Evening star., 1938-01-03
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and disorder, in q world where
stable civilization is actually
threatened, it becomes the respon-
sibility of each nation which strives
for peace at home and peace with
and among others to be strong
enough to assure the observance
Of those fundamentals Of peaceful
solution of conflicts which are the
only ultimate basis for orderly
existence.
Resolute in our determination to
respect the rights of others, and to
command respect for the rights of
ourselves, We must keep ourselves
adequately strong in self-defense.
There is a trend in the world
away from the observance both of
the letter and the spirit Of treaties.
We propose to observe, as We have
In the past, our own treaty obliga-
tions; but we cannot be certain of
reciprocity on the part of others.
Disregard for treaty obligations
seems to have followed the surface
trend away from the democratic
representative form of govern
ment. 1t would seem, therefore,
that world peace through interna-
tional agreements, is most safe in
the hands of democratic represen-
tative governments-or, in other
words, peace is most greatly jeop-
ardized in and by those nations
where democracy has been dis
carded or has never developed.
have used the words surface
trend" for still believe that civ
ilized man increasingly insists and
in the long run will insist on gen.
uine participation in his own gov
ernment. Our people believe that
over the years democracies of the
world will survive, and democracy
will be restored or established in
those nations which today know it
not. In that faith lies the future
peace of mankind.
Duties Of Government Units
In Meeting Domestic Problems.
At home, conditions call for nv
equal candor. Events of recent
months are new proof that We can
not conduct national government
after the practice of 1897, or 1887
or 1887, for the obvious reason that
human needs and human desires
are Infinitely greater, infinitely
more difficult to meet than in any
previous period in the life of our
Republic. Hitherto it has been an
acknowledged duty of Government
to meet these desires and needs;
nothing has occurred of late to
absolve the Congress, the courts or
the President from that task. It
faces us-as squarely, as insistent-
ly, as in March, 1888.
Much of trouble in our own
lifetime has sprung from a long
period of inaction-from ignoring
what fundamentally was happen
ing to us, and from a time serving
unwillingness to face facts as they
forced themselves upon us.
Our national life rests on two
nearly equal producing forces,
agriculture and industry, each en-
ploying one-third of our citizens.
The other third transports and dis
tributes the products of the first
two, or performs special services
for the whole.
The first great force, agricul-
ture-and with it the production
of timber. minerals and other
natural resources-went forward
feverishly and thoughtlessly until
nature rebelled and we saw deserts
encroach. floods destroy, trees dis
appear and soil exhausted.
Points to Abject Poverty
In Many Rural Areas.
At the same time we have been
discovering that vast numbers Of
our farming population live in a
poverty more abject than that Of
many of the farmers of Europe
whom We are wont to call peas
ants; that the prices of our prod
acts of agriculture are too often
dependent on speculation by non-
farming groups, and that foreign
nations. eager to become self
sustaining or ready to put virgin
land under the plough, are no
longer buying our surpluses of cot
ton and wheat and lard and to-
bacco and fruit as they had before.
Since 1888 we have knowingly
faced a choice of three remedies.
First, to cut our cost of farm pro-
duction below that Of other ma
tions-an obvious impossibility in
many crops today unless We revert
to human slavery or its equiva-
lent.
Second, to make the Government
the guarantor of farm prices and
the underwater of excess farm
production without limit-a course
which would bankrupt the strong
est government in the world In a
decade.
Third, to place the primary
responsibility directly on the farm
ers themselves, under the princi-
pie Of majority rule, so that they
may decide, with full knowledge
OF the facts of surpluses, scarcities,
world markets and domestic needs,
what the planting of each crop
should be IN order to maintain a
reasonably adequate supply which
will assure minimum adequate
price under the normal processes
Of the law Of supply and demand.
Term POLICY of Scarcity"
Called Misrepresentation.
That means adequacy Of supply
but not glut. It means adequate
reserves against the day of drought.
1t is shameless Misrepresentation
to call this policy of scarcity.
It is in truth insurance before
the fact, instead Of government
subsidy after the fact.
Any such plan for the control of
excessive surpluses and the specu-
lation they bring has two enemies.
There are those well-meaning the
orists who harp on the inherent
right Of every free-born American
IN do with his land what he ua nts-