Evening star., 1939-02-20
Definition Of Liberal
In 10Th Century Is
Debate i Subject
Dr.. Max Lerner and
William Hard Air
Views at Town Hall

OAn editos-profes Or and a we'll
known jou. nalist, agreeing that 10th
century liberalism is outmoded,
c)ashed in a Town Hall debate last
fight at the Shoreham Hotel over
the definition and role of a liberal
in Goth century democracy.
The modern liberal must embrace
philosophy which includes "a con-
cern for civil liberties, multi-party
system in a 'collectivist economy
and general economic opportunity
for ALL" DR.. Max Lerner, Williams
College professor and editor of the
Nation, told the audience at the
final session of Town Halls fifth
season.
On the other hand. William Hard,
well-known journalist and author,
declared himself in favor of equal
liberalism" which, he said, implies
balance between individual liberty,
more specifically freedom of enter
prise and highly centralized Gov
ernment control of the Nations
business.
In defense of his position DR..
Lerner declared that a concern for
civil liberties not only means the
protection of minority against
majority. or the individual against
the state. but rather of those liber-
ties of all individuals.
Multi-Party System.
He also advocated a strong Con-
gress as part of multi-party sys-
tenn within a "collectivized econ
omy." He urged general economic
opportunity for the whole mass of
people, the corporation and the
trade union" DR.. Lerner said cor
poration regulation is the economic
task of our generation and can be
done by an effective and militant
policy of CONTROL" which, he said,
should also hold for trade unions, as
we'll as corporations.
Supporting his stand, Mr.. Hard
said the Government should not
govern human being on any uni
tary premise.
In the theological field, man is
not only an animal but is endowed
with spirit" he declared. The
same is true in politics Man is an
individual and has certain inalien-
able rights which no government
should take away from him. Man
is a social animal and he does not
function at his best unless society
gives him opportunity to function
socially as well as individually"
Mr. Hard proposed that in certain
fields of economic enterprise such as
the radio, corporations should be
set up as limited dividend firms,
paying reasonable dividend to the
investor, the remaining surplus to
be returned to the corporation for
the improvement of the industry as
whole.
Cites Radio Industry.
He cited the radio industry as a
type of enterprise which though
privately owned and operated is
controlled to a degree by the Gov
ernment
Mr.. Hard declared that it is incon-
sistent that liberalism which for
$50 years meant relief from Gov
ernment control suddenly reverses
its meaning to that of increased Fed
eral supervision.
For many years, liberals have
chased the white rabbit of increased
freedom" he said. Suddenly the
rabbit changes itself into big. bad
wolf of Government regulation"
DR.. Lerner warned that liberalism
must change its political and eco
nomic bases if it is to preserve its
essential values.
Fear Declared Obstacle.
Citing fear as one of the main OBJ
stacles in achieving this aim, DR..
Lerner said, The approach has not
been as to what can be accomplished
by action, but rather what dangers
does it lead to. 1t has looked more
toward freedom from something
rather than freedom for it. The
real dangers of the capitalist democ-
racy are those arising from ineff1-
cheney in dealing with economic
problems
DR.. Lerner pointed to Germany
as an example in which a break
down of the economic system was
followed by political paralysis" and
finally psychological hysteria,"
which he said made it easy for
"demagogues and crack-pots to con-
vince the people that their saliva
ton lay in the gospel of social mad
ness"
Tracing the growth of "equalism,"
Mr.. Hard pointed to the French
revolution and the following period
in which liberty, he said, was the
essense of the entire philosophy of
liberty, equality and fraternity"
until gradually equality commenced
to make its appearance.
He then pointed to two moments"
when equalism was applied to mod
ern american life. The first he said
was the spassage of the Railroad
Labor Act in 1926, which he said
gave lator the opportunity to bar
gaH collectively with employers and
a chance to obtain a fairer share
in the income of the railroads. La
50r was placed in q position of
equality with capital, he declared.
The second occasion, he said, was
the creation of the Federal Farm
Board in 1929, provided to facili-
tate loans to farm groups and to
purchase farm commodities to give
the farmer a larger rsrt of the ma
tional income.
Neither of these laws could have
been passed by antique liberals" he
declared. Equality had finally
joined liberty in American economic
legislation"
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