Chicago world. (Chicago, Ill.) 1918-????, 1949-02-12
The Quagmire of Too Much
Government

one OF the most difficult things to do in tOday's
world Is to separate causes from effects-to find
the roots Of the terrible problems the nations have
brought upon themselves. It is the old story of
being unable to the forest because of the trees
Ever since the war ended we have lived through
one crisis after another, domestic and interna-
tional We have been plagued by fear one day and
picked up by new hope the next. The whole world
might be likened to mercury in tube, shifting
violently al any disturbance, and never attaining
stability.
thousand books could be written about the
difficulties we are n without touching more than
the surface of the material But, looking at the
world from the best perspective we now find,
it seems clear that the basic problem, which I'M.
deries In one way or another all other problems,
is this: The trouble with the world is that it has
too much government, too much, absolute author
ity.
This is not situation, unique to our age.
The whole history of civilization has been con-
flict between the Individual and those who wished
to enslaye him. That conflict has caused innupl-
cradle wars, revolutions, economic upheayaIs. all
manner Of disasters But in the present world
tho technique of enslavement has been perfected
In cases government maintains it's power
with the whip and the gun. In other cases it is
far subtle1-t increases and solidfies it's author
| is the samoa nation where all have less
! freedom OF action and decision, and where the
political rulers determine and more what we
/ shall think and do.
| Usually, we surrender rights to government for
political promises of material gain. Government
will give us wealth. Government will build as
! houses Government will pay for crops. Gov
eminent will provide goods and services cheaper.
(1OYernmant will health and SuDDOrt
! US in old age. Government will deal with almost
every obstacle that confronts from the cradle
to the grave. But bfore goernment even attempt
to give us these things, 1t must have the power
to control the human and material resources of
the nation and take the savings of the people
through taxes. And that is how relationships
built
1t seems, however, that government never de-
livers promised material benefits. The standard
Of living Of any people goes down in ratio to the
growth in power OF those who rule. But, once
government becames strong enough there is no
scourseI Tor the people short Of revolution. The
hole machinery Of the state is used to keep the
eople in line, to destroy dissent to make indivi
uality crime.
In today's world, the United States is in posi-.
ION without precedent The most obvious fact Is
hat we are mighty power from the material
.tandpoint. We are making an effort which has
no parallel in history to rehabilitate score Of
devastated nations, and to save them from hunger
an6 disease and despair.
This is vitality important, but it is not the end
# the matter by long shot, If American leader
snip proves to be purely material, it will be doom
ed to eventual faiure-some of the police states
are also rich In resources. What America must
offer the world, along with her flood of goods is
the supreme example Of the fact that free peo-
qle' with free economic system and represen
tatlve government of their own choosing, can out
DO the police states. Everything We have done or
nay do at home to weaken our tradition Of in
dlVidual freedom, to gIorify government above the
people who elect it, weakens our physical secur-
ity, and our chance for survival
This is a matter OF spiritual values We have
no statistics with which to measure them no pro-
duction figures to make other peoples gasp in
envy. But it is spiritual values which will turn
the scales, one way or the other in the long run.
The real meaning OF America is in the hearts Of
her people, and in the freedom and the dignity Of
all men.