Evening star., 1946-07-06

Franklin's Guidance Advocated
To the Editor of The Star:
We feel that if BENJAMIN Franklin,
our first world citizen" were alive to-
day, he might, with characteristic wis
dom, address the members of the U. N.
IN conference somewhat as he addressed
the members of the Constitutional Con-
Ventlon in Philadelphia 159 years ago.
You remember he spoke to the Con-
vention, when failure seemed imminent,
on June Is, 1887, through George Wash
lngton its presiding officer, saying:
"Mr. President the small progress We
have made after four or five weeks
close attention and continual reasoning
with each other is me thinks, melan-
choly proof of the imperfection Of hu-
man understanding.
In this situation of this assembly,
as 1t were, in the dark to find political
truth, and scarce able to distinguish
1t when presented to us, how has it
happened, sir. that we have not hitherto
thought of humbly applying to the
Father OF Lights to illumine our under
standings? I have lived, sir, long
time, and the longer I live, the more
convincing proofs 1 see of the truth,
that God governs IN the affairs of men.
And If a sparrow cannot fall to the
ground without His notice. is it prob
able that an empire can rise without
His aid? We have been assured sir.
IN the Sacred writings. that except the
LORD build the house, they labor in vain
who build it. firmly believe this: and
l also believe that without His con-
curing aid We shall succeed In this DO
lltical building no better than the build
ers of Babel: we shall be divided by
our little, partial, local interests, our
projects will be confounded, and we
ourselves shall become a reproach and
a byword down to future ages. And
what is worse, mankind may hereafter
from this unfortunate instance, despair
OF establishing government by human
wisdom and leave it to chance, war.
conquest. therefore beg leave to move:
That hereafter prayers, imploring
the assistance of Heaven and its bless
ings on our deliberations, be held in
this assembly every morning before
We proceed to business, and that one,
or more, of the clergy of this city be
requested to officiate"
From that moment progress was made
in framing the document which Glad
stone once said was "the greatest piece
of work ever struck off at a given time
by the brain and purpose of man"
hi
Franklin's advice were followed for
the U. N, we, members of the Board
of Trustees of the Woman's Club of
Orange, believe that it could develop
the greatest document yet conceived
by man.
ELIZABETH B. ROBBINS,
President, the Woman's Club of
Orange, N. J.
Prefers Another, Better WAY
To the Editor of The Star
l notice that some of the newspapers
carry the heading on the first page,
House Denies Help by UNRRA to Ma
tions Censoring News
That reminds me that when Roger w.
bapsOn, some years ago. was aspiring to
the nomination for President on the
Prohibition ticket, he said, in effect, that
if he should be elected President, he
would see to it that WPA relief was not
given to any but worthy persons
I suppose that meant that he would
feed the prohibitionists and would let
all other destitute persons starve.
If that is the Christian spirit, have
another guess coming.
I am not in favor of censoring news,
nor am in favor of withholding avail
able food from the people of any nation
simply because we do not like the lead
ers of that nation.
If we wish to punish leaders of a
nation for censoring news. we could
surely find better way to do it.
ERNEST D. MacDOUGALL.
Wholesale Considerations
From the ST. Louis Post-Dispatch
A New York judge gave a bargain
rate to twins in f1nine them for riding