Evening star., 1941-02-23

DES MONIES, Io1GG, FEB. 22.-
The tuH tert OF the address by
Vice President Wallace before the
National Farm Institute tonight
tOllotOS:
Today every citizen of a demo-
cratic nation is forced to ask the
questions, rs democracy worth
fighting for?" do I believe in
democracy more enthusiastically
than the Nazis believe in their sys-
temp" Am I willing, in case OF
need, to change my way of life to
save democracy"
If we are as passionate in our be-
lief as Cromwell's Ironsides. as the
Minute Men at Lexington or Bolivar S
men crossing the Andes, we shall
save democracy. If we are luke
warm, democracy must perish.
The price of democracy and peace
on this hemisphere is based on our
being more willing than the Nazls to
sacrifice our goods, our time, and,
If need be. our lives. If the whole
world knows the depth of our be-
lief and our readiness for speedy ac-
ton. we shall be left in peace and in
position to preserve at least our part
of the world from anarchy.
Our safety lies in defining our be-
Eefs. clearing away the fog of ma
tional confusion anG acting With
speedy decision to Keep danger from
this hemisphere.
Since last Monday I nave been
listening with great interest, both
in the chair and from the floor OF
the Senate chamber, to the earnest
ness With which the different Sen
ators have presented their views. !
have been struck above all with the
temperance of the debate. Some
times it seems to me that the people
of the country fail to catch the true
situation as it appears to those on
the Senate floor. My own state OF
mind was greatly clarified as the
result of listening to the fine, tenn
pered exchange between Senators
Bailey and Wheeler.
Only Road To Peace
Is Through Preparedness.
Certain very powerful people not
connected in any way with the Gov
ernment have been trying to con-
vince me that the only honest thing
for the United States was to declare
war at once. Other equally we'll
meaning people have been trying to
convince me that we should no rem
der aid to Britain for fear it would
get us into war. l reafflrm what l
said during the campaign, that the
only road to peace for this hemis-
phere is through preparedness. I
say now as the result of the Senate
debate that my mind is further clar-
flied and I am convinced that the
only possible hope of peace in this
hemisphere is through making it
clear to all the dictators that we
are determined to stand up for our
rights and we feel aid to Britain, not
because of Britain, but because .of
ourselves. is one of our rights and is
one of our defenses. If this is the
attitude of the American people, the
worldwide knowledge that such is
our attitude will do more than any,
thing else to insure us of peace.
Otherwise we shall find ourselves
pushed into the weak position of
England and France in 1888 and
1899, position which will inevitably
| lead to war.
The dictators have done us great
favor. They have forced us once
again to appreciate the value of
freedom of speech, freedom of the
press. freedom of assembly, freedom
of religion, freedom from oppression
| by Secret police and freedom from
violence based on racial hatred
These freedoms we had taken for
granted. They were so prevalent
they had little value in our eyes
Our youth accepted them as gift
They didn't know that the freedoms
on which the dignity of man is based
must be purchased afresh by the
hard thinking and elf-diScipllne o1
each new generation. They didn't
know that during, and especially
after, every great war the funda-
mental freedoms are put into fiery
crucible and reforged so that the
new generation, out of its suffering
may say to its inmost soul, These
beliefs are my very own. They are
precious. They are my life. I an
paying for them daily and I want
my children to cherish them"
Democracy Is Practical
And 1t Is Not Anarchy.
The directors of your institute
have challenged me to define the
position of a democracy in a totali-
tartan world. First, we must define
the word democracy. Its very
essence is belief in the dignity o.
! the individual. We in democrac!
believe each individual has the righ
to certain freedoms so long as IN
does not imperil other individual
or the general welfare. Yet democ
racy is practical and it is no
anarchy. It's method is to abide b!
the decisions of the majority with
out being intolerant of minorities. II
serving the general welfare it rec
ognizes that a changing economi
situation or a changing world pic
ture may make more self-disciplin
necessary until the time of crisis i
past. George Washington, who's
birthday we celebrate today, rec
ognized this when he said in hi
speech to Congress in 1880:
"A free people ought not only b
La or~,,nd hut Jicp cpSo1i,oed. IN ujhirl