Evening star., 1936-08-23
, the Associated Press.

WEST MrDDLESEX. Pa. August
22.-The text Of Gov. All M. Landons
address at his birthplace, West Middle
sex, Pa, follows:
1t is with real happiness that I
return today to see again the place of
my birth. I have come back to this
part of the country almost every
Summer for over 80 years. I still
send to Crawford County every Winter
for maple sirup. The people of this
region are my people. am one Of
you. and greet you with the deep
est pleasure.
Although have spent most of my
life in the great State of Kansas, our
immediate problems are not very
different. You have discussed them
among yourselves. just as I have
mulled over them with friends and
neighbors out West I am coming to
see you and talk with you this after
noon, therefore, I do not feet am
among strangers. feel I am visit
ing with old friends discussing COM
hiOAA SAAASuAtlCo AL 0Il ClxOIt W xluo q
real common sense solution for them.
American Ideals Challenged.
Let us look first at some of the
attributes Of our country and of our
people These are more fundamental
than political issues. For out of them
spring those habits of thought and
action and those social, economic and
governmental institutions which create
political issues.
Wherever I have gone in this
country, I have found Americans.
That is no idle phrase The word
American" has come to mean some
thing more than a dweller within our
boundaries. 1t means an attitude of
heart and mind. an outlook on life,
1t means not only deep love of liberty
and justice, but courage to face the
| dangers and responsibilities that go
| with liberty
Our fathers cherished this way of
life because they bought it with their
own blood. We have received 1t as a
free gift from them. There is danger
that we may not prize it as We should.
This American way of life is being
challenged. We are told that it does
not meet modern requirements. The
conditions of the time incline some
of our people to listen to these accusa-
tions. Some are trying to supplant
our institutions by others from abroad.
Periods of depression are favorable
for reviving ancient and descredited
systems of society and of government,
and presenting them as the sure way
of gaining Utopia. In the waste and
extravaganza of the boom days and
the hardships of the depression, many
of us went wool-gathering.
Confidence Shaken.
So it is not surprising that the con-
fidence of many of our people in our
way of doing things has been shaken
They are wondering whether We may
not have to scrap our American in
stitutions This doubt and distrust is
foStered by unstable men to whom 1t
is always dan,Nerous to give political
power.
This feeling of doubt and distrust,
like the depression. is worldwide, and
not confined to the United States. It
challenges not only the economic sys-
tenn of free enterprise, but even the
representative form of government.
Before the depression such phrases as
THE onward sweep of democracy"
were commonplace. Now in many
parts Of the world, democracy is in
retreat and relationships are advanc-
ing.
Today we can we'll review the way
of life that has brought us thus far
on the road to national greatness, and
ask ourselves whether the end Of that
road has been reached.
Families Courageous.
Let us look at the picture as 1t
exists in thousands of American COM
munities, as they are in normal times.
We see men, women and children liv-
ing together as families in homes.
We see that the family and the home
are the foundation Of national life.
We also see the heads of families as
suming responsibility for their sup
port. We see them facing life with
cheerfulness and courage, asking no
odds. Taking pride in their inde-
pendence, supporting their families,
helping those in need. We see them
rising through the ranks to the high
est positions in every field.
We also see them solving their
larger problems by voluntarily CO.
operation with their friends and
neighbors. through economic. educa-
tional and political organizations. We
see them, generally speaking. travel
ing from the cradle to the grave
without ever feeling the coercive or
directing hand of government except
in 50 far as they may have trans
gressed the rights Of others. We take
all this as a matter Of course.
Distinctly American.
This freedom from the coercive
hand of government has always been
a distinctive feature Of American life
Even before the recent revival Of die
tatorships, the citizens of foreign
countries were subject to restrictions
unknown in America. Their goings
and comings were closely watched
and regulated. They could not open
new businesses without the consent
Of bureaucratic government. Their
established businesses were subject to
incessant bureaucratic meddling. Eco
nomic and social development were
bound to be slow under these condi-
tions.
In contrast, the American way Of
life had left men and women free
from these restrictions. Our people
have been free to develop their own
lives as they saw fit and to cooperate
with one another on . voluntary basis.
They have been encouraged to start
any honest enterprise that would
enable them to support their fami-
lies, give the public the goods and
services 1t wanted, and make jobs
for themselves and others. Under
this encouragement, business has ex-
panded here faster than elsewhere,
- - T.