The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-04-11
Left and Right
Both Needed,
CIinchy Holds
BY THE REV. EVERETT n.
CLTNCHY

CLINCHY
Director, The National Conference of Jews
and Christians
The time in which we are living
In America is one of marked social
change, and that is sometimes cited
as an occasion of alarm. But it is
not abnormal that this period
should be characterized by swings,
now to the left, then to the right,
again to the left, and then right
again.
Our citizens should not be fright
ened by the movements that SEEM
ingly oppose one another today
within the commonwealth. Actual
ly it takes lively liberal action and
an equally lively conservative re-
action to keep the nation balanced
and to make progress. Otherwise
we should simply move in circles.
Liberal and conservative forces
are related to one another very
much like mans two feet in the
process of walking If a man moves
one leg more vigorously than the
other, he travels in a circle to the
point where he started and makes
no Roadway. Actually, one walks by
a swinging process, first with one,
and then with the other foot, right
left, right, left, one movement of the
body opposing, in some degree, the
other movement, but inevitably CO.
operating in carrying the body for
ward.
Safeguard Civil Liberties
Opposing ideas should combat in
open conflict like the clash of Rose
Bowl football teams. The rules of
good craftsmanship will permit
plenty of give-and-take without
hard feelings when points are
scored. Indeed, it will be because
of, not in spite of, disagreements
and debate in this period of social
tension that gains will be made.
People often forget this. They
try to walk on one leg, so to speak,
and forget to use both feet with
equal energy.
How valuable, from this point of
view, appear the American traditions
of civil liberties and human rights!
A nation will not long move in
circle if the rights of free speech,
free press, free assemblage and free
dom of conscience are maintained.
These liberties were bought at
costly price by the first Americans.
ftryN CT nl
two-legged men, who, while they
were establishing a stable govern
ment, developed champions of lib
erty in political, economic, social
and religious concerns. Those who
were most far sighted among them
thought that it was possible to have
at once a stable government and
individual freedom. They would
have hooted a dictator who thinks
it necessary to cut off one of these
national supports and condemns the
nation to walk in circle on a single
totalitarian leg.
If Americans maintain the sort
of spirit that characterized Wash
ington, jefferson and Madison and
insist on the maintenance of the
rights of the individual, this coun-
try is in no danger of revolution.
Conservatives, Radicals Needed
The process of walking furnishes
another useful metaphor for liberals
and conservatives. Walking has
been described as continual
process of falling and recovery. This
is to say that if it were not that
the left foot comes to the rescue,
one would fall as he inclined for
ward on the right foot.
In similar fashion the country
needs the contributions which both
the conservative right" and the
more radical left" have it in their
power to make to the progress of
the country. The party of the
right" may swing in just in time
to save us from bad fall from a
too aggressive forward movement of
the left" and an impulse from the
radical cleft" NAV COunteraCt an