Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-17
ONE LAMP KEEPS BURNING
by James Hilton
by James Hil1oz,

We know are beginning to know - it
not enough We already turning off the exterior lighting
and turning the central heating already
reghtng the fires of faith to match the opposing fires of
hatred We may yet be in time But to show what happens
when these things not done time at all - let
us look back for moment at the pathetic example of
the League of Nations. 1t far from perfect expert
men but it did constitute STEP at any rate toward
something shall eventually have to have in the world
and most realized that But the League sckened and
died of that deadest OF modern diseases popular ap-
proval without personal faith demanded crusade and
gave it press campaign 1t might have sprung alive
from the soul of saint it could only die of our nnumeabe
votes of confidence and acts of Indifference 1t should have
been preached until people aame with it instead of
which it fattered until people bored with it,
AND is the with democracy. We have given it
plenty of quite sincere lip service but not enough mind
service certainly not enough soul service Religion not
the only thing that die without faith and democracy,
which is spiritual well political concept requires
the service of its adheents well their acceptance of
its benefits When look back upon that strange decade
the thres and still further back upon that stranger
decade, the twenties, how gradually and
nsidousy the nations call the democaces had slipped
into the way of taking democracy for granted - until it
became more and more like something tuned with the
gas and the telephone and the electricity all of which
highly necessary but of which is the stuff make
martyrs and heroes Thus democracy gained the respect
due to public utility, it losing the of destiny
that is the guiding star of all the great movements of
kind even backward and brutal movements such the
one we are struggling against today.
Let thank God that this of destiny has already
returned to The fires had burned low but they
will not die of neglect Our task is to defeat the
Great Conspiracy that threatens put them by force
1t conspiracy perhaps the most gigantic history, to
reverse by lightning blow the verdict of mankind after
centuries of struggle the verdict for the Defendant In
divdual against Prosecuting AutoUacy
But again there is little danger of that any We
have walked up the only doubt whether have walked
up in time. One thing is certain whatever the outcome
life will be vastly different when this over If the
Great Conspiracy wins shall be faced with hard re-
lentless world in which individual freedom may disappear
for so long that mankind may forget what like
IT. however the Conspiracy can be crushed - what have
then to hope for? Not easy life - let make
that mistake again. Nor shall have easy problems
for the exact equations between freedom and discipline
between rights and Sacrifices will still remain for democ
racy to solve But the world will at least have chance
swing into of progressive development not
of tired sitting back to enjoy the fruits of vic
tory but eager watching ahead for further victories
One thing is today the brightest hope pretty hope
less world 1t is the emerging unity that may eventually be
born not out of clause in treaty, like the League of
Nations but out of the hearts and minds of who
fight the battle for democracy Such unity cannot and
need not be reckoned in terms of languages boundares
is built on faith and purpose creating world
yet of its physical frontiers but only of the
boundlessness of its dreams.