Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-07-25
intellectual Approach

| IutS''SSAu0' HPP'o0Sh
People rarely stop to think. Life
makes so many demands upon them.
Their energies are engaged in the
performance CT duties which they
could not avoid if they wished. When
they have leisure, they employ it for
rest. Probably not one person in a
thousand ever pauses to ponder the
meaning of his own life or the sig
nificance of the world about him or
the connotations of his relation to it.
But it does not follow that there
is no creative intelligence among
ordinary people. On the contrary
the average individual, modest and
unpretending, is capable of profound
comprehension of great truths. Men
instinctively know that they want to
be free. Nobody needs to argue them
into believing that ordered liberty
is desirable. They appreciate the
fact that happiness depends upon
health, health upon reasonable
prosperity, prosperity upon the priv
ilege of performing work of social
value. Logically, they cultivate
neighborliness, they support schools,
they maintain churches, they respect
the past and they have a reverent
attitude toward the future.
Perhaps people are a trifle fatal
istic. They tolerate conditions which
they disapprove. Only very rarely
do they show anger or hatred. Their
willingness to mind their own bust
ness and to grant to their contem-
poraries similar right to concen-
trate on their own affairs has been
remarked on many occasions. They
are charitable in their judgments
even of acknowledged sinners. 1t is
tradition that they are adjustable
to circumstances, not afraid to ex-
pertinent, not timid about change.
The question regarding what effect
the prevailing global war is having
upon the generality of Americans
naturally is being asked No proper
answer is feasible at the moment.
yet it is possible to suggest a partial
reply. Ten million citizens have had
special training in the armed serv-
ices. Under the compulsion of a vast
emergency they have learned the
lessons of cooperation, mutually,
sacrifice and commensurate reward.
They have discovered the earth as a
single community. 1t likewise is
plain to them that the essential
factors of world unity are human
attributes, possessed in varying de-
greeS but to coordinate effect by
all human creatures. They know
that there never will be universal
peace so long as any single nation is
possessed of unrestrained power to
fight. Few indeed are those who have
unwavering faith in ideals without
force to implement them against
opposition.
Doubtless the time has not come
when humanity can solve its prob
lens by rationalistic methods. But
the present experience of multitudes
OF people certainly is prompting them
to use their constructive intellectual
talents. And surely it is beginning
to be apparent that the processes by
which victory gradually is being won
in the%South Pacific as we'll as in
the European area are the same eff
Gent procedures as those which have
been applied successfully in industry,
in mechanical invention, in trans
portation and communication, in
medicine and surgery. People who
have thought about the gasoline
engine, plastics, radar and sulfa
| drugs obviously should be competent
to think about the issues of solidarity
and tranquility for which the pres
ent struggle is being fought
These are the words of Madame
Chang Kai-shek: 1--WE should use
our energy to better purpose, so that
every nation will be enabled to use
its native genius and energy for the
reconstruction of permanently
progressive world, with all nations
participating on an equitable and
| lust basis"