Evening star., 1946-03-26
Letters to The Star
Attempts an Answer to Query
of Younger Generation
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
Several weeks ago my youngest
daughter, a senior in high school,
startled me with the question, Daddy,
do you think we will 60 to war with
Russian"
My first thought was that she was
borrowing trouble and was unduly
alarmed at the idea of another long
period of austerity and separation from
her father and brothers in military
service. But it soon became apparent
that our younger generation is OPEN
eyed and frankly challenges the COM
! mon sense of trial by combat in this
atomic age of suicidal technocracy. They
see no virtue or profit in resolving
moral issues by brute force, yet realis-
tically they are aware there is limit
to appeasement beyond which the most
servile and timid will not suffer preda-
tory trespass. Neither are they ignorant
of nor indifferent to sinister forms of
aggression, subtly short of physical
compulsion, wherein tortured nerves hys-
terically yield to the stealthy threat of
smothering shadows.
Since then there have been many
perturbing evidences that just and en-
during peace stands in disturbing jeop-
ardy. Senator Vandenberg, Mr.. Dulles
and Secretary Byrnes, each respon-
sive to conscientious stewardship, have
posed phases Of the same grave ques-
tion that our younger generation blunt
ly debates with undiplomatic naivette.
And we fathers, who twice have failed,
realize that the fate of the children of
all mankind once more is in our bun
Cling hands. We must answer their
question.
We fathers know that the inevitable
struggle for survival between the two
contrary ideologies, communism and
democracy, never will be decided on the
battlefield. Final judgment will be de-
cided at the performance level by the
hearts and minds of the miserable, help
less masses whose present life-saving
need is bread. shelter, clothing and
medicine. This present world wide
crisis is both our opportunity and the
solemn test of whether our democratic
theology is worthy Of survival Unless
we stop fouling our own nest and put
our house in order and both outpro-
duce and unself1shly outshare COM
munism, we miserably will fail to DEM
onstrate our moral right to survive Our
democratic theology wins or loses with
faithful performance in liquidating our
moral commitments and responsibilities
rather than through the tantalizing
lure OF unKept assurances and promises.
With the blood of our sons and with
the decisive might of our treasure in
common cause against ruthless tyranny
and aggression we already have proved
our love and admiration of the heroic
Russian people. Yet not one drop of
that blood, not one penny of that
treasure was given in defense of preda-
| tory communism.
To give moral law the sinews of man
kinds desperate resolve to avoid its own
suicidal determination, we formed the
United Nations Organization. The Com
munist dictatorship of the Russian
people solemnly pledged to outlaw
| brute force both as . means of propa-
gandizing its faith or prosecuting an
honest grievance against an offending
neighbor. In simple trust We disarmed
and demobilized because there was no
treachery or guile In our hearts. Now.
II the peace Of the world is conspired
against, the wanton aggressor is self
named. In no event will we be deluded
into believing that such an act of con-
summate treachery represents the will
OF the Russian people.
| So we fathers can answer our chill
dren by saying that we will never fight
the Russian people. But If communism
betrays the Russian people and stakes
It's survival as a way of life on the
jungle Judgment of the sword, then bv
the sword it shall perish We humblv
pray that the peace will not be broken
but If, through no fault of our striving
sincerity, 1t is, then God give us the
strength and resolve to defend the right,
even unto death
| THOMAS E. MATTINGLY, MD,