Evening star., 1936-09-16

ttmidity, OF apprehension Of the fu-
ture, OF taking cover under old formu-
las and old procedures. It Is the inn
preston Of fear-of what lies around
us, visible on all sides, Fascism, Nazi-
ism, social unrest, mass discomfort,
communism and war. And Mr.. Roose-
velt creates the impression of afiirma-
ton, Of movement, Of recognition, and
OF feeling that this Nation Is strong
enough and powerful enough, some
way, somehow, to approach the future
head-on, and to work out new pat
terms Of life which conform to the
realities Of the time in which we live.
These realities cannot be silenced or
pooh-poohed out of existence, nor
can they be dismissed by the mere
fact that we do not like them. The
outstanding, the incontrovertible fact
Of our times is that over vast areas
Of territory and over vast bodies Of
men, men who are much like our
selves, with whom only yesterday we
spoke common speech, relationships
rule, and not only rule. but inside
their own premises are successful, are
intrenched, and have already set new
forms Of life for generations to come.
The predictions that Russia would
collapse in five months or five years,
that the masses would rise against
Hitler, or revolt against Mussolini
have not been fulfilled. In spite Of
the grotesque myths which surround
these systems, forms of communal
organization have been worked out
under them which will not be repu-
dated, and which definitely challenge
the democratic forms.
Old Democracy on Defensive.
Democracy in the terms Of yester-
day Is definitely on the defensive.
Side by side with the grotesque myths
are other ideas, not so easily laughed
of; are other claims, not so easily
despised; the ideas of order, unity,
social discipline, purposefulness, and
of the integrated community; the
claims to have produced an organized
social order, and to have produced it
under the most adverse conditions.
We have got to face this challenge;
sooner or later, and better sooner.
The myths which govern Dictator
ships are tools with which a piece Of
work was undertaken. One myth Is
communism. The other myth Is fab
ricated as an answer to communism
The American people reject both
myths with hatred. This country will
never accept the Communist theory
OF the divine right Of the proletariat
to dictate. 1t will never accept the
dedication of leader, or prophet over
Christ. Nor will it accept the deifica-
tion Of leader, or the deification of
race, or the goal of racial hegemony,
or the so-called heroic principle, which
is nothing but the glorification of war
and death.
The Question.
But it seems to me that the ques-
ton before the democracies is this:
Must We accept the idea that these
myths, so destructive of freedom and
culture, SO totally unacceptable to the
civilized mind, are the inevitable and
necessary accompaniment Of order
and direction? Is social chaos the
necessary price which we pay for free
dom? Is the labor strike which can
paralyze an industry or a town, is the
unofficial fixing of prices by big in
dustries, is the right of the employer
to hire and fire at his own free will,
are the extremes of wealth and pow
erty, is the prodigious human wastage
are all these the inevitable price Of
civil liberty and personal indepen-
dence?
If they are. then we may expect to
see society split in the immediate fu-
ture into. warning groups.
I believe. however, that the Ameri-
can people want both. They want
order, cooperation, organization and
liberty. They are awake and they
are aware. There is no good in telling
us that this Is the worlds best
civilization, with the highest stand
ard of living In the world. For at
least one-fifth Of the population the
statement is definitely untrue. And
for none Of US Is this civilization
good enough.
tcopyrisht, 1850