The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-06-12

| Editors Ntoe: Overlooked" by
the controlled press Of the country,
the following speech by Vice Presi-
dent Wallace, discussing the war
and the requirements of the future,
is reprinted below AS the express
sion of one of our highest officials,
it brings measure of hope to the
common people of the country
We, who in a formal or an informa
way represent most of the free PEG
pies of the world, are met here to
night in the interests OF the millions
| in all the nations who have freedom
| in their souls. To my mind, this
meeting has just one purpose-to le1
those millions in other countries know
that here in the United States are
30,000,000 men, women and children
who are in this war to the finish
Our American people are utterly re
solved to go on until they can strike
relentless blows that will assure g
complete vicotry and with 1t win a
new day for the lovers of freedom
everywhere on this earth.
This is a fight between a slave
world and free world. Just as the
United States In 1862 could not re-
main half slave and half free, so In
1912 the world must make its de-
cislon for complete victory one
vvay or the other.
AS we begin the final stages of this
fight to the death between the free
world and the slave world it is worth
while to refresh our minds about the
march of freedom for the common
man. The idea of freedom-the free
dom we in the United States know
and love so WELLS derived from the
Bible, with its extraordinary emphasis
on the dignity of the individual.
Democracy Is the only true polit-
ical expression of Christianity.
The prophets Of the Old Testament
were the first to preach social justice.
But that which was sensed by the
prophets many centuries before Christ
was not given complete and powerful
political expression until our nation
was formed as Federal Union cen
fury and a half ago. Even then the
march of the common people had just
begun Most of them did not yet
know how to read and write. There
were no public schools to which all
children could go.
Men and women cannot be really
free until they have plenty to eat
and time and ability to read and
think and talk things over.
Down the years the people of the
United States have moved steadily
Onward in the practice of democracy
universal education they now
IAN read and write and form opinions
# their own. They have learned and
ire still learning the art of produc-
ion; that is, how to make a living.
ng the art of self government.
Measure of Freedom
tandards Of nutrition, education, and |
elf-government, we might rank the |
United States and certain nations of |
western Europe very high. But this
you'd not be fair to other nations
yhere education has become wide
pread only in the last 20 years. In
many nations generation ago nine
ut of 10 of the people could not
cad or write.
Russia, for example, was changed
from an IIiterate to Iiterate nation
within one generation, and In the
process Russia's appreciation of
freedom was enormously enhanced.
In China the increase during the
asst 80 years in the ability of the
eople to read and write has been
latched by their increased interest in
eal liberty.
Everywhere reading and writing
re accompanied by Industrial prog
sss and industrial progress sooner
: later inevitably brings strong Ia
Dr. movement. From longtime and
point of view, there are
D backward peoples which are lack
e in mechanical sense. Russians,
hinese, and the Indians both of India |
Id the Americans all learn to read I
i'd write and operate machines just t
we'll as your children and my chill S
'en. Everywhere the common peo- t
e are on the march. Thousands of t
EN- are learning to read and write,
arning to think together, learning to d
e tools. Y
These people are learning to think
md work together In labor move
nents, some Of which may be ex- a
RENE or impractical at first, but
which eventually will settle down to r
erve effectively the Interests of the a
ommon man.
orId Moves Ahead
When the freedom-loving people
arch - when the farmers have an
portunity to buy land at reasonable
ices and to sell the produce of their
nd through their own organizations,
len workers have the opportunity
form unions and bargain through H
e.. L -.