Evening star., 1938-12-10
Text of Eden's Address
Ringing Defense Of Democracy
Made in New York Speech

always Snau. IN ltSe1 this Is no
unhealthy sign in any free COM
munity, but this does not alter the
fact that at heart we all want the
same things, we all want to pre-
serve our liberties, we all want
freedom and security, not only for
ourselves, but for our children, and
for our children's children. We all
want peace, however much we NAV
differ as to the method we think
best to follow in order to win the
common goal. There is a unity of
outlook deeper than all the more
superficial disunities of expression.
What q nation has in common is
what matters most. The still
waters of community outlook some
times run SO deep that they are less
noticeable than the controversial
ripples on the surface, but they
matter more.
1t is the essence OF democracy
that it provides constant schooling
in this endless adventure which Is
the art of government. Democracy
is university in which we learn
from one another. It can never be
barracks, where blind obedience
is the first essential.
In our university, then, we must
be constantly re-examining our
political faith, and applying it to
the conditions of the modern world.
| Every political system, be it demo-
cratic or autocratic, must con-
tinually evolve, and in the last re-
source the survival of democracy
must depend upon the faith which
it inspires and the results which,
through faith, 1t can achieve.
Courage Needed.
We have to make sure that the
way we practice democracy is the
most likely way, in the changing
circumstances of the world, to guar
antee the best and freest life for
the members of the community to
which we belong. Democracy must
have the strength Of the best tenn
pered steel, not rigid but supple.
1t must have the strength of the
highest form of discipline-self-
discipline. 1t must have the courage
to recognize mistakes and injusticeS,
as well as to stand firm for what
is right and what is just. This
is high ideal, but without an ideal
man will never give of his best.
We have to choose what we believe
to be the true ideal, and having
chosen it, hold to it, and work for it.
The differences in my country and
yours are many and varied; indeed,
1 am prepared to discover many
more such differences irAthese next
few days thar have been conscious
of hitherto. Yet despite them all,
our conception of the state in our
society is very much the same, and
what is more important, I believe
it is the right conception, .just
conception, and one that gives the
best scope for human progress. I
believe, too, that If we are deter
mined that it shall survive, it will
survive; but If we are not so deter
mined, 1t may we'll perish. The clock
of human progress will then be set
back, and we shall not be faithful
trustees of what we have Inherited,
and we shall leave legacy of strife
and confusion to those who come
after U.S.
I am not going to attempt to de-
fine democracy. There are many
forms and shades of it in many
countries, just as there are many
forms and shades of relationships.
I would therefore concern myself
only with what is common to all
forms of democdacy and what is the
most important aspect of 1t to those
who live under 1t; what, in fact, we
In England, and you in America
cherish most.
Stand for Individual Rights.
We and you stand for democracy
because we stand for the rights of
the individual because our purpose
is to assure freedom for the ex-
preston Of thought; to encourage
conditions in which the Individual
human personality can live and
grow. Man was not, in our view
made for the state. The state was
made for man. The art of govern
ment consists in striking just bal
ance between the claims of the in
dividual and those of the state to
which he owes allegiance.
We are living through an attempt
to persuade man to reverse his
faith. After centuries of endeavor
he is threatened by the state he
has himself created. Mans pur-
pose in creating that state was to
enable him to live in order and
security, to guarantee to him the
opportunity to exercise his faculties
freely.
1t would indeed be the greatest
irony in human history if mankind
were to allow all progress to be
stifled by the setting up of a new
form Of idolatry; the worship OF
the state, to which all men must
bow down, and to which they must
sacrifice their freedom of faith, OF
speech, of worship. Yet such is
now the doctrine in many lands
and 1t has passionate and ruthless
devotees. Man." said Pascal, "is
an incomprehensible creature"
No believer in democracy could
ever accept such a state of affairs
1t is not that we, to whom has
been handed down this heritage of
freedom, have a false conceit of
ourselves. We in Britain know full
well that we are no paragons. We
acknowledge. of course. that there
are many chequered pages in our
long history. One of the worst con-
Germs our dealings with you 100
years ago.
Yet admitting all this, we know
that there are certain standards
in which we believe and which we
will not yield up.
In our conception, a modern