The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-04-12

to men who have lost their God. His faith in religion was as deep. as his respect for tolerance. He be- lieved that the people of 6 free land must not have any master but God.
 FDR only wanted other countries to look us in the eye, take our hand and live as a family of nations. The Good Neighbor Policy lived up to its name under his leadership {. But when the Axis foe cast mem acing shadows across the planet Roosevelt was the first to lift his eloquent voice against the approach ing storm He warned of blood and thunder when stupid ostriches painted pretty pictures. No man can live alone, and no nation is an island. The world is @ body made of the bones of nations and the flesh and blood of its people. Events in a city can affect con- tinent. FDR realized this was One World long before the phrase was coined.
 He didn't want to see history written in blood and punctuated with death. But the man who loathed war was forced to lead his nation into battle-because the alternative was unspeakable slavery The Axis saber- -rattlers who believed RooSevelt's innate kindness was 8 weakness and democracy's decency an easy target-laughed and sneered--and sneered and laughed. They vowed to leave America in ashes and the scare- word was blitz But the Ameri- can people and their Commander in-Chief didn't scare easily. The result now raises the loudests whimp- CTS in Hell Yet long before the final bullet whizzed through the air--F'DR admonished America that military victory was not enough. If we fail to preserve the peace then the monument to the Unknown Soldier will be a part of the rubble of devastated and desolate planet,
 The greatest love in FDR's life was his devotion to America. He told the world that we are free to love and live and laugh. He knew America as one knows an in- timate friend. America was his life and he gave his life so that 1t could live.
 And on a crisp day in April there was whispered roll of muffled drums at Hyde Park, squad of soldiers Slanted their rifles toward the sky, and the sharp cracks of gunfire startled the stiffness as the Commander-in- Chief was laid to rest.
 But the bitter foes in his own country who had shortened his life were already jigging on his grave. The vultures were stabbing his memory just as they had stabbed his back The orgy of ghouls is still in full swing-vilify- ing the man who saved their lib- erty, their lives, their homes, their jobs-and their right to disagree with him. They hate him because they know that they will be de- feted by the living memory just as they were whipped by the liv- ing man.
 Those of us who still fight under the Roosevelt banner-know that FDR can no longer lead us. We eIRVSAal taSy 1Ate SsSNN.1R aNI Aaadc If men follow his ideals, civ- ilization can never lose its way.
 Roosevelt was as ariStocratic as Robert E. Lee or George Wash ington. Yet he was as humble as Abraham Lincoln He was as courageuos and daring in attack as Stonewau Jackson, but he could be as stubborn as U. s. Grant when he believed he was right The American Navy has had no greater admiral since John Paul Jones, and American Democracy has had no warmer advocate since Thomas Jefferson American institutions have had no greater defender since Alexander Hamilton and the com mon people have had no more rugged champion for their rights since Andrew Jackson.
 As Daniel Boone staked out the wilderness trails for the American people, Franklin D. Roosevelt staked out the broad highway to world peace. He was the voice of free dom, the friend of humanity and the conscience of America You will find his spirit wherever there are decent people, anity among na- tions, justice for individuals and deep faith among God-fearing peo- pie.
 And wherever a child sleeps in peace-FDR lives.
 France now has less than half the