The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-01-20
PRECEDENT, Obviously Moved, Mekss
ples fev Notlonel Unity. Strength ~

A nation, like . person, has
. mind Ia mind that must be
kept informed and alert, that
must know itself, that under
stands the hopes and the needs
Of it, neighbors - all the other
nations that live within the
narrowing circle Of the world.
And Q nation, like . person.
has something deeper, some
thing more permanent, some
thing larger than the sum Of Ill
its parts. II n that something
which matters most 70 it, fu-
ture - which calls forth the
most sacred guarding Of its pres
ent.
It IL . thing for which we
find It difficult - even impos-
sible - to hit upon q single,
simple word.
And yet we all understand
what IL II - the spirit - the
faith Of America 1t, Is the pro-
duct Of centuries. Ig was born
In the multitudes Of those who
came from many lands - some
Of high degree, but mostly plain
people - who sought here, early
and late, to find freedom more
freely.
The democratic aspiration Is
no mere recent phase in human
history. It II human history. It
permeated the ancient life Of
early peoples. Il blazed anew
In the middle ages Il was writ
ten in Magma Carta.
In the Americas it,. impact
has been irresistible. America
has been the new world In all
tongues. to all peoples, not be-
cause this continent was q new
found land, but because all
those who came here believed
they could create upon this con-
tinent q new life - q life that
should be new in-freedom.
It's vitality was written into
our own Mayflowes. Compact, in
to the Declaration of Independ-
ence, into the Constitution of
the United States, into the Get
tysburg address.
Those who first came here to
carry out the longings Of their
spirit and the millions who fol-
lowed, and the stock that sprang
from them - all have moved
forward constantly and consis-
tently toward m ideal which in
itself has gained stature and
clarity with each generation.
The hopes Of the republic
cannot forever tolerate either
undeserved poverty or self-serv-
ing wealth.
We know >that we still have
far to 60; that we must more
greatly build the security and
the opportunity and the know
ledge Of every citizen, in the
measure justified by the resourc-
es and the capacity Of the land.
But Il II not enough TO achieve
these purposes alone. Il II not
enough 70 clothe and feed the
body Of this nation, and instruct
and inform it, mind. For there
Is also the spirit. And Of the
three, the greatest Il the spirit.
Without the body and the
mind, % al men know, the ma
ton could not live.
But II the spirit Of America
were killed, even though the ma
tons body and mind, constric-
ted In IN alien world, lived on,
the America we know would
have persisted.
That spirit - that faith -
speaks to 10 In our daily lives
in ways often unnoticed, be-
cause they seem - obvious. It
speaks 70 10 hers In the capital
Of the nation. i speaks % u
through the processes Of govern
ing In the sovereigntles Of for
ty-eight states. i speaks to VI
in our countries, In our cities,
in our town. and IN our WILL
ages. Il speaks 70 ~ from the
other nations q the hemisphere,
and from those across the seas
the enslaved,, % wen a the
free. Sometimes We fail 70 hear
or heed these voices q freedom
because to o. the privilege of
our freedom = such m old, old
story.
The destiny Of America was
proclaimed IN words Of prophecy
spoken by our first president In
his first inaugural IN 1889 -
words almost directed, Il would
seem, 70 this yesr Of 1oll: ''The
Of The sacred fire
Of liberty and. TIE destiny Of
the republican model Of govern
ment are Justly considered
deeply, !. finally, staked on
the experiment intrusted 10 the
hands Of the American people"
II We lose TINT sacred fire -
II we let Il BE- mothered with
doubt and feer'-c then we shall
reject the destiny which Wash
Ington struve % .valiantly and
70 triumphantly % establish.
The pressgvation of the spirit
md faith q The nation does,
md will, furnish The highest
!ustification tpI every sacrifice
hat we may. make In the cause
u national defense.
In H. 49, - $500 A~~sY~