Imperial Valley press., 1940-09-24

Our Country written exciu-
siveIy for NEA Service and the
Post Press by the nations most
famous authors.
By STUART CHASE
Author of "A New Deal "Ricf
Land. Poor Land" "The New West.
ern Front" etc.
The United States of America is
something new in the world.
wish that more of my fellow citizens
could feel this in their bones. II
cannot be compared to any other
country. past or present; it operates
under a different set OF rules
What happens or has happened tc
them cannot happen in the same
way to us. If We go to smash, IL
will be in manner all our own
If we move forward to greater
stability and strength. as I think
we shall. it will not be on the
pattern of Greece. Rome, Germany
Russia or the British Empire.
Because I deeply believe this, /
am not greatly alarmed about a
military conquest of this country
or about its succumbing to brigades
of Fifth Columnists preaching Ease
ism Nazism, Communism in foreign
accents. I am afraid in different
way. and with longer time lag
There is one possible condition, as
I see it. which can reduce this
country to impotence, and that is
distrust of their government by the
young people of America. Another
decade of joblessness and hopeless
ness will bring them to this state
If we cannot give them work and
faith by 1850, perhaps we'd better
60 down the drainpipe.
The United States, ufT any
other great power except Russia,
is an integrated continental empire,
possessing all the raw materials 1t
needs to support its people within
its own boundaries. or within easy
access il. other parts of North
America. Unlike Russian resources,
ours have beer. fully developed. Our
industrial plant is now producing
roughly half the output OF the
whole world. With six per cent of
the worlds people, we produce so
per cent of its wealth. Germany,
Italy. France. Britain, Russia, Ja-
pan rolled into one do not approach
cur industrial potential-whether it
be measured in horsepower. coal,
oil. iron ore, metals. transportation
equipment, or output per man hour.
We have what it takes to over
whelm them all.
In addition. to its wealth, this
country has institutions more demo-
cratic than any other country has
ever had. I am talking of some
thing more fundamental than our
Constitution and political forms. We
are without the traditions of class
privilege which poison not only
Europe, and Asia. but Latin Ameri-
ca as well. Only Canada and Aus
tralasia share this asset with us.
We are all descendants of poor
immigrants, born on the wrong side
of the tracks The only aristro-
cracy we possess is that of money.
But when a plutocrat thinks he
has founded a dynasty, the family
fortune is quite like to explode
under him. The Sixty Families
come. ard poufl they are gone.
We have little pride of race, for
We are a crucible of all races. We
have little pride of noble blood,
for nobles didn't come over in the
steerage We have little sense of
class, for poor boys are always
working their way through college
to elbow stuffed shirts out of the
professions. We are probably of
a proletarian revolution, for out
side of a few clerks with horn
trimmed speetacles in the Commu-
mist Party no American will ad-
nit he is a proletarian. We have
no State Church to frighten us
into subjection with ghost stories.
We refuse TO accept the notion
that anyone is better than we are.
w IltlI oOllltDOug SITS up " DE- II
is the practice and duty of all good
Americans 10 pull the chair out
from under him. We are not split
as is unhappy Europe, into 26 sove-
reign nations. each with a different
language. currency and tradition.
You can search the pages of
history and you will find nothing
like the United States of America
recorded there It is unique and
alone Many Of its habits and
practices are stupid, inefficient and
deplorable It's financial system at
the moment is in a mess. But its
1872 million citizens, who never
learned TO touch their hats 70 their
betters operating the most massive
Industrial plant of all time over
The broad face of an integrated,
self sufficient continent. have a
rendezvous with destiny. It will
take more than the contemporary
uproar as to who is to be the un-
easy master of a torn ard riYen
Europe. to upset that destiny.
We must organize for liberty,
saws John Dos Passes, pointing out
the nations dangers at home, in
Inc uaxf article uf fhfe ear;a. A..