The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1937-06-04
YOUTH AND THE NEW DAY.

They Seek Better Country
/. Better IN its attitude and sense
Of justice towards all races that live
under the stars and stripes.
2. Better in its respect for per
sonality.
3. Better in It's program Of con
scrVation of human resources and
its security of human life.
4. Better IN It's offering in educa
ton to the end that the contribu
tion which has been made to Amer
lean advancement by the Negro and
other groups shall not be ignored,
put in foot notes. or under-valued
in teaching American History.
s. Better in its practical inter
probation and application of the
teachings Of Jesus, in building
world brotherhood.
We want to build on this contin-
ent a quality, type and character Of
civilization that will endure. Alb
raham Lincoln gave new emphasis
to this basic and high purpose Of
our nation, IN his famous Gettys
burg Address. Out Of what is such
nation as Lincoln contemplated
built2 II Is built out Of enlighten-
ment. initiative, Imagination, indus
try, understanding, justice, self
help, cooperation, enthusiastic de-
votion, and good will There are no
substitutes for these divine instrn
ments Of social, economic, and
political advancements.
Without these there will be no
peace on earth and no good will
among men. Without these qualities
and instrumentalities this nation and
no other can long endure.
In our country today great areas
Of people arc going to vast because
we think more Of the conservation
/ of soil than we do Of the reclama
tion Of souls The wealth OF any
nation is ii the quality Of the char.
lacter Of its citizenry We are very
much concerned about what men
| drink, but we are very little con.
lcerned about what they think We
call men Of the Dillinger type public
enemies No /, they are not. We
say that the communists are the
greatest enemies to organized gov
,ielnment, they are not. Satisfied ig.
norance and relentless race prejud.
ice are Americas public enemies
Nc. /. they are not. We say that the
communists are the greatest enemies
to organized government, they are
not. Satisfied ignorance and relen-
tless race prejudice are Americas S
public enemies No. /. They are the
greatest enemies any democracy
can ever produce or tolerate. These
| public enemies find fertial soil In
our country in which to grow. be-
cause we have not been concerned
about the thinking of the nation
about the attitude toward people
and principals-We have not had
th ,t,l.tsal ao,,ra,. ~ tba r,,;,.;t,,a1
stamina to unite against the evils
and enemies Of Christian Democ-
racy. These enemies are: ignorance,
idleness, race prejudice, and econ
omic injustice. We can have bet
ter country and we can build a quail
ity Of civilization that will endur.
When We glorify the fact tkat
each person is real democracy,
has real place, and each function
ing in his place is essential to the
life of the whole. We have gone on
trying 10 build a duel type of civ
ilization and call il democracy.
We cannot tolerate a double stand
ard in education, in industry, in
labor, in living and produce into
the body polite citizens who will
unite in glorifying upon which the
country is founded,
American youth are therefore
demanding that we pass on to them
a civilization that is one in it's OPP
portunity one in its obligations
and one IN its great objectives. We
have spent entirely too much time
| III building up race consciousness
/. in this country and not enough time
in building up fine human interest.
The youth of today is coming upon
a new day in which the leader will
set up a new standard Of work, and
one standard Of living for whose
ever will qualify.