Evening star., 1937-03-04
Defining ssThe People. -

The phrase The People" is so COM
monty used that it might be supposed
to be generally understood. Yet in some
applications it surely stands in need of
clarification. For example, during the
current debate about President RooSe-
velt's plan for the reorganization" of
the Federal judiciary, speakers on both
sides have talked of the courts as being
institutions for the service of the public.
1t is fair question to ask what is meant
by such language.
Patiently, a vast philosophic issue is
involved in the problem. st. Mark re-
ports that when the PhariSees challenged
Jesus, the Lord answered them, THE
Sabbath was made for man, and not man
for the Sabbath" In other words, it was
the Saviour's view that laws are designed
for society's benefit, rather than society
for that Of laws. But, had He been
further catechized, He almost surely
would have explained that, as st. Paul
later told the Romans, there is no re-
spect of persons with God" Man is an
inclusive term; it embraces everybody,
omits no one. In Christian theory,
whether it be expounded by the Messiah
or by His apostles, humanity In its en-
tirety is embraced In every syllable which
connotes the race.
So, likewise, the opening passage of
the Constitution Of the United States
begins with I'VE, the people" signifying
the whole population and not any mere
fractional division Of it. Nothing Is men,
toned of those portions to which Glad
stone referred as classes and masses"
Neither is there any citation OF Homer's
vulgar host" nor Cicero's Ignorant
multitude" nor Horace's "il-conditioned
Similarly, nothing is specified concern
ing any aristocracy of birth or wealth,
any upper crust" any favored few"
In the Declaration of Independence it
had been argued that "all men are
created equal" and endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable rights"
The same sentiment is reflected in the
ten original amendments, which went
into effect within two years after ratifi-
cation of the first seven articles.
But it was inevitable that occasionally
the elementary principle of the Amer
ican variety of democracy should be
forgotten for the moment. The small
minority which is represented in city
mob now and again has presumed to
dictate national policy; the large major
ity which gives ephemeral ascendency to
a single political group has vainly
imagined itself possessed of the mandate
of one hundred per cent of the populace.
In sober fact, however, some opposition,
exists. And even the rankest of non
conformists still has his place in the
community, his just claim to personal
freedom, his natural privilege to be
master of his own destiny.
"The People," then, is not unit nor
even the approximation of one. It is.
rather, what Edmund Vance Cooke had
the genius to regard it when he wrote
the lines:
1.-THE North! The South! The West!
The East!
No one the most and none the least,
But each with its own heart and mind,
Each Of its own distinctive kind,
Yet each part and none the whole,
But all together form one soul;
That soul our Country at its best,
No North, no South, no East, no West,
No yours, no mine, but always Ours,
Merged in one Power our lesser powers,
For no ones favor, great or small,
But all for Each and each for ALI"