Evening star., 1951-09-07
Drift 10 PaternaIism
Dangerous 10 Rights
OF Citizens, He Warn,
By ths Assoeiutsd Press

Arthur'S address last night at
the CleUeIdnd Public Auditorium.
1t is gratifying indeed to have
this opportunity to address the
citizens of Cleveland and of the
State of Ohio-a State which has
contributed so abundantly tc
Americas leadership both past ano
contemporary. Indeed indications
multiply that this leadership may
even increase in the not too dis
tant future. No section of oul
country symbolizes more forcefully
the pattern of our national prog
ress than does this great Midwest
whose fertile fields and thriving
industry combine to reflect the
constructive energy of our people
You have moulded a standard and
pattern of life known to no other
nation of the world. and I pray
that we will have the vision and
courage and craftsmanship to keep
It that way--that we will preserve
an America which will provide in
creasing, not diminishing, oppor-
tunities for human advancement.
We have just passed another
anniversary of the end of the war
with Japan. Six years ago with
few strokes of the pen a calm
descended upon the battlefields of
the world and the guns grew sl-
lent. Military victory had been
achieved for our cause and men
turned their thoughts from the
task of mass killing to the higher
duty of international restoration,
from destroying to rebuilding,
from destruction to construction.
Everywhere in the free world they
lifted up their heads and hearts in
Thanksgiving for the advent OF
peace in which ethics and mo-
rality based upon truth and justice
would thereafter fashion the uni
yersal code.
Says Leaders Failed.
Then, more than ever in the
history of the modern world. a
materially strong and spiritually
vibrant leadership was needed to
consolidate the victory into a truly
enduring peace for all Of the
human race. America at the very
apex of her military power was
the logical nation to which the
world turned for such leadership.
It was a crucial moment-one of
the greatest opportunities ever
known. But our political and mil
itary leaders failed to compre-
hend it.
Sensitive only to the expedien-
cies of the hour. they dissipated
with reckless haste that predomi-
nant military power which was
the key to the situation. Our
forces were rapidly and completely
demobilized and the great stores
Of war material which had been
accumulated were disposed of with
irresponsible waste and abandon.
The world was thus left exposed
and vulnerable to an international
communism whose long publicized
plan had been to await just such
a favorable opportunity to estab-
lisf1 dominion over the free ma
tio1ls. The stage had perhaps
been unwittingly set in secret and
most unfortunate war conferences.
The events which followed will
cast their shadow upon history
for all time Peoples with long
traditions of human freedom pro-
gressively fell victims to a type
of international brigandage and
blackmail and the so-called Iron
Curtain" descended rapidly upon
large parts Of Europe and Asia.
AS events have unfolded, the truth
has become clear. Our great mill
tary victory has been offset.
largely because of military un-
preparedness, by the political sue
cesses of the Kremlin. Our dip
lomatic blunders increased as our
senseless disarmament became a
reality.
Cycle Is Complete.
And now the disastrous cycle is
completed as those same leaders
who lost to the world the one great
chance it has had for enduring
universal peace. frantically en-
deavor, by arouSing a frenzy of
fear throughout the land, to gear
anew our energies and resources,
TO rebuild our dissipated strength
and to face again a future of total
war. Our need for adequate mill
tary defense, with world tensions
as they were and are, is and
should have been completely evil
dent even before the end of the
war, by what faith then can we
find hope in those whose past
judgments so previously erred
who deliberately disarmed in the
face of threatening communism =?
Can they now be blindly trusted as
they so vehemently demand to set
an unerring course to our future
well-being and security? There
are those of us who from neither
partisan afiliation nor with politi-
cal purpose think not.
At wars end, the main agency
for maintaining the peace became
the United Nations. This organi-
zation was conceived in COM
mon desire that the scourge of
war should not again be visited
upon the earth. 1t was dedicated
to the principle that all mankind
of inalienable right should live
in justice and liberty and peace
It represents perhaps the noblest
effort man has yet made to evolve
a universal code based upon the
highest of moral precepts. 1t be-
came the keystone to an arch OF
universal hope. in practice its ef-
forts become increasingly doubt
xful of ultimate success.
Organization Called Weak.
It's organization is inherent!
weak, legislatively, judicially ant
executively. 1t lacks Legislative
strength because it's members, no
being elected but merely appoint
ed, are not answerable directly II
their people. It lacks judicia