Evening star., 1943-10-27
Leaders" Distrusted by Reader
Who Praises Armed Militia.


To the Editor Of The Star:
The writer has just read Harry
Franks book. "A Vagabond Journey
Around the World" Stripped of de-
tail, the author of the book during
1904-5 travelled around the world with
out funds or credentials of any kind.
His itinerary led through Scotland, Hol-
land, Germany, France Italy, Arabia,
Palestine, Egypt, India, Burma, Malaga,
Siam Japan and back across the Pacific.
The point is that, since the close of
the First World War such a journey,
under similar conditions would be i'm
possible Mr.. Frank would have landed
in Jail before he had gone far. AS 1t
was he met, mainly, with fair treatment.
often with courtesy and kindness
Previous to the First World War this
writer had headquarters in London. He
travelled in various parts OF Europe
without the least restriction, not even
a passport being required. He made
many voyages between England and
South America and from the United
States to both places. All that was
required was to purchase passage. The
tormalities of entering country or of
crossing a frontier were of perfunctory
character Every one was pleasant and
cooperative.
The First World War brought a vast
change: restriction after restriction was
imposed, causing not only expense but
,IS ND
things were not relaxed when peace
came. In fact, they constantly multi
piled. On every hand there was growing
distrust, animosity, greed, chauvinism,
bigotry and intolerance. A Britisher
explained to the writer: The First World
War showed how easy it was for gov
ernments to push people around. War
restrictions, which often were stupid,
were accepted on the plea of military
necessity" or national safety" Noting
this, professional leaders" little by lit
tie, imposed their will upon law-abiding
citizens. Their object was simply more
and more power for themselves. In
stead of government being the servant
of the people, the idea was to make
the people the servants, even the chat
tells, of the government.
For such reasons the writer turns
skeptical eye to present slogans such as
the four freedoms" foegy charters"
and the old threadbare democracy"
This country was organized by its
founders not as a democracy but as a
representative republic and the word
democracy" was never used by them
as a slogan. After the close of the con-
vention that wrote the Constitution,
lady asked Benjamin Franklin: What
is it to be, doctor?' That great Amer
lean replied, "A republic, madam, if
we can keep it So" Note we'll the fears
that must have existed. To help keep
it so" the founders, recognizing the
principle involved in the maintenance of
wrote the second article in the Bill of
Rights, viz: "A well-regulated militia
being necessary to the security of free
State, the right Of the people to keep
and bear arms, shall not be infringed"
Here we see a direct warning for each
State to keep well armed with trained
citizen army, each member to be aware
Of the necessities in the defense of his
own home ground, but organized so that
all the respective State soldiers could
act under unified command in the
face of foreign aggression against the
Union. The article also implicitly
favors universal military service in
which all the citizens OF a State will be
trained IA tho use Of arms. The cousti-