will to use it wisely
Such is the goal of the more enlightened seekers
after the lost torch of prosperity. They will re-
member that, President Coolidge said in budget
message in the palmy year of 1928,
Prosperity is only an instrument to be used
not deity to be worshipped"
And that 'the moral power of the people may
be just great, the standard of character may be
just as high, the entire spiritual condition of the
nation may be just as good in time of adversely
as in time of prosperity"
Naturally in the quest for rehabilitation much
has been said about economic laws These are not
made by men; though some assume to say with
great tinality what they are. The prevalent con-
ceptions of these laws have changed from time To
time as men sought to find their real basis Too
often there has been inclination to fall down
and worship these laws supposed laws with a
kind of economic fatalism, declaring they must not
be interfered with whereas men ingeniously turn
even physical laws to their use so effectively as
virtually to set them aside.
Too generally has the basis of economic law
been sought in premises of ruthless self-interest
and coldly materiahstic accounting The truer
economics is found in the realm of justice. fair
play, good will, even generosity and the joy of
service-in short, righteousness In that direction
lie the laws men are seeking today to give them
the answer to the riddle of business-Christian
Science Monitor