The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1945-09-28

pearunce of our tremendous atomic achieve
meni struck fear TO every heart. and why has
ii almost nowhere been received with joy and
optimism? As the discoveries have told us.
ii is technically an infinitely greater achieve
meni. potentially, than the discovery of cleo
tricitY. If our morality and our political in
t~elligence were as great as our scientific ca
pacifY. such a discovery SHOULD everywhere be
welcomed with the widest joy. But we know
that our characters have not kept pace with
our science. As a people we sense our failure.
know the weakness. Tire avarice, the suspicion
and moral ignorance that exists to some degree
in every heart.
Therefore, knowing the peril of this road
ahead, which leads through the unknown future
of the atomic age, and knowing our own spiritual
and intellectual unpreparedness-an unprepared-
ness more dangerous than our unpreparedness at
Pearl Harhor-we face a task of self development
and education on which rests the fate of the race.
Perhaps we editorialists have used such extreme
statements too carelessly in the past, and perhaps
they have lost force now that we need them
most in the day of the atom bomb. But the fact
remains. that possession of this principle forces
on every one of us the obligation of a struggle
for Intellectual and moral capacity great enough
to assure the safe handling of atomic energy.
The principle came upon the world in the form
OF a bomb. and this is sign and signal of our
danger. We might turn it to other uses. as the
powerful humming source of energy for a pro-
ductive age Of undreamed richness. But we can
save ourselves only if every man realizes his
own involvement in the crisis, and his own re-
sponsibility to think, and to act, and to hold him.
self responsible for the way this principle is used,
and for the fate of the human race. For it is
clearly in our power now to choose the road of
the "Niailists' and blow ourselves back to moth
ingness.
How does one begin to shoulder his respon-
sibility?
On the Individual basis, beginnings are linn
tied in scope, and vet they are all important.
For the efforts of individuals add up to the efforts
of the nation and the race. Basic education is
all important, for il provides the intellect with
tools by which it can carve its own progress
through life. No book. no philosophy, no learn
ing is closed to the man with an avid interest in
reading. and no progress is impossible to the man
who has learned to think for himself. But on the
other hand, few men can overcome the handi-
cap of total ignorance no matter intelligent
they may be by nature.
TIE schools are opening now for the first
time in the atomic ACE. In this town. where
the employment picture continues exception
ally good there is no excuse for envy parent
TO fell 70 send a child of school age on through
high school and to make every effort indeed to
send him still farther. There arc GOOD junior
colleges and universities in Mississippi and
nearby areas. and a first. class workman earns
snouaii 10 afford this education for a deserving
child. The man who says that higher educa-
ti5n is useless talks from ignorance. II opens
fields of progress and growth to youths that
would be impossible without il.
Because we are a peor state. we have one
Of the poorest educational records in the nation.
On the other hand, perhaps if we had better
educational records, we might overcome much
of our poverty, We have seen recently where
in the state of Washington approximately $50
children out of each 1000 of high school age
are in high school, while only about $50 out of
1000 are in high school in Mississippi. Over
coming conditions like this $ our immediate
job in Mississippi Here is where we can begin
to undertake the Hateful responsibility imposed
on US by the atomic age.