The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1944-01-06
What Other Editors Have
To Say
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE

FREEDOM Is NOT FREE
Merle Thorp in Nations Business) |
Student~o of government have pre-
dicted that democracy, in the words
of William Flinders Petrie, will I'LL
timately "eat itself up" that the
majority always chooses the easy
road, taking the cash today without
thought of what the morrow may
bring.
A corollary is that the State new
er reHnquishes its powers volun-
tarily. The mind of man is fond of
power, increase his prospects and
you increase his DESIRES said Gov
ernor Morris, urging Executive
curbs at the Constitutional Conven-
ton in 1889
History will soon write another
page, chronicling decision Ameri-
can democracy must make. 1t must
decide whether political controls
of our lives and livelihoods, accept
ed by our people as war measure,
shall become permanent part Of
our social and economic structure.
| Consider recent events in Great
Britain.
President Johnston, of the United
States Chamber, reported in last
months Nations Business that he
found in England growing ac-
ceptance of, or resignation to, the
projection of war controls into her
peace-time economy. Now comes
Home Secretary Morrison with dire
prediction of social and economic
catastrophe If Britain abandons in
peace the government controls inn
posed for the purpose of organizing
the Empire for war. If these con-
trolls have merit in war, they have no
less merit in peace, says Mr.. Nor
rison.
This distrust of democracy is
echoed among our own timid souls.
Our frontiers are gone. We have
reached a rocking-chair maturity.
The resourcefulness, courage and
moral responsibility Of the individ-
1ual are horse-and- buggy virtues
Private enterprise carries within it.
self the seed of its own destruction
In its place must come government
authotity to regiment every either
! with licenses, permits, directives
: and ALLEGATIONS.
So runs the argument OF, the
home front Jeremiahs, who cal
themselves liberals and progress
I sives. In truth, they are reaction
aries who would take us back to thu
conditions in Europe which drov,
!, real liberals to cross the ocean ant
build here society where the in
. dividual was master and the Stat.
: the servant
, There is a second school o
! thought which believes we cal
have our cake and eat it, too. Thi
school proposes an economy hal
slave and half free, based upon
q partnership between govern
: ment and business, such as the De
!, lano Planning Board recommends
: Ironically enough, this is the kin,
: Of partnership" the German peopl
: accepted from Mr.. Hitler, only t
! discover that he brought nothin
!. to the partnership" save complet
control
There remains a third group {
:, NltlLIllo, WIZ llO1A l11ul lIlClI ldlt
: in the individual, and who cheris
the freedoms Of choice and actor
as they distrust Statism. This grou
= rejects the mature economy" bug
"a aboo as vigorously as have earle
generations of Americans.
Today's men of faith foresee
:, resurgence of private enterprise,
- the people through their represent;
a tives permit program of full pr,
: duction by freeing the individu
u of handicaps and restrictions.
= To those who fear that aftt
- this war we may live ION an islar
a. of democracy in a totalitaris
world" they reply; Our ancesto
= created here an island of democrat
Il in a totalitarian world We can pr
"a serve what they built.
The decision of young America
&c and its parents-Will answer al
re- other and more disturbing questio
&c Is the stock Of pioneer America
- teriorating? Faith in ourselvs
previously beset at times, leads
az the belief that America will choo
T. the hard way because it is the fir
- way.