The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-07-20
| KING
|lNIE AAkAD
- e BY GEORGE S. BENSON
presideHt--HardiKg college
: 4 Searry. .ArkaKsas
Who May Think?

Stopped by a traffic signal while
driving in narrow, busy street a
few days ago, my ear caught IA
miliar, musical note. Just beyond
the sidewalk, through big, open
door, a blacksmith was shaping
shoes for farmers heavy team.
Horns behind me suggested moving
along before l had finished looking,
but it was an inspiration to watch
this workman, so skillful and ener-
getic.
Moving picture blacksmiths are
elderly gentlemen with droopy mus
taches, but not this man. He was
about 80, clean shaven and active.
The tempo of his hammer was live
ly. The hopeful picture he unwit-
tingly posed of postwar America has
come to mind several times since.
More recently 1 have been listen
ing to men discuss postwar plans
that involved moulding public opin-
ion.
Fabricating Sentiment
knowledge is Power" The words
are supposed to have flowed from
the pen of Francis Bacon about 300
years ago, but I think Bacon lifted
this choice bit of wisdom from Solo
mon: Proverbs 24-5. It has stood
the test of time. Popular sentiment
can be moulded. No informed per-
son will deny it. Hitler did it. Ma
tional leaders do it all the time,
consciously or unconsciously, for
better or for worse.
For eleven years in China
watched selfish local war lords ex-
ercise their power over a patient,
toiling peasantry. 1t could be done
easily where the great mass of the
people were unlearned, as in China,
where 300 could neither read nor
write. Unlearned masses sometimes
rebel, but they usually fail because
the energy they exert is not power;
only ill-directed force
Common Sense CT Most
For 1s6 years the United States
has prospered and grown as re-
public. This is superior to democ-
racy in that it provides for the safe
ty and protection of minorities. A
democracy places the minority at
the mercy of the majority, some
times just as heartlessly as die
tatorship. That is why minorities
have retained freedom in Amer
lea; why each individual is still free
to think for himself.
1t is impossible to get a corner on
a nations ideas. Every man and
woman has a brain and there is
only one way to keep them from
utilizing these assets to enrich them
selves and the whole race, namely,
keep 'em ignorant. The American
way is the other way: schooling is
free; libraries are everywhere;
press and radio prosper keeping
people informed. Our people have
knowledge and our nation has
power.
An Offensive Figure
A country, whose leaders want the
benefit of the best thinking of the
whole nation, is on its way up. A
nation that confines its thinking and
planning to boards and bureaus is on
its way down. Central planners rea-
son thus: "The blacksmith has
head on him, but so does his ham,
mer. Why bother about either? We
will do the thinking and the plan
ming"
Germany planned for the whole
of her people, but her wages were
only half as high as American wages
in 1889. Russia does governmental
planning for all of her people. Wages
there were about one-sixth of Amer
lean wages in 1889. I am for keep
ing our Republic, for drawing on ths
intelligence of our entire population
and for keeping well and correctly
informed public. knowledge 70
Power"