Milford chronicle., 1949-01-07

One OF the most difficult things to do in
todays world is to separate causes from eff
fects-tO find the roots of the terrible prob.
lens the nations have brought upon them
selves. 1t is the old story of being unable to
see the forest because of the trees. Ever
since the war ended, we have lived through
one crisis after another domestic and inter-
national We have been plagued by fear one
0ay and picked up by new hope the next.
Inc whole world might be ikened to mer-
curry IN tube, shifting violently at any dis
turDance, and never attaining stability.
A thousand books could be written abOut
the dlfhculties we are in, without touching
more than the surface of the material. But
looking at the world from the best persnec-
tive we can now find, it seems clear that the
Daslc problem, which underlies in one wav
or another all other problems, is this: The
trouble with the world is that it has too much
government too much absolute authority.
Ihs IS not new situation, UNIQUE to our
age. The whole history of civilization has
been conflict between the individual and
thOSe VINO wished to enSlave him. That con-
tlct has caused innumerable wars. revoIu-
tiOnS, economic upheavals, all manner of dis
asters. But in the present world the tecbni-
que OF enslavement has been perfected. In
some cases government maintains it's power
with the whip and the gun In other cases #
is lar Subtler-it increases and sOlidifies its
authority through due process of law. But
the end result is the samoa nation where
all men have less and less freedom of action
ana decision, and where the political rulers
determine more and more what we shall
think and do.
Usually, we surrender rights to govern
ment for political promises of material gain
Government will give us wealth. Govern
ment will build us houses. Government will |,
pay for our crops. Government will provide
goods and services cheaper. Government will
protect our health, and support us in old age
Government will deal with almost everv OBJ [!
Stacle that cOnfrOntS us from the cradle tn
the grave. But before government can even :
attempt to give us these things il must have
the power to control the human and material i
resources of the nation, and take the savings
Q! the people through taxes. And that is how T
relationships are built.
IL seems, however, that government new t
er 0eIlVerS promised material benefits. The
standard OF living of any people goes down !
In ratio to the growth in power of those who n
rule. But, once government becomes strong
enough, there is no recourse for the people
snort OF revolution. The whole machinery of
the state is used to keep the people in line, v
10 destroy dissent, to make individuality
crime. " F
In tOday's world, the United States is in y
a position without precedent The most OBJ G
VlOuS TACT is that we are a mighty DOwer Il
from the material standpoint. We are MAX Is
ng an effort which has no parallel in history Il
% rehabilitate a score of devastated nations. E
md to save them from hunger and disease
md despair. tc
This is vitality important, but it is not the 6
9nd OF the matter by long shot If Ameri- jT
'an leadership proves to be purely material
I VIII be doomed to eventual failure-sOme H
j the police states are also rich in resources.
Nhat America must offer the world, along N
NlCh her Hood OF goods, is the supreme ex-
ample OF the fact that free people. with B
Tree economic system and a representative
government OF their own choosing, can OutdO
ne ponce states. Everything we have done
u may 40 at home to weaken our tradition
= = InulyIduaI freedom, to glOrify government al
'nySlcaI security, and our chance for sur al
vival. '"i pc
1hlS is matter of spiritual values. We
ave no statistics with which to measure NC
hem, no production figures to make other ha
eOples gasp in envy. But it is spiritual val IN
les which will turn the scales, one way or the in in
tner,. IN the long run. The real meaning of isl
america is in the hearts of her people. and
the freedom and the dignity of all men.
That, then, is what we have to offer at a ii ii
me when the world is divided into two ne
amps without common meeting ground. loo
We cannot offer more. We must not offer mt
9sS. We must check our own drift toward fO
ne totalitarian state where the government fal h,
ecomes supreme and where individual Th
lrltt' opportunity, industry savings. and lis
'eedOm are lost eN' ''''"