Milford chronicle., 1947-07-04

ual happiness nor social happiness.
Aristotle gave us the essence of
the formula for political happiness
by embedding constitutional rule in
the ideals of the state. Law, con-
sent, and public opinion were the
basic ingredients of cOnstitu-
tional government.
1t is through law, consent, and
public opinion that the people of
the United States must rule. Each
Of these factors embodies the con-
cept of the group. Law involves
the respector of law as we'll as the
giver of law. If the people who are
to obey the law have not respect
for it, no power on earth can make
them obey-dictators to the cOntary
Notwithstanding Consent involves
more than Obedience-it compre-
bends the idea of cooperation in
which the governed along with the
governor mutually accent the bur-
dens of government and fulfill them.
Public opinion Denotes the unre-
strained flow of ideas among the
people, which flow helps form the
law Of.the land. There can be no
public opinion if the people as
group is without power.
All OF TINS goes Dack TO the found
ing IaLnerS whose wisdom seems 10
De nOnOred only Wnen imminent anu
ulrecL crises CONFRONT us. Inc re-
SpOnSlDlIIUy for the government OF
the natlOn lies with the people.
1nere can be no responsibility Ior
government repOsed Ill an lnOivlu-
ual n d democratic state. Inc lip
service that the Communists give TO
democracy is a lie on It's face, for in
the communist state the people are
not responsible because they are
not in power.
Here then is the danger we are
in today. We have forgotten the
brief two years and have stunned
the responsibility for government
as people. We have left the power
in the hands of a few, and we are
today cropping in the darkness of
confusion because our leaders can
Nothing can protect the people of
the United States if they will not
protect themselves. If they continue
to act as individuals (and the exam
pies of such action are notorious
throughout the land) the chosen
leaders become as pilots behind a
wheel with the engine gone. Would
be dictators in the realm of busi-
ness, in the ranks of labor, and in
the political club-hOuses through
out the nation stand ready to take
over. Though they unseat the elect
ed directors of the country. they
cannot save either themselves or
the people, because they have not
the faith of the people behind them
and their edicts have not the re-
spect of the citizenry body. When
the people abdicate from their CO.
operative responsibility for govern
ment, nothing can save them. The
people of Germany learned this
fact in the bitter tears of defeat. If
the people of Russia can learn it
within the next five years, there will
be a marked change in the Rus
sian government. Americans are
fortunate in the fact that they have
had the uninterrupted tutelage of a
century and a half in the school of
democracy, but like many students
they have learned in a begrudging
manner. They know not the value Of
that learning, they know only the
tiresOme and tedious viligance that
IS the price of freedom. Some of
them have become cynical and have
scoffed at the treasured memories
of the nation. They have laughed at
the sO-called trite phrases of liber-
ty, and due process of law, of equal
ity and Justice. Like most ScOfferS,
once they are in danger of being
personally deprived of these privil-
eges. they run to the nearest police
man and beg for helm. When the
rugged individual profiteer demands
his so-called right to charge what
he pleases find the price level dron-
ming. he runs to the government de-
manding protection. When the
rangster who has chisled his way
into the controls of the union finds
himself in mortal danger of the
wrnth of the members he covers
under the law sruealire for assis-
tance-the same law which at ano-
ther time he fiOuted and failed to
respect. The same is true in every