Evening star., 1941-07-21
Reforms Are Alleged
Hurt Democracy
Writer Contends Discerning
Weakened Defensive Strength
Of 'Disoreonized' States
To the Editor OF The Star:

Of 'Disoreonized' States
| To the Editor OF The Star:
1t is not my intention to suggest that
| there is even a comparison between the
| guilt of the criminal who uses violence
| to gain his ends and that of the house
| holder who neglects to lock his door or
| the meddler who explains the futility of
arms. But this country is confronted
| with a fact, and that fact is the exist
ence of a danger that cannot be coun-
tered by reason alone.
If we are realistic we must admit
| that democracy made possible a re-
| orientation of power when it rendered
itself militarily impotent. 1t made pos
| sible the existence of a new aristocracy
when it repudiated the old. 1t facili-
tated the Vaccinations of foreign
revolutionaries when it took control out
| of the hands of its own men of affairs
| and placed it in the hands of apostles
| OF reform.
No one can deny that during many
years, and especially during the period
| following the first World War, profound
changes have taken place. The nature
of these changes is fairly clear.
Democracy has gone purist. 1t has well
coined radical reform. 1t has disorgan-
lied its loci of power and enfeebled it's
military power. If there has been one
point on which the numerous progeny
of socialism until lately have agreed, it
has been the leveling of the hated capi-
talistic class through the destruction Of
military might. These efforts have
borne fruit.
BY political means power gradually
has been wrested from the economically
successful few, the haves, and vested in
the economically unsuccessful Ghrough
no fault of their own many, the have
nots. One perceives that instead of
inoculating the unsuccessful with sue
cess, the process not infrequently has
infected success with failure. The state
has had its powers Of resistance weak
ened by a doctrine of military inaction.
While political power has been shift
ing military power has found no demo-
cratic lodge. In England and in this
country the theory gained ground that
force of arms was dispensible evil.s The
unpleasant truth is that today democ-
racy stands self-disarmed.
Had liberal doctrines uniformly pre-
vailed, the theory of the pacifists might
have become fact. But that never will
be proven. Plain for all to see, in one
country the communistic effort failed
and the loose reins of power were seized
by group of opportunists. Moreover,
the Nazis adopted the discarded art Of
war and forged it into an theology and
a science. Their system, not altogether
new, and nominally at least another
brand OF socialism, rapidly crystallized.
While the German National Socialists
sohdifed and gained popular backing
in that country, democracy elsewhere
degenerated into a large number of
small experiments. The various direc-
tors of these experiments, despite the
obvious and growing power of Nazi
Germany, decided on the dangerous
policy of seeking to survive without war
1t is regrettable that unity was not
frenzy, democracy lost strength. In its
passion for reform, it lost its sense of
direction. In its devotion to theory. it
lost touch with reality. Ignoring the
beast that lurked outside the caves, it
removed its warriors from their posts.
In its Indignation toward power, it dis
charged its strong men. DESTROYS of
hocnyroinn iol toI Iz
tical. In enforcing equality, it dispensed
with ability; in demolishing authority,
it discarded responsibility: in denying
privilege, it lost its executives. Democ-
racy now is in the soft hands of social
zealots, political evangels and economic
reformers. The humanitarian collec-
twist has replaced the rugged individual
ist. The college professor has replaced
the businessman. The conscience-baiter
has replaced the empire builder. Words
are substituted for deeds, theory for
facts, intentions for results.
Now that the full horror of their
predicament dawns, the democracies are
frantically endeavoring to repair the
damage. They are replacing their
idealists with realists, their Chamberlins
with Churchills; and they are endeavor-
ing to perform miracles in rearmament.
To some it already is too late. A
Maginot Line might have withstood the
assault had there been an accurate con-
ception Of modern war, had there been
less politics and more anti-tank guns,
less talk and more information, fewer
rights and more results France could
well have stood as the bulwark of democ-
racy.
The rest of us are in too tight a spot
to>quibble. All questions regarding sac
rifice of social gains must be put in the
background. 1t now is less important to
have a perfect democracy than it is
to have surviving democracy We must
have strength at all costs. Those re-
sponsible for our weakness swiftly should
be placed where they can do no further
damage. H.B.