Evening star., 1936-08-18
Democracy a Heritage
Too Stable to Be Shaken


Mr.. Sullivan in his article, america
Last Citadel of Democracy" speaks Of q
"true pattern of the present state Of the
world" Very well, then, let him include
the entire world in his thesis, Europe,
Asia and Africa, and see what happens;
let him not take Spain, Russia or a
Germany, call that his world and draw
conclusions. Since when have these con-
tinents enjoyed democracies? And since
when have such democracies been tested
by such continents whose people have a
background of $50 years in their adven-
ture of democracy?
1t is true that in 1917 (and before)
people of the world dreamed about
democracy, but it never went further
than the dreaming stage. Demagogues
stole a march on the peoples dreams
with their ambitions and stark realities.
The people were not prepared for demo-
cratic rule in the sense that we were
prepared century and half ago, and
they accepted the demagogues' preach
ingS instead of making their dream come
true.
We see now that one World War was
inadequate to prepare a world for
democracy. Wilson found that out.
Faced with mass hySteria clamoring
for war, he either had to resign or lead
the people in direction they wanted
to be led. He chose the latter. Then
he tried to compromise situation with
his adherence for war and his idealism.
He wore to a fraZZle a convenient phrase
that it was war to end war. Then he
tried to seal all past wars with this war
by injecting his IA points and other
idealistic concoctions. The net result
of the whole business ended in Wilson's
establishment and disappointment. AS
Nation We lost good portion Of our
youth. countless wealth and we made
enemies. What happened once can
happen again if we follow the same
tactics that catapulted us once before
into the war.
More than a century ago men of
vision saw that the only salvation for
Europe as starter for world democracy
was United States of Europe; it was
Napoleon's dream. Had that dream
taken root in the mind of competent
statesman instead of an ambitious
soldier-demagogue, a United States of
Europe. fashioned somewhat after our
own democracy, would probably now be
an accomplished fact. 1t is hard to see
in what other direction their salvation
lies. 1t seems that they must eventually
reach that conclusion if it takes them
another century. Perhaps the present
ferment is the forerunner OF what is
to come. 1t is one of those things where
we can by example show them that a
real democracy serving a people lives
and fiourisheS.
Observe the effective methods en-
ployed by the proponents of facism, nazi-
ism, communism, etc, to gain adnerents
to their brands of government, and
compare them with the methods en-
ployed by adherentS to our form of
government, and see the clarity of the
former and the confusion of the latter.
The former are not attacking democracy.
On the contrary, they praise it by in
direction; they play directly on the
miseries Of the people; they point
finger to democracy with its II 900 900
people out Of work, the dole, ETC., as
proof that their prescription is even
better than democracy, while we shout
loudly and condemn blankly other forms
of government which may be o. K for
some of the peoples across the seas.
That there are defects in the execution
Of some of our institutions is admitted
that it is sad commentary for the
richest country in the world to have
so many unemployed and misery, all
economists agree. Doesn't this situa-
tion point the direction to which the
wielders of the heavy artillery of the
friends of democracy should concentrate
their fire?
OF course. democracy should always
be alert to ward off dangers from within
and without. Observe with what calm
ness and sanity real defenders and
instigators of free government went
about this war business which insured
success, and compare this with the
methods that plunged our people into
recent wars. The Americ@ democracy
without king is the only one left on
earth and is the envy of all the world.
Crowned heads. traditional enemies of
democracy. have perished. 1t is too
good heritage to talk glibly about it.
ISAAC TEPPER.