The people's voice., 1950-06-02
Loyalty
By LAVERNE HAMILTON,
Thompson Falls

Announcement that professors o.
Chicago University and Iowa State
College plan to raise funds to aid
faculty members of California u
who refuse to take loyalty oath
strikes a responsive cord and brings
to mind the following quotation from
one of Americas foremost writer's,
a man who's loyalty has never been
questioned +. "You see my kind of
loyalty was loyalty to the country,
not to its institutions or office-hold-
ers. The country is the real thing,
the eternal thing, the thing to love
honor and revere. Institutions are
only its clothing and like clothing
may wear out or become ragged. To
be loyal to rage, to worship rage, that
is the loyalty of unreason, it was or
iginated by monarchy, it belongs to
monarchy-LET MONARCHY KEEP
IT"
Seriously, it seems to me that the
loyalty of any American citizen,
whether by birth or naturalization
should be taken for granted. That
he should not be continually required
to make professions of loyalty to
satisfy some political goat with
brainstorm, that he is fit to teach
school, hold public office, or other
wise proceed along the even tenor
of his way. Possibly may be unduly
cynical but it has always seemed to
me that these voluable avowals of af-
lection, devoutness, or patriotism
indicate lack of sincerity. AS VIII
lam Shakespeare so aptly said, "Me
thinks the gentleman doth protest
90 much"
Our American constitution provides
'or the freedom of speech thought |
md opinion, things that we are fond
# boasting of as American heritages.
sn't it just possible that those who
wish to change our economic system
re just as sincere in their belief
hat such changes would be for the
of the nation as those
rho wish to retain an economic sys-
EN- that condemns millions to i'll
ealth, poverty and financial inse-
urity? Thus far the activities of
he paytrioteers who are promulgat-
1g the drive for loyalty oaths seems
D be taken as an indication of dis
,yalty. Well the fact that a person
a member of the Republican or
emocrat party might be considered
reflection upon his intelligence,
ut it certainly shouldn't be taken
5 conclusive proof of disloyalty. And
5 for the overthrow of the govern
Ient by force or violence. wasn't
a fellow by the name of Abe Lin
oln who said-'This country with
s institutions is the property of
le people who inhabit it. Whenever
ley grow weary of their existing |
overnment they may exercise their
right to alter or "a
end it or their revolutionary right
overthrow it,? Well | very much
ar that if old Abe were alive to-
ly he would be a shining target
II our un-American activities cCm-
ittees.
Also | seem to recall that another
low named Tom jefferson is re-
,rted to have said that "a revQlu-
On every ten years is a good thing
+ any government"
Sometimes | wonder with all these
oyalty" witch hunts taking place,
the promulgators Of the hunts ard
e loyalty oaths aren't slightly
,rried for fear that the people who
habit the country ARE growing
weary" of the existing government,
at any rate of the fellows who
We been running the show, ana
ght desire to make a few small
anges in the picture.
As for the overthrow of the gov
lment by force or violence -
U-N-K. We still have our constitu-
nal right ''to alter or amend it,
d so long as we have that right,
ere would be the sense of resort
: to unnecessary violence or blood
I'd in an effort to accomplish some
ng which could be accomplished
re effectively, efficiently and con-
lclusively by peaceable and con-
means.