Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-07-04

aspect of amuse-
ment entertain David Lawrence.
ment, festivity and recreation far
away from the original concept of
what July 4 meant to the United
States of America.
Perhaps if the holiday were used
to rededicate the American spirit
of democracy, it would not find
many people sharing in the cele-
bration. Even such a ceremony as
the rededication of the Constitu-
ton has to be worked up artifically
by groups and organizations to at
tract the attention of the public.
The use of firecrackers has for
many years given an emphasis Of
tragedy to the Fourth which has
obscured the true meaning of the
day. 1t has been considered patri-
otto to make noise and to teach the
youth to shoot firecrackers. Some
how these sports. apart from the
number of lives they have annually
taken, have become inbedded in the
Nations attitude toward the "glori-
Gus Fourth"
Some day in the not far distant
future as world events sweep across
the pages of history. the celebration
of days of independence and free
dom may be rare indeed. AS the
totalitarian states, both communistic
and fascistic, gradually encroach
on the democracies and take away
the liberties that symbolized the
outbreak of the American Revolu-
ton, there may come to the Ameri-
can people the sensation of how
really limited is the area in which
peoples actually enjoy independence.
Old Liberties Gone.
Even in the United States the
old-fashioned liberties are gone. A
new doctrine has arisen in which
the Importance of the State as SUI
perior to the individual has been
emphasized. The theory is that
the people cannot be expected to
live in mutual tolerance of each
others rights, but must have a ma
tlonal police power exercised over
them. In economic matters more
and more the State has assumed au-
thority and jurisdiction so that the
old sovereignties of the several
States have been virtually brushed
aside
This trend has been justified by
Its sponsors on the ground that
emergencies prevail throughout the
world. Precisely this argument has
hpnfo 10 h1- no ioto
ing peoples to accept their drastic
progress of regulation by the State.
A certain amount of regulation to
prevent fraud and dishonesty and
manipulation of property in dis
honest ways has always been con-
ceded to be proper limitation on
the license of the individual. But
today regulation by government has
for its object the regulation of bust
nesses which adhere to every stand
ard of legitimacy and honest con-
duct, but which are asked now to
mt into an economic pattern dictated
by the State in the name of the
public welfare
Pressure groups easily produce
majorities in Congress NOWADAYS
and the old time check on Congress,
courageous Supreme Court of the
United States which would not
hesitate to protect the individual
against the loss of his liberties, now
has given way to court which is
hailed as having surrendered to the
Governments commands, that is, the
legislative branches of the Federal
Government.
Disinclined to Risk.
A declaration of independence
against tyranny brought on the
American Revolution. 1t was
declaration which breathed the spirit
Of free men who were willing to
dedicate their lives, their properties
and their sacred honor to the cause
of human liberty. Today, with
principles of vital Importance at
stake, many persons throughout the
world are not only disinclined to risk
lives, but their possessions in a
crusade for truly constitutional gov
eminent and radiance from dicta-
torship, whether it be by the state
or by the autocratic groups that
dominate the economic life of the
nation. Leadership of an outspoken
nature is the exception rather than
the rule in the timid democracies
OF today. This is not altogether due
to the failure of craftsmanship, but
to the greater interest which the
masses of people seem to have in
indulgence-in creature comforts
rather than in the sacrifices that
make peoples do what our fore
fathers did 1853 years ago today.
One by one small nations are
being robbed of their independence
in the world whilst so-called liberty
loving nations stand apart and treat
the dlctators and the victims on
plane OF equality in a meticulous
sort of neutrality.
1t has become fashionable to pro-
claim America as uninterested in
world affairs. Yet if France had
adopted such an isolationist atti-
Cude III the days of the American
Revolution, the aid withheld bv