Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1941-10-09
I Might Be
|Wrong-BUT
-by P. G. Strombergi

TO sell America W AHiSliSono
very little has been spoken or
written about the very funda-
mentals upon which democracy
is built. Speakers and writers
alike stress the conclusion with
out ever attempting to explain
the very important steps neces-
sary to reach that conclusion.
It is pleasant enough to Wis
uAlize America as the cradle of
democracy and to verbally
drape the Stars and Stripes
about the Constitution. It is
easy to cite many instances of
our history the patriotic spirit
pf which makes us proud of our
|eritage and Jingle with de-
Sire to so conduct ourselves to-
day as to give future genera
j tons the same feeling when
they contemplate the events of
194O-1941.
However, 70 merely polish the
surface is insufficient. The fact
: is well understood (and no
thinking person viii deny the
assertion) that in 1941 we have
!. in America feeling of apathy
which is in direct proportion to
the manner in which the past
generation or two have permit
ted public Offices and public af-
fairs to be handled chiefly by
professional politicians. We have
gone long way from the pol
icy of electing the best man for
the job and requiring each pub
nc servant to render account of
his stewardship. We have per-
mitted our elections to fall into
the hands of a group of men
the majority of whom are in
terested more in promoting the
interests of their political or
ganizations than the welfare of
the public. We have> gradually
grown to the point where many
of our better people have de-
clined to take part in elections
because "it's no use." We per-
NIT these conditions to exist
from year to year and as young
men and women reach voting
age they have no desire to ex-
i ercise their great privilege of
franchise. They have never been
told of the benefits offered un-
der our constitution as against
any other form of government
devised by mankind. They have
never been taught to regard
public office as a public trust.
Rather have they received the
impression that to hold public
Office sin many instances,
questionable honor. They accept,
because their elders accept, con-
ditions as they find them and
seldom give enough thought to
the freedom and liberty they en-
Joy as being a product of the
blood, sweat and ceaseless ener-
gy of the men who founded this
government.
While the apathy existing to-
day is among our most serious
problems it is unfair to condemn
the individual who has thought
lessly accepted things as they
are. Rather should leaders of the
past fifty years be chided and
leaders Of today be warned that
their day is fast coming to an
end unless they use the power
they enjoy only to promote the
interests Of the public.
AS a democracy the United
States is only as strong as are
the links which make up the
tremendous chain. Our national
officers are as much result Of
our county, city and state make
up as are our county, city and
state officers. The same men con-
troll the election machinery and
the same methods Of getting out
the vote are used.
1t might well be asked what
can be done about it? There is
only one answer although it can
not be answered simply. The an
swer is that a thorough and
complete course on democracy
and the right of franchise
should be instituted in ALL