The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1950-12-22
Is the American Way of Life In Danger?

recall what representatives of which
on those occasions.
A professor cannot take a posi-
ton on any public question with
out looking into the background of
everybody who may be taking the
same position on the same question
If he finds that any person who is
taking the same position on this ques-
ton has been charged with taking an
unpopular position on another ques-
ton, the professor had better not take
any position on this question, or he
may be hailed before some committee
to explain himself.
FREEDOM TO DIFFER
Is this the American Way of
Life? The great American word is
freedom, and in particular, freedom
of thought, speech, and assembly.
Asserting the dignity of man, and of
every man, America has proclaimed
and protected the freedom to differ
Each man is supposed to think for
himself. The sum Of the thoughts
Of all is the wisdom of the commu-
nifty. Difference, disagreement, dis
cussion decided by democratic pro-
cesses are required to bring out the
best in the citizen. America has
grown strong on criticism. 1t would
be quite as consistent with the Ameri-
can Way of Life to offer prizes for
the most penetrating criticism of our
country as it would be to offer
prizes to those who have done the
best job of advertising it.
The heart of Americanism is in
pendent thought. The cloak-and-sti-
letto work now going on will not
merely mean that many persons will
suffer for acts that they did not
commit, or for acts that were legal
when committed, or for no acts at
all. Far worse is the end result,
which will be that critics, even of
the mildest sort, will be frightened
into silence. Stupidity and injustice
will go unchallenged because no one
Will dare to speak against them.
To prosecute people into con-
tormity by the non-legal methods
popular today is little better than
doing it by purges and pogroms.
The dreadful unanimity of tribal
self-adoration was characteristic of
The nazi state. 1t is sedulously fost-
cred in Russia. 1t is to the last de-
gree un-American.
EDUCATION
American education has not tried
o produce indoctrinated automatons,
tut individuals who can think, and
Who will think always for themselves.
he basic principle of American
overnment, and one that accounts
or the Importance of education in
his country, is that if the citizens
earn to think and if they will think
or themselves, the republic is Sc
ure. The basic principle of the Rus
ian dictatorship is that the people 1
annot think for themselves. .
The American doctrine rests on
he proposition that it is the indi-
idual in himself that counts. 1t is
OF who his father was, or how much !
honey he has or what his color or '
reed is, or what party he belongs to, {
r who his friends are, but who and '
that he is? SO the test of a teacher I
) hardly question on which lay S
odies, or even administrators or {
rustees would wish to pass without
he advice of persons professionally
ompetent in the teachers field.
If we apply any test other than
in determining the quail. {
lcations of teachers, we shall find
hat pressures and prejudices will :
etermine them.
Teachers may be expected to obey
he law of the land. But it is still s
ermissible | hope, to ask whether I
law is wise. To discriminate against Y
act as though they were {
|! oisloyal-and to put them under
oecial legal disabilities seems in s
Idicious if we want able, independ- {
MT men to go into the teaching pro- i
,ssion. S