Evening star., 1942-10-04
Our Basic Tradition Faces Test
Crisis Initiation Deemed the Natural Consequence
of 1ndividualism, Not Fault of Any Individual
By Feir Morley.

have similar group, as contrasted with
national, interests.
Nothing is gained by criticizing this
particular development unless we are
also disposed to criticize the political,
economic and social philosophy from
which it springs. And while the labor
bloc may be condemned by the farm
bloc, and both of these by the manufac-
turing or merchandising blocs there is
as yet no pronounced disposition to ex-
anime the influence of current pressures
on that System of free enterprise" in
which the roots of all our organized in
terests indiscriminately ramify.
New Deal in the Tradition.
Certain groups, on whose established
prerogatives the present administration
has sharply impinged, have argued that
the New Deal is sympathetic to Com
munistic and therefore "Un-American"
philosophy. Up to the present, that
charge will scarcely survive the test of
examination. For while the Roosevelt
administration has been deeply tinged
with Rousseau-like humanitarianis1n,
and while it has greatly augmented both
the cost and confusion of American
Government. there has as yet been no
attempt to supplant the doctrine of group
privilege with that of totalitarianism
On the contrary, the concern of the
New Deal has been a group concern 1t
has emphasized the plight of the under
privileged" rather than the welfare of
American society as an integrated unit.
The very word ''underprivileged" reveals
a democratic rather than totalitarian
mode of thought For it assumes the
existence of some norm of personal
privilege which is regarded as appro-
pirate and reasonable for every citizen.
To that norm the economic royalists"
should be reduced. To that norm should
be raised the "one- third of a Nation"
which is i'll fed. clothed and housed. A
primary function of the state, according
to the New Deal philosophy. is to make
those. adjustments. ECt in doing so the
procedure has been to encourage group
assertiveness, though the favored groups
are of a different composition, as much
as any Republican administration did in
the past.
Thus the American system regardless
of whether the organized bankers or the
organized farmers happen momentarily
to be more influential, continues to be
completely at variance with the totali-
tartan philosophy. Under the latter the
individual has no rights and is forbidden
to associate himself with others to de-
fend his personal interests. Nazi, Fas-
cist and Communist alike insure that
there shall be no group privileges except
insofar as they ars merged with the
interests of the party dictatorship. And
this last is officially identified with the
welfare of the state.
Neither criticisms nor recriminations
will solve the issue, for it lies far deeper
than personal failings or individual blum
ders. Nor will the gathering difhcuities
be removed by denouncing the enemy,
rightly as he deserves it.
Il cannot tell" said President Roose-
velt in his last message to Congress,
what powers may have to be exercised
in order to win this war" II it is not to
be won at the expense Of the cause for
which 1t Is being fought the power Of
individual self-restraint will have to be
exercised by every American before, and
more assiduously than, al others.