Evening star., 1939-04-18
CONTINUED From Page B-s.)

needed aCtentlOn 10 problems mere
at home. Our people largely are
sympathetic with the democracies ol
the world. There are many policies
which these democracies pursue with
which we do not agree and of which
we do not approve. BY and large
however, the American people dc
approve of the maintenance OF
democratic institutions in every par
OF the world; this, because we be-
lieve that such maintenance will
make it easier for us to maintain
democracy here. That, in itself, Is
a task which will keep us busy
during these next few years. Eco
nomic problems, stemming from
whatever source they may, always
place heavy burden upon the
maintenance OF democratic institu.
tions. We may hope and pray that
democracies will not be crushed else
where-we must be determined that
democracy shall not be crushed here.
The important question here is,
will we learn a lesson from what has
happened in those European coun-
tries that have become dictator
ships? Will our people realize what
happens in a country where hate
and intolerance control the hearts
and minds of the people?
May Bring Appreciation.
My hope is that what has hap
pened in Europe may cause our
people calmly and dispassionatelv
to appreciate and understand our
American democracy.
To find out what a thing is, it Is
hrst necessary to eliminate those
things that 1t is not. That is par.
ticularly true when one attempts to
know about an institution of gov
ernment. 1t is so easy to confuse
the superstructure with the founda-
tlons. Such confusion leads to mis-
understanding, which sufficiently
multiplied and repeated, leads to
dangers to the institution.
There are so many people who
view our form of democracy as 4
mere pattern. To them, the pat
tern itself is the sacred thing. They
see our Constitution as a set of rules,
established and preserved to main
tain status quo. For myself, I
don't think they honor either our
Government or our Constitution by
this view. Those who wrote our
Constitution were not only wise.
They were also farseeing. They vi.
stoned Nation ever expanding, eve,
progressing. No patriotic American
would accuse them of concefving a
strait jacket upon American ad-
vancement or progress. OF course,
IN making changes we must be slow
Our legislative bodies must be slow
Our courts must be slow. Our peo-
pie must be slow. However, need for
care must not be the excuse for
stagnation. There are times when
stagnation will much more SURELY
destroy an institution than even a
little too rapid change. True prog.
ress IN government comes from
avoiding either of these extremes.
l credit our Founding Fathers with
sulnclent astuteness to recognize
tnls. They braked down our speed
with written Constitution. They
insured against stagnation by max
ing 1t living, growing document.
which could be used to fit the needs
and the problems of the world !.
most rapidly expanding Nation.
Holding this view, I cannot heir
out become impatient with those who
see in every new proposal a threat
TO our institution of government
IL seems TO me that they DISPLAY
but little faith in the Fundamental
soundness Of the institution unde,
which we live.
Then there are manv who no,
80 much more attention to the trap.
pings OF government than to GOV.
ernment itself. The pomp ane
ceremony is to them the importan,
tnlng. Under dictatorship the beat.
Ing OF drums and the fanfare O,
trumpets are of supreme Importance
In democracries they need not be
Every person wants to feel that hi
Is part of his government. Under
Stain, Hitler or a Mussolini
that opportunity is denied him
Under a democracy he has that
chance. He can run the whole gamu
OF participation. We take our gov.
ernmental activities directly into ou,
own veins. We don't need to take
them vicariously.
In order for democratic COM
munity to endure, certain prereQui.
sites are evident.
Must Protect Weapons.
!. We must protect with our lives
those weapons which will enable u,
to protect the democratic com.
munity. Most powerful of these are
freedom Of speech and freedom o1
press. Never for a minute may We
permit these instrumentalities OF
democratic process to be impaired
or diminished. That applies te
those speakers and those papers
with whom we disagree as well as
those with whom we agree. Fo,
myself, I would prefer to permit q
speaker to tell or q paper to publish,
q deliberate lie about me than tc
try to stifle Or suppress either one
OF them.
2. Equality of opportunity to par
ticipate in government enjoyed by
every citizen qualified to participate
That opportunity must be free from
coercion or fear on the one side and
free from impossible promises ol
reward upon the other.
3. The minority in a democratic
community must recognize the right
Of the majority to govern, provided
that the majority gives equal rec.
ognition Of its responsibility for fair.
ness and honesty in its treatment o.
the minority.
In democracy, the majority mus
insure to the minority the same
degree of justice which it demand!
for itself. Failing in these obliga-
tions the majority becomes merely
. mob. When the majority becomes
q mob, democracy fades out.