Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-02-27
THIS AND THAT
BY HAROLD L. PETERSON,
st. Paul, MINI.
RESPONSIBILITIES.


insist upon giving advice we must be
willing to accept responsibility"
This statement might we'll be in
scribed in the hearts of all people
living under democratic form of
government such as ours. Sometimes
we are too eager to criticise those in
power, too quick to condemn the ac-
lions of our politicians, but too slow
to fully realize our own inadequacies
which played a large part in per-
hitting the things we criticise 70
come to pass. Individual RESPONSE
bility is the foundation stone of true
democracy. In other words, if we in
sist upon our governmental officials
being honest we must as individuals
also be honest, and then take time for
intelligent voting. If we desire per-
lection, or at least a state not too far
removed from perfection, we must as
individual citizens do all in our power
to perfect our own philosophy of gov
eminent. Next, we must actively par
ticipate in local affairs and extend
our energies towards thorough
going notwithstanding or
ganization down where we live" In
that way we improve our own fitness
to take part in the formation of state
and national policies by intelligent
voting.
Brandeis on Responsibility.
Louis d. Brandeis, justice of the
United States Supreme Court, wrote
a letter back in 1922, excerpts of
which we would do well to read. Seek
for betterment within the broad lines
Of existing institutions. Do so by at
lacking evil wherever seen; and pro-
coed from the individual to the SEN
eral. Remember that progress is nee
essarily slow; that remedies are nee
essarily tentative; that because Of
varying conditions there must be
much and constant inquiry into facts
-. and much experimentation :.
quoting further, he says 1.-The great
developer is responsibility. Hence no
remedy can be helpful which does not
devOlve upon the workers participa-
ton in responsibility for the conduct
of business; and their aim should be
the eventual assumption of full re-
spOnsibility :. as in cooperative en-
terprises.
Democracy in any sphere is a seri-
Gus undertaking. 1t substitutes self
restraint for external restraint :.
it is possible only where the process
of perfecting the individual is our
sued His development is attained
mainly in the processes of common
things"
Seven years later Justice Brandeis,
in dissenting opinion discussing CO.
operative organizations run by farm
ers, said, Besides promoting the f.
nancial advantage of the participant
ing farmers they seek through CO.
operation to socialize their interests
to require an equitable assump-
ton of responsibilities while assuring
an equitable distribution of benefits
Their aim is economic democracy Oh
lines of liberty, equality and frater-
nifty"
Before his appointment to the SUI
preme court, Brandeis gave the fol-
lowing testimony before a Senate COM
mittee, IF we are to work out salts
factory system of profit-sharing as a
means of reconciling capital and Ia
Dor, it can only be done by reducing
the return to capital and the purvey-
ors of capital. and letting the people
who do the work, be they managers,
the skilled handicraftmen or day la
borers, take all that is earned above
a reasonable return on the capital in
vested"
To this writer it seems that the
sense of individual responsibility in
remolding our society along the lines
of Christian justice can best be de-
veloped in the following ways: Join 4
progressive political movement or
club. Do your utmost to make it hew
to the line in disseminating education
along social lines. In other words,
perfect the individuals which must
make up any mass movement to per-
feet society.
Secondly, support the cooperative
movement in any or all forms it is
found in your community. If there
are no cooperatives, either producer
of consumer, do your bit in starting
one. Further, if you have no credit
onion, write to the Minnesota Credit
Union League, 1854 University Ave.,
st. Paul, Mimi, for organizational de-
tails. There are so many avenues
open for individual expression and
initiative in building a better world
along the lines of Justice Brandeis'
suggestion, where the men and women
who do socially useful work will re-
ceive the full fruit of their labor.
And as you work for the betterment
of society you will be perfecting your
self. You will enlarge your own
chances for success. However, we
must act, rather than merely wishing.
In closing, let me quote what some
one once said, 1.-The reason so few