The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1951-06-01
LETTERS TO The EDITOR

simply because they ARE students of
the problems, and have, perhaps, prof.
ected a solution.
This last, this third imperative per-
sonal ATTITUDE, is probably the most
vital and least understood of them all.
If you, reader, will reflect for just a
bit and notice how few persons there
are who seem capable of CONCEN-
TRATING ON THE SUBJECT UNDER
! DISCUSSION, and who trot out char
acter and personality accusations and
| dark hints in the belief that Smearing
! another discussion student will help
| toward solving the PROBLEM it will
| become plain why we have failed thus
far to solve so few problems basically. !
1t should be plain that the end result of
any exchange of personal insults is
| THE FURTHER DIVISION OF THE
STUDENTS, to the mutual detriment of |
| each. and to the entrenchment and per- |
sonal defensiveness of all of them /
And most tragically, it is plain that
such a course leads to the postpone
ment and disregard of the PROBLEM
itself, which at all times should be
the sole topic of the entire discussion.
SHAME ON Us
Why DO we continue to fight and
malign each other? Why cannot we,
the people pay attention to, and study
characteristics and mall adjustments
of our society exclusively, without des-
cending to relatively childish personal :
charges and counterchargeS as we now
do? Regarding all who differ with us :
as personal enemies out to steal our :
lollipops? Why can not we be big
enough to forget that we are children {:
no longer, and that we cannot possibly
begin to solve our mutual problems
until we get over the idea that knock /.
ing chips off each Others shoulders
and then indulging in face-saving .
brawl, can possibly do us any adult :
good. :
A discussion is a group study of a .
problem the end product of which :
should be an agreed-upon solution-of :
the problem. But look at us:
We are a nation of $50 million per- =
sons, divided into countless gangs; =
divided into groups and cliques-like ..
so many children; into secret societies, =
passwords and signals and all, swear -
ne allegiance and rendering service =
% these gangs. refusing consciously =
or a million ill-thought-out opinion =
ated reasons, to render allegiance to =
he one Union without which we can -
nave no other-the Union named the =
United States of America. =
Divided into chambers, associations, -
egions, unions and lodges; divided into
guilds and companies; divid- =
ID into states, into counties, cities =
enters and communities; divided even -
within these mutually hostile units =
nto families gossip groups, jealous =
nd backbiting cliques and clans in -
Iivdually one against the other even =
within our own familiesI Divided into =
bureaus and associations, committees -
md groups, members of which are vir- =
ually pinning their personal hopes on =
ONE fractional. fractional, political or =
Geological unit or crusading for some -
eader'; pitting their own selves, their =
wn ambitions against all of society -
4 a frantic, personal endeavor for per =
onal security. -
While our very soil and everything -
n it gurgles insanely down the waste =
rains, pOlluting and poisoning the -
hole nation of us, and all that we -
ouch. =
We are al present. Nation of peo- =
lie truly divided -
We will not survive unless we really =
mite. -
Unless we unite in attitude and act -
atty to study our joint and mutual -
'oblems. -
Unless we, the people, join the I'm =
n-of the United people of America -
Remembering and bordering upon -
e statement that-there are no in =
vidual or group lifeboats upon this, -
If laundering. sinking Ship of State -
Unless we redesign our Ship-which -
an engineering, physical problem -
handing an engineering, physical -
an and operation-and do it together, -
nsciously intentionally =
Unless each of US does our part our -
ip and all of us are in danger of col -
Dse. It's up to you. -
, hin Il I'll Hoo dI.noc -