Evening star., 1940-09-21

change Of circumstances. institu-
tions must advance also and keep
apace with the times
We must follow that rule today
as readily as then, always with the
condition that any change in insti-
tutions or in economic methods
must remain within the same old
framework of a freely elected demo-
i cratic form of government.
I have pointed out many times
that Western migration and the free
use Of unoccupied lands have ended
with the advent OF the industrial
age; that with the changes wrought
! by new inventions of steam and elec-
| tricity, new relationships have arisen
between units of finance and in
duStry on one side and the great
mass of workers and small business
men on the other, and that certain
| Government controls have become
necessary to prevent few financial
and industrial groups from harming
or cutting the throats Of other
groups, smaller in size but much
/ greater in number.
New Duties Of Government.
We have at the same time de-
veloped new beliefs in governmental
responsibilities to humanity as a
whole. 1t is a relatively new thing
in American life to consider what
the relationships of government are
to its starving or unemployed citi-
zenS, and to take steps TO fulfill Its
duties to them.
There are many instruments of
social justice which America has
forged to meet the new conditions
of industry, agriculture, finance and
| labor-I will not enumerate them,
/ for you know them. These many
instruments are the means which
our own generation have adopted to
overcome the threats to economic
democracy in our land-threats
which in other lands led quickly to
political despotism.
Solutions Change.
Benjamin Franklin, to whom this
university owes 50 much, realized
too, that while basic principles OF
natural science or morality, and OF
the science of society were eternal
and immutable, the application OF
these principles necessarily change
with the patterns of living condi-
| tions from generation to genera
ton. I am certain that he would
insist that it is the whole duty OF
| tho y,bilocophAr ood $ba >A,,.n&@, . .
apply the eternal ideals of truth
and goodness and justice in terms
of the present and not of the past
Growth and change are the law OF
all life. Yesterdays answers are
inadequate for today's problems
! just as the solutions Of today will
not fill the needs of tomorrow.
Eternal truths will be neither true
nor eternal unless they have fresh
meaning for every new social situa-
ton.
1t is the function of education to
provide continuity for our national
life-to transmit to youth the best
of our culture which has been tested
in the fire of history. It is equally
the obligation Of education to train
the minds and the talents of our
youth; to improve, through creative
citizenship, our American institu-
tions in accord with the require
ments of the future.
We cannot always build the future
for our youth; we can build ou1
youth for the future.
Duty Of Universities.
, 1t is in great universities like this
that the ideas which can assure our
national safety and make tomor-
rows history, are being forged and
shaped. Civilization owes most to
the men and women, known and
unknown, whose free, inquirine
minds and restless intellects could
not be subdued by the power OF
tyranny.
This is no time for any man to
withdraw into some ivory tower and
proclaim the right to hold himself
aloof from the problems and the
agonies of his society. The times
call for bold belief that the world
can be changed by mans endeavor
and that this endeavor can lead te
something new and better. No man
can sever the bonds which unite him
to his society simply by averting his
eyes. He must ever be receptive anG
sensitive to the new; and have sufi-
cient courage and skill to face move
facts and to deal with them.
If democracy is to survive it is
the task of men of thought, as well
as men of action, to put aside pride
and prejudice; and with courage
and single minded devotion-ano
above all with humility-to find the
truth and teach the truth that shall
keep men free.
We may find in that sense of pur-
pose, the personal peace, not ol
repose, but of effort, the keen salts
faction of doing, the deep feeling oi
achievement for something far be-
yond ourselves, the knowledge thai
we build more gloriously than W
know. ....: