Evening star., 1941-02-10
Education Hope of Democracy,
Russell Tells Town Hall
British Philosopher Strs Lively Discussion
With Panel Members Before Crowd Of 1000

known as Mr." Russell.
The debunkers told us nothing
was worth fighting for" Mr.. Lunn
said, but we are fighting now be-
cause they failed-we believe Eng
land and the English way of life is
worth fighting for" He referred to
Mr. Russell as "one of those who
has been busily engaged in de-
bunking all our ideals.
Russell Claims Misrepresentation.
Il believe that man was made in
the image of God and so has GER
tain rights deriving from God that
none can destroy" Mr.. Lunn con-
tinued. IF man is nothing but
water and chemicals. he has only the
rights of water and chemicals. If
he is nothing but a cousin TO the
chimpanZee, how can he object TO
the dictators placing him behind
barS?"
Mr.. Russell said that Mr.. Lunn
misrepreSented his views. explaining
that he did not advocate complete
skepticism but an attitude half
way between skepticiSm and dogma.
He overlooked" Mr.. Russell con-
tinued. that while I do not believe
one can be certain of anything.
there are in my opinion varying
degrees Of probability. I think it
probable that Mr.. Lunn does exist
while I realize that any one of
my opinions is apt to be mistaken
I do have some very strong opinions
that I think are probably right"
Ballou Cites d. c. Schools.
In answering questions from the
audience. Mr.. Russell said he had
not meant to imply in his address
that teachers should not be free to
express their own opinions They
should express them" he said. but
on questions generally regarded as
controversial, the other side should
be presented. too"
Other questions brought state
ments from DR.. Ballou that he did
not believe compulsory military
training had place in the public
schools. and that District school
teachers are free to inform their
pupils about Socialism, Communism
and other ''isms," but not to advo-
cate them.
At the outset of his address. Mr.
Russell said he did not believe there
was complete democracy anywhere.
II think of it as something we are
trying to get, not as something We
have" he added 1T is always more
or less incomplete.
He listed the fundamentals of
democracy as:
81. Equal distribution of- ultimate
power.
20. That in all matters in which a
common decision is not necessary,
the rights of minorities should be
respected"
Can't Be Defended by Arms.
Declaring that the present de-
fense of democracy by war is I'M
avoidable," he said that in the long
run democracy cannot be defended
by force of arms, but by causing
people to love democracy and to be
able to make it work"
The opposite dangers to democ-
racy of anarchy and dictatorship
can be avoided only by combining
"a certain Self-reliance and belief in
your own opinion with an equal re-
spect for the opinions of Others" he
said.
In a democracy" he continued,
"a man must be prepared to stand
up for his own opinion but also to
submit to the majority if he is in
the minority"
Pointing out that every opinion
now generally accepted as correct
once was held by only small mi
nority. he said he did not believe
that the part of democracy involv-
ing respect for minority opinions "is
so we'll understood in this country as
are other parts"
Decrying any tendency to require
all school teachers to agree with
opinions of the majority, he said
such a practice would lead to perse-
cution and "the point where no new
idea can ever be promulgated"
Schools should produce in their
pupils the power to judge in po-
litical affairs" and a resistance to
eloquence," he added, remarking
that modern advertising had given
experimental veriflcation of the
irrationality of mankind and its
susceptibility to emotional appeals" :"
Throughout his address, Mr.. Rus
sell stressed the Importance of the
individual and his rights, declaring
that opponents of democracy are
those who would use individuals as
a means to totalitarianism.
The thing you have got to re-
member" Mr. Russell concluded, 'is
that mass hysteria is the real enemy
of democracy. and that any person
who tries to promote mass hysteria
is to be looked upon With suspicion. !"