The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-04-14

''The Brink of Socialism"

The statement that I'VE stand at the
brink Of Socialism, made by keynoter
Representative Joseph w. Martin at last
nights Republican State Convention in
Hartford, is one of good measure pressed
down, shaken together and running
over, despite its political colorings
tostered by the purpose of the convention.
1t is a belief that has been held as
strongly by sound Democrats as by sound
or otherwise Republicans. A belief, too,
that Is with basis as daily we witness the
tendril like spread of federal jurisdiction
over the nation-old rights of home-rule.
AS q political vaudeville cabbage" 1t has
lost, OF recent years, a great deal of its
effectiveness whether 1t be tossed by
political opponent, a big business man or
just plain Joe Doakes. AS a pure obser-
vation its truth is rapier-like
Yet we wonder if the conditions which
have engendered such state of affairs
are entirely the brain-child of the New
Deal. We are inclined to believe that we,
the people, are suffering from a "condi-
tiOning" process, into which we have
slipped almost unconsciously as does one
slip into many bad habit. That is to
say, we have slipped into human fault
of "let someone else do 1t for us" and in
this instance, unfortunately there has
been those who have been oVer-eager TO
do things for us-We say unfortunately
because their motives have been any
thing but altruistic.
We believe that the sincere cohorts OF
the New Deal have, in turn, fallen naiyely
into the ways OF their unaltruistic breth-
rem and have permitted this centraliza-
ton OF government rules to develop simply
because they have been blind with the
belief that the people wanted it so.
Someone once said words to the effect
that most humans gladly give away their
heritage Of liberty because the responsible
ties are too heavy. We fail TO subscribe
TO such cynical exaggeratiOn, but we are
inclined to believe that unless we, the
people, have some means OF maintaining
a constant vigilance over ourselves and
those we place in office, we are apt not
TO deliberately hand-OVer our rights, but
to permit them to be borrowed, without
restriction, by those who may desire them
for Interior purposes.
There has been growing tendency to-
ward Socialism" in many phases OF our
government of late which has been
clOaked in forms labeled everything from
roses to thOrns. 1t has not been the
majority of the people that has endorsed
this tendency but rather individual
groups coupled to make up one entire dis
associated group OF faddists, fanatics and
Just plain conniyers together with naive
emotionalists who have meant well.
AS a majority, the American people
have been termed gullible. We are not
80 much gullible as we are willing to trust
our fellowman. We will, ordinarily, go
q long way in that trust despite frequent
actions on the part of those we trust
which would lead the more cynical TO
abandon any initial trust in short order
1t is this latter trait that has permitted
Of the growth today OF federal rule.
The answer is not necessarily to be
found in a complete change Of political
government; nor necessarily the discard
Ing Of any one leader. 1t is first, the
wedding out of the radicals, professional
ualcOntents and parasites that have de-
ecended in plague like droyes upon our
federal government. The power in the
wings of this latter group can be clipped
and crippled by sound, intelligent mill
tant Congress. And, we, the people, are,
or should be, that Congress.