Evening star., 1941-08-26
Foresees New World
Of international Amity
Visions Cooperative Society
With Nations Enforcing
Justice and Peace
Bp StrutherS Burt.

BIZ Struthers Burt.
This Is the last in q series by lead
ing American writer's on THE World
We Want to Live In," theme Of the
Williamstown Institute Of Human Re-
lations, August "a to %,
1t seems to me that this question.
theoretically, is one of the simplest in
Its broad lines any sane man Is called
upon to answer. For the first time IN
history the outlines are in black and
white, or rather, in the bright red of
human Blood the dimensions are square,
and the choice is obvious. On the one
hand is life, progress and the possibili-
ties of a real civilization; on the other,
nihilism. sand a nihilism more dreadful
than that of the former Dark Ages be-
cause 1t will be implemented scientifi-
cally.
The only hitch in the program is the
mysterious madness of human nature.
Can that be cured? I think so. II
younger generations can be trained to
be monsters, as they are being trained
by the authoritarian powers, then young
er generations can be trained to be men
by the democratic powers. But they
must first have some mark to shoot at.
And in order to have that mark, the
world must get rid of number Of shib-
boleths based upon nothing but igno-
rance, prejudice and a desire not to
think. Progress is little more than the
ability to forget the nonsense Of previous
generations. Not long ago to believe
the world was round was a sin.
Just as all men are objective and sub
iective, so is all life both national and
international. 1t requires little but COM
mon sense to envisage an international
world in which economic and living
stresses are allowed to expand naturally,
in which in one corner there will not be
starvation and in another plenty, and in
which boundaries are, as they once were,
and only recently, more picturesque than
actual. Within the memory OF all ma
ture men and women the last, at least,
existed. Only Russia required pass
port.
But the world without passport.
that world with little suspicion and a
fair degree of honor and friendliness,
was based upon huge fallacies, some OF
which were high tariffs, restricted move
ments Of population, unplanned ex-
change Of goods and labor, and so on.
Honor sat upon a volcano of growing
chauyinism and so-called national self
suficiency.
am not preaching Federal Union,
the details of which seem to me in many
instances dangerous and over-imagina-
tive, but there is not one valid argument
against a United States of the World
based upon a world parliament and
backed by . powerful international po-
lice force; in short, a. real league OF
autonomous nations where justice and
peace actually are enforced.
The important part Of Woodrow Will
sons plan has never been put into effect.
It has never even been tried. Why
shouldn't 1t be?
Domestically, the same riddance OF
shibboleths and old-wives' tales is neces-
sary. I believe in world, in nations.
where the profit system, greatly modified
and sensibly understood. still exists be-
cause I believe that human nature in
herently desires some small proof OF
work accomplished and clings to mild
love Of personal possession. Therefore,
I think Communism is nonsense. But
do not believe that competition, except
in its more innocent and healthier mani
festations, is a law of life and I think
the supposed law Of the survival of the
fittest is contradicted by all experience
and all scientific proof.
Civilization has been, fundamentally
nothing more than a steady attack upon
the so-called law of the survival OF the
fittest; the slightest observation of any
advanced herd animal will show that
given proper conditions, the instinct !.
toward cooperation rather than muir
derous competition. Unless am mis-
taken, modern anthropologic thought Is
very much inclined to believe that the
cave man was to begin with, mild
fellow, eager to assist.
In all my life, have never seen any
man do good work because of competi'
ton or profit, nor has any one else. Th'
finest work accomplished by man ha'
had neither as an incentive. And in al
my life have never seen any construc.
tive mutually profitable plan brought tt
q successful conclusion save by high
degree Of cooperation and mutual tol
erance