Evening star., 1948-07-05
By jones Morlow
Assoeioisd Press StoH Writer


This is the time when Americans
shoot off firecrackers and make
speeches to celebrate the Declara-
tion of Independence.
But how many of them really
know anything about the Declara-
ton: How it came to be written,
and by whom, and why, and when?
You'll do yourself a favor by
reading Carl L. Becker's The Dec
laration CT Independence, Study
in the History of political Ideas, an
excellent book not too widely known.
Mr. Becker, who was professor OF
history at Cornell University, died
a couple of years ago. He first
wrote the book in 1922. 1t was re-
published in 1912 and again in 1945
by Alfred A. Knopf of New York.
Mr.. Becker says the style of the
declaration had the virtues of all
good writing-simplicity, clarity
logical order" That's true Of his
book
Was Explanation, Not Act.
The Declaration itself was not the
formal act of separation by the
Colonies from Great Britain. 1t
was the justification. the explana-
ton the Continental Congress
wanted to make to the world after
the act was done.
On June 7. 1776, several reso1u-
tions were offered in Congress to
declare the Colonies free.
And three days later, June 10, a
five-man committee-Thomas JET
ferson, John Adams, Benjamin
Franklin, Roger Sherman and Rob-
ert r. Livingston-was appointed to
draw up declaration.
On July the official act of sep
sration was passed. On July 4,
1776. the declaration, written by
Jefferson with some help from the
others, was approved
The declaration itself was COM
promise. 1t didn't say all that JEFF
ferson, for instance, wanted to say.
1t said only what the Congress, with
Ill its shades of thinking, was will
ing to swallow or approve.
Similar to Platforms Today.
TN this it is like the political
party platforms drawn up at the
Republican and Decorate con-
ventions this year. They, too, are
a compromise.
because of the pressure of
Southern Republicans, the Re-
publican platform, for instance,
is pretty vague in spots on civil
rights for Negroes.
because of the pressure OF
Southern Democrats. the Demo-
cratic platform will be even
vaguer on that subject
Mr.. Becker says of the declara-
ton:
1T is not unimportant, even from
the point of view of the history OF
political ideas. to know that the
trainers of the Declaration, de-
nouncing George III to a candid
world for his violation of the nat
ural rights of man, carefully re-
Trained from alluding to the fact
that they themselves were slave
holders"
Jefferson Didn't Originate Idea.
In that day. the 18th century,
kings everywhere were claiming to
rule by divine right. 1t was there
fore the job of Jefferson and the
others to prove the colonies had
right to break away from their
kings.
So the declaration says:
I'VE hold these truths to be self
evident. that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain unalien-
able rights: that among these are
life. liberty and the pursuit of hap
Illness. ="
But where did that idea of mans
natural rights" come from? 1t
wasn't brand new with Jefferson.
Mr.. Becker traces the origin of
the idea and the influences at work
on jefferson when he sat down to
write the Declaration Besides, Mr.
Becker gives a minute analysis of