Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1937-01-21
by NATIONAL
COMMANDER COINfERf

That Is a question every clllzen
might we'll ponder and understand,
but among L~egionnaires, whose love
of country was tested and not found
wanting by the sternest rule known
to mantle choice between preser-
walton of seld or country-it strikes
a vibrant. responsive chord. 1t is
well that we should consider it anew
and understand its importance, if we
are TO carry our great work in the
field OF Amerieanism to its fullest
destiny. I do not attempt to answer
the question, but only TO make a few
observations for the purpose of slim
ulating your thought in that con-
nection.
We have been thinking and talk
ins in terms of tough times. There
is a current clamor for a Utopia in
America. We are reminded constant
ly that business failures, unemploy-
ment, relief rolls, lost markets and
many other factors are proof that
the American system has broken
down, and that we must have new
schools and new plans basically diff
ferent in order that continued OPP
|portunity and stability may be re-
stored TO America and her people.
Radical propaganda captures the
spotlight of publicity. 1t is heard
long and loud in both the political
and economic arena. And despite the
fact that the great advancement of
America has made her the envy of
the civilized world, American ideals
and principles are here and there
held up TO scorn and ridicule in nov
els and magazines, on the stage and
lecture platform, and in the pulpit
and class room 'by the most artic-
ulate bell-wethers of the time
Prior to the establishment of this
Government, society was directed
from above. The individual was not
free to strike out ON his own. Men
have always fought to overcome dis
tressed conditions and for relief
from oppression, but always con-
scious of the fact that they were
asking something of the grace of the
sovereign, and no one denied his alb
solute power either to grant or with
hold as he would. But the founders
of the American Republic decreed
that man, by virtue of his existence
and by reason OF his creation, had
the right to life, liberty and the pur-
suit of happiness, that all powers in
connection Herewith came from the
consent of those TO be governed,
and that, for the protection of these
rights governments were instituted
among They, therefore, made
Government the servant of man, and
not man of the Government; they
set up a system of constitutional
democracy which transformed it
from a dream to a reality, guaran-
teed to the individual enjoyment of
his liberty and the fruits of his la
Dor or genius. and gave a stability
10 the status of a citizen never at
tanned under any government before
or since. And the whole world has
looked on, while America has grown
in population, wealth, power-both
material and spiritual-unexampled
in the annals of history.
There was a time in that golden
hour of human history of the Roman
Empire, that every one of that mas
terful race which lived upon the I'll
bers banks, thought that Ito be a
roman was greater than to be a
king His proudest boast was that
i a am Roman citizen" His CON
sciousness was that not only of DOW
er, but of liberty. In the light of
Americas great progress as a Ma
tion, and the tremendous strides
which have been made for the COM
fort and happiness of the individual
citizen, what prouder boast can be
made than that II am an American
citizen
our primary reason for being
proud that we are Americans is that
we are a Nation of rec men.
We have freedom of speech, the
right TO express u thoughts in the
public forum without the crushing
fear of offending some overload who
has set himself above us. We have
the right TO assemble publicly and
peaceably. and exchange views and
opinions. We have the right to wor-
ship God as iour own conscience
may dictate. We have a free press;
our home is our castle, which no man
may violate; our property is safe
guarded against seizure without due
process of law, and our person is in
violate against Imprisonment with
out fair trial, before a jury Of IL
fellow citizens. We have a right to
save from our earnings and be pro-
tected in that which we earn. And
we have developed the most signi-
hcant thing in American life-that
group solidarity. which has given us
the family and the home as the unit
of democratic government.
Here in America we have equality
OF opportunity. The plowboy Of to-
day may become the President OF
tomorrow. the lowlinst watf NOV