The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1944-06-08
Moral Forces Agoinst Ma.
teriulistic In Every Notion
Is Real Issue


War III is being won by the Norwegian
people over Nazi totalitarianism in its
attempts to legislate and enforce its
creed as the national philosophy of
Norway
Germany won the war of arms in
Norway, but is now suffering defeat
in the war of ideas-the real issue that
started her on the attempt at world
conquest Despite every trick of propa-
ganda-and through threat, persecu-
ton and violence - Norway has not
only stood firm against every idea of
totalitarianism, but has taken the
offensive and gained theological su-
premacy because of the moral stand
ards directing the living and thinking
of its people.
Quisling's Plan Defeated
One typical example is that of the
schoolteachers of Norway. y national
organization for teachers was pro
claimed by Qusling. All teachers were
ordered to belong, and their teaching
was to he brought into line with the
Nazi New Order" philosophy. Similar
laws were passed for other trades and
professions. Quisling's plan was to
fOroefully reorganiZe the entire life
of the nation, but his scheme quickly
failed. Over 80 per cent of the $4,000
teachers resigned at once, leaving the
new teachers union Intellectual for
Quislng's purposes. The schools did
not reopen until month later, and
then all non-arreSted teachers were
back at their jobs. despite the fact that
they had meanwhile made no peace or
compromise with the NaZis, and con
tinued teaching untainted by the New
Order" philosophy.
MIRA Inspires Resistance
Here the teachers were inspired by
the courageous stand and leadership
given by Bishop Berggrav of Oslo and
the leaders of Moral Re-Armament.
Coming at time when the Norwegian
people We're losing faith In their own
theology and We're fearfully watching
the advancing ideas of Nazism and
Communism, the Oxford Group under
the leadership of Frank Buchman from
Pennsylvania, began to build back into
the people the moral steel that has
since given unity to the great leaders
of NOrway-labOr men, writer's, teach
ers and the Church-and provided the
masterful cOunter-strategy to the Nazi
invaders. A member of the Free Den
mark movement reported that all the
workers Of MIRA stood firm AHA loya!
when Germany took over anil the
leaders of MIRA were among the first
10 he thrown into concentration camps.
One such leader was Fredrik Ramm
who recently died from the effects of
priyation i'm II concentration camp.
Editor, explorer, patriot-ltamm was
the first man To write for the under
ground, inspiring Norwegians to fight
on at a time when many were losing
nope
The Great Idea
But the moral struggle begun In
Norway could not be silenced by bullets
or bombs Today the Norwegian people
are showing the peoples of the world
that even after military victory Is won
the moldng of the future will not be
done by armies but by ideas - ideas
that control and direct the minds and
hearts and actions of men and women
in every nation. They have uncovered
the GREAT IDEA In this war-that
the democracies are fighting for the
survival and continuance OF the high
.aGf Yunrul Gtu "A lea pnS In fhA lVAG nf pna
and of nations. This Is the idea that
must triumph If we are To have total
victory.
If we do not have this passion and
idea--that il Is the moral life of
democracy We are fighting for and our
false PHILOSOPHERS of race and class
Will take over democracy weakened
by self-seeking individuals and groups
fighting among themselves for position
and power.
Here In America IL IL not what
group or organization wins that will
decide the future, but what idea wins.
Norway has learned that materiaism
sounded the end of human values and
the deafh-knoll of democracy, but now
she Is winning the war against dicta-
torship with the superforce Of mora
standards.
American LabOr's Decisive Part
The future of world labor and OF
civilization itself may we'll depend
upon American labor taking the right
side In struggle against materlalism.
Only by holding To the highest moral
principles OF democracy In our homes,
unions, and plants, will we have the
authority to demand the same stand
ards In every section of the nations
life
II will be the daily decisions In the
life of the ordinary man and the
statesman that will decide. In this war
of ideas the American theology must
conquer the selfishness of materlalism
and the hates of race and class, and
march forward To the building of the
new w0rld-hate-free. fear-free greed
free - where ''all men are created
equal" hy God, and will remain SO only