Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-18

row Wilson before another Roose-
welt adopted-and distorted-lib-
eralism.
I learned my liberalism right
here at home. From the fac
tories that came into this town
many years ago, large fortunes
were made by few individuals,
who thereby acquired too much
power over our community.
Those same forces were at work
throughout the rest Of the Ma
ton. BY 1929 the concentration
of private power had gone fur
ther than it should ever 90 in a
democracy.
Liberal Point Of View
Guards Less Fortunate.
We all know that such con-
centration of power must be
checked. Thomas jefferson dis
liked regulation, yet he said that
the prime purpose of government
in democracy is to keep men
from injuring each other. We
know from our own experience
that the less fortunate or less
skillful among us must be protect
ed from encroachment. That Is
why We support what is known as
the liberal point OF view. That Is
why we believe in reform.
I believe that the forces of free
enterprise must be regulated I
am opposed to business monop-
olies. I believe in collective bar
gaining. by representatives OF
labor's own free choice, without
any interference and in full pro-
lection of those obvious rights.
I believe in the maintenance of
minimum standard for wages and
of maximum standards for hours.
l believe in the Federal regula-
ton of interstate utilities, Of
securities markets, and Of bank
ing. believe in Federal pensions,
in adequate old-age benefits. and
in unemployment allowances.
I believe that the Federal Gov
eminent has q responsibility to
e1ualize the lot of the farmer with
that of the manufacturer. If this
cannot be done by parity OF
prices, other means must be
found-with the least possible
regimentat ton of the farmers
affairs. I believe in >the en-
couragement of cooperative buy
ing and selling, and in the full
extension of rural identification.
The purpose of all such meas
ures is indeed to obtain a better
distribution of the wealth and
earning power of this country.
But l do not base my claim TO
liberalism solely on my faith in
such reforms. American LIBERAL
ism does not consist merely in
reforming things. 1t consists
also in making things.
Unlimited Productivity Must
Replace Distributed Scarcity.
The ability to grow, the ability
to make things, is the measure OF
mans welfare on this earth. To
be free, man must be creative.
am a liberal because I be-
lieve that in our industrial age
there is no limit to the produc-
tive capacity Of any man. And
so believe that there is no limit
to the horizon of the United
States.
say that we must substitute
for the philosophy of distributed
scarcity the philosophy Of un-
limited productivity. 1 stand for
the restoration of full production
and unemployment by private
enterprise in America.
And say that we must hence
forth ask certain questions OF
every reform and of every law to
regulate business or industry.
We must ask: Has it encouraged
our industries to produce? Has
it created new opportunities for
our youth? Will it increase our
standard of living? VIII 1t en-
courage us to open up a new
and bigger world?
A reform that cannot meet
these tests is not truly liberal
reform. 1t is an II pass" reform.
1t does not tend to strengthen
our system, but to weaken 1t. 1t
exposes us to aggressors, whether
d yVpilitory- II n.
courages class distinctions and
hatreds. And it will lead us in
eyitably, as I believe we are now
headed, toward a form of gov
eminent alien to ours, and a
way of life contrary to the way
that our parents taught us here
in Elwood.
1t is from weakness that
people reach for dictators and
concentrated government power.
Only the strong can be free.
And only the productive can
be strong.
Forgotten Man Wants Share
In American Adventure.
When the present administra-
ton came to power in 1888 we
heard a lot about the forgotten
man. The Government, we were
told, must care for those who
had no other means of support.
With this proposition all of us
/ agreed. And we still hold firmly
to the principle that those whom
private industry cannot support
must be supported by Govern
ment agency, whether Federal or
State.
But I want to ask any one in
this audience who Is, or has been.
on relief whether the support
that the Government gives him
Is. enough. Is 1t enough for the
free and ablebodied American to