The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-03-02
News "a
BEHIND
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Pc Dam NATION ~
By PAUL MALLON ~
Released by Western Newspaper Union.

MUST BE PHOMOTEU
WASHINGTON. - Excerpts from
q recent talk of mine, "The Revo-
luton In Values:"
Ours Is a capitalistic system
which depends for its strength and
power upon soundness not only
In finance, taxation, prices and such
economic matters, but also political
soundness built upon the confidence
Of Its people.
In red ink, we must write on our
books the burden Of the greatest
debt Of history, eventually to be 300
billions Of dollars. We must serv-
ice and pay this debt, carry II as
our war burden, for we financed this
war, not only our part of it, but
that of everyone else, including
Russia to some extent. But Rus
STA will have no such burden. She
has for herself destroyed our con-
cept of financial values.
At the heart core Of this war
is the revolution In values which
started long before the war and
will continue long after. I have
spoken only Of the corruption Of
financial values, or one phase Of
them which destroyed the moral
ity Of money.
This war indeed Is only a super
fetal phase of the revolution in all
values, the decline of morality in
politics, international diplomacy,
education and, indeed, the individ-
ual lives of men.
Consider politics. The promised
word no longer has popular value.
You seldom hear the word "honor"
any more. It is considered victorian
to be honorable.
The people have come to accept
the doctrine of immediacy, of doing
what sounds best at given mo-
ment. They scorn traditional values
as restraints and inhibitions. They
themselves are no more tied to
soundness than the money of the
world.
Regulations Are General.
Take international diplomacy. Re-
quotations of treaties before ink is
dry represents the same departure
from soundness in values, as that
of the political leader from the
promised word, and that of money
from the shadow of substance. The
doctrine of immediacy is what
] guides nations. Their own desires Of
the moment rule their conduct and
make the world.
In education there has been the
same corruption of realistic values
which we have noted in money, poll
tics and international relationship
doctrine that children should be
raised also according to their own
desires. Education is to be sight
seeing affair. They even taught the
philosophy of following desire in
sex, which hardly seemed to me
matter to require teaching.
There Is no phase of existence
which has not been touched by
the revolution in values, the
erection of ideals Of immediacy.
In the end, all the world must
come back to values. But is it to
come back to the realization of
soundness only after thoroughly ex-
ploring and suffering the collapse
of the fabulous foolishness of imme-
diate desire as a guide to life?
Will we have to 60 completely
through the revolution to the bottom
and let each man know the falsity
of these indulgent fictions before all
can grasp the solid fact and truth?
Or will the resurgence of reason
founded upon the experience of the
war catch definite hold now and lead
our people on to realism and COM
mon sense?
do not know. My judgment is
that revolutions generally run the
course of extremity before they
settle down into sense. First, there
must arise powerful leadership for
good before there can be good.
Above all, no matter what the inn
mediate future course, there must
be no compromise of ideals. Those
who know the true values of life
also know that one day these will
be restored 10 popular acceptance.
Stand Steadfast.
Therefore, it is the duty Of those
who believe in soundness to stand
steadfast in this wandering, drifting
condition. 1t is their duty to nurture
the light in darkness for the future
time when it will again tighten the
fires in every home and bring
warming comfort to future people.
OF the realization of simple SUBJ
stances must sound knowledge and
sound value eventually come.
Money will be worth only what cir
cumstance or some future authority
declares it to be worth. Our inter-
national safety will be only such as
our ingenuity and constant alert
ness can prescribe.
There is no safety in numbers,
even in modern weapons, because
these become obsolete overnight.
Planes in which we trusted at the
outset of this war can hardly be
nSed aS trainers todav Time is fast