Imperial Valley press., 1945-03-02
CONSTITUTION STILL IS
GUIDE AND CHARTER


world conditions, some slowly over pc
riod of years, others accentuated, If not
created by wars, have mellowed and mod
flied this country's views on, and detlnl-
tion of ''isolationism' it is well to keep
in mind that this country still must be
guided by the Constitution. Therein lies
our assurance of liberty and all the tree
dOms we hold. Even the most nSlstenI
internationaist must agree that we, per-
force, had to build a wall around our
liberties" over long period-a period
that would have been disastrous perhaps
if he had deviated or weakened.
The global war issues challenge ana
willingly or not, America must accept
it and assume wider and greater respon-
sibilities in world politics and economy.
But we shall not and must not give away
that which can not be regained, IN meet
ing it.
In our domestic policies we see daily
a tighter and tighter grip of control
through centralized government at wash
ington; we see tremendous economic pacts
treaties. not by negotiation. We see a
tendency to pauperize our own interests
at the mere suggestion of foreign govern
ments through the instrumentality of
theory that vet remains fully tested, to-
wit. the good neighbor policy. The cur
rent treaty before the senate where we
are giving away our heritage and placing
power in a foreign government over our
own rights and properties.
The nation recently marked the birth
day of Washington. That event should
have reminded us of his warning against
"entangling alliances, and Washington
was not an isolationist in the meaning
now applied to that term. He merely be-
lieved the rights and liberties we had
gained should be protected; he also be-
lieved that protection lay in the Constitu-
ton.
Now would be an opportune time to
study again the words of that great de-
fender of the constitution, Daniel Web
ster when he passed eulogy on Washing
ton in 1882. Said he:
"Other misfortunes may be borne, or
their effects overcome. If disastrous
wars should sweep our commerce from
the ocean, another generation may renew
it; if it exhaust our treasury, future in
dustry may replenish it; if it desolate
our fields under a new cultivation, they
will grow green again, and ripen to future
harvestS =.
''But who shall reconstruct the fabric
of demolished government?
"Who shall rear again the well proper
toned columns of constitutional liberty?
Z. "Who shall frame together the skillful
architecture winch unites national sover-
eighty with State rights, individual secur-
ity, and Public prosperity?
mo, if these columns fall, they will be
raised not again. Like the Coliseum and
the Parthenon, they will be destined to
mournful and a melancholy immortality
Bitterer tears, however, will flow over
them than were ever shed over the monu-
ments of Roman or Grecian art; for they
will be the monuments of more glorious
edifice than Greece or Rome ever saw,
the edifice of constitutional American
liberty"
Because these words were uttered 113
years ago are they empty Of meaning TO-
day?
Because Washington gave his warning
nearly $50 years ago, shall we call them
useless?
Hardly. They were spoken for centur-
les ahead because both these great leaders
visioned the need of what they spoke II
this government was and is to live on.
We saw those tanks with German infan-
try sitting tall in the saddle, pretty as
you please. We banged off those infan-
try like sitting ducks Then we ran like
hell before those tanks could get at u.s.
Pfc. Frank A. Lawrence of Portsmouth,
Va, in Germany.