Evening star., 1941-03-26

time has been stamped the mark
of deep human feeling, so day
by day the number of those
places grows. which will long
speak to any EngliShman of the
courage and Self-sacrifice that
they have seen.
We are wont to say that we are
fighting for freedom and for de-
mocracy-for freedom, as the
quality of life that we desire, for
democracy as the system of gov
ernment which is at once its best
expression and the surest guar
antee for its protection.
What do we mean when we use
these large words?
I can only tell you what 7
mean, and what 1 know my fellow
countrymen mean, even if they
do do not always translate it into
precise language: and I do not
think you will take any different
view.
We Believe We Are Truly
Fighting for Our Lives.
There seem to us to be certain
principles that are essential to
life as we wish to live it and see
1t lived. These principles are
now in dire peril, and we believe
therefore that we are truly fight
ing for our lives, since life to us
is worthless if the principles on
which it is built are to be de-
stroyed.
We do well TO remind ourselves
what these principles are. They,
like the iceberg, of which the
greater part is out of sight, lie
deep below the surface of mans
outward being.
I would state thus what in
varying forms is in many minds
today:
First, the religious principle Of
the absolute value of every hu-
man soul.
Second, the moral principle Of
respect for personality and con-
science.
Third. the social principle of
individual liberty. This finds its
expression in two ways; in the
sphere of politics through equal
opportunity, justice, and the rule
OF law; economically, through the
direction of national effort to the
creation of conditions that may
bring some real security into the
daily life of the humblest citizen.
And finally, the domestic princi-
pie of the sanctity and solidarity
of the family, which is the nat
ural development of the indi-
vidual.
Unless we build on these
foundations-religious, moral, So
cial and domestic-we have no
hope of finding the way of hap
piness.
1t is only by slow process that
man has learnt to apprehend
these principles. They have come
to him by Christianity and by
other great religions. They have
drawn vitality from the best of
human thought throughout the
centuries. For us they are ex-
pressed and protected by democ-
racy. and that is why we value
1t. There are, of course, other
nations, who have different sys-
TENS of government, but who are
not less concerned than ourselves
to secure the way of life which
these principles reflect. And this
is because it is on their mainte-
nance that rights fundamental
to human life and progress
plainly rest.
America Was Created
To Maintain Freedom.
From those principles, I believe,
derive rights that, following your
Declaration of Independence
more than $50 years ago. and fol-
lowing also that historic speech
of your President 10 days ago,
would assert for all men today:
The right to think, speak and
act freely within the law. and to
have free access to the thoughts
of others;
The right of free associate
both national and international,
with their fellowmen:
The right to live without fear
Of aggression, injustice or want:
The right to believe and wor-
ship as conscience may dictate.
1t is the vindication of those
rights that men passionately de-
sire.
1t has sometimes been sug-
geSted that the tradition of
freedom in Western Europe is
recent growth. But the heroic
-