Evening star., 1939-03-06

etAoHsAAs opii4' &
OF representative n,vid ,.-r.n,.
Government.
Every word spoken seemed to
carry unusual significance on ac-
count of the troubled condition of
the world and particularly because
of the peril into which human lib
critics have been thrust by arbitrary
power
Without preconceived concert and
without collaboration, the utter
ances of Americas leaders conveyed
a remarkable unanimity of thought.
And whatever differences of party
or economic bias may have been
astir on other occasions in the same
surroundings, there was not one
echo of it in the whole-hearted de-
votion of all concerned to the tenets
and principles of American democ-
racy.
The ovation to the President and
to the Chief Justice were unmistak-
able in their sincerity-a combina-
ton of personal esteem and ad-
miration and the respect which is
given to high Office in America. One
saw Mr.. Roosevelt applauding as
Chief Justice Hughes was intro
duced and one saw the Chief JUS
tice and the members of the Su-
preme Court joining in the testi-
monial to the Chief Executive.
Designed to Answer Skeptics.
In not single sentence of these
speeches did one observe any acri-
mony, even by implication, with ref
= erence to domestic controversy. But
one felt throughout the ceremonies
that the whole celebration was in
voluntarily designed to answer the
skeptics who have lost faith in the
efficacy of democracy as a system of
government.
If the contrast between the liber-
ties that are enjoyed in free Amer
lea and the suppression of liberties
In the totalita-ian states was evi-
dent, 1t was not so much in order
to cast aspersions on other forms
of government, but to revivify and
re-emphasize the American faith in
her own system and in the at
tributes OF democratic representa-
tive government throughout the
world.
Mr.. Roosevelt's address carried
perhaps the most pointed refer
ence Of all to external happenings.
When he asked whether America
should ''by our silence lend encour-
agement to those who today perse-
cute religion or deny It," and when
he answered that self-same ques-
ton with an emphatic mo" he was
exercising one of the American basic
rights Of free comment and free
speech. He was endeavoring to utter
the moral judgment of a Nation at
a time when there is somewhat of
a tendency to cry out as did Cain:
Am I my brothers keeper?" This
Indifference to the fate of man else
where, this assumption of an atti-
tude of complete detachment from
what is happening abroad even to
the point of denying a word of
sympathy to oppressed human be-
ings in other countries is met not
in accord with tradition, but springs
from a recently developed idea that
even when the blood of innocent
persons is being spilled unjustly
there must be neutrality of word
and thought.
Concept Renounced.
The President renounced this con-
cept of isolated Americanism. He
might have, if he wished, gone back
into the records from the beginning
of the American republic to find
on many occasions in resolutions of
Congress, in platform planks of both
parties, in declarations by our De-
partment of State and by civic and
patriotic organizations, unrestrained
pronouncements of Americas SYM
pathy with downtrodden peoples.
Mr.. Roosevelt might have recalled
the way Americans of all parties
and all classes spoke clearly their
sympathy with the Irish people in
their struggle for freedom. Tech
nically it was none of Americas
business, but morally and actually
1t was a sympathy that hardly any
body in public life cared to suppress.
When the Boer rebellion was on
IN South Africa, party platforms
expressed American sympathy in
unequivocal terms, and when the
Russian government of the Car re-
fused to recognize the passports of
American citizens because of reli-
gious or racial discrimination, there
was no passive acquiescence by
Republican President, any more
than there is today by Democratic
President. or craven exhortation
that we should mind our own busi-
ness" and remain silent about these
attacks on human liberties.
Turning to the speech of the Chief
Justice. there were phrases which
revealed an awareness of the
"eroundswells of autocracy" abroad
and of the direct attack and sub
versive influence" leveled at our in
stitutions, and it was noteworthy
that the greatest applause came as
he said there is every indication
that the vastly preponderant senti-
ment Of the American people is that