The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1951-09-07
The Four Pillars of Freedom
WORK - SAVE VOTE - and PRAY
BY w. G. VOLLMER President
The Texas & Pacific Railway Company

Most of US today are knee-deep
in confusion and uncertainty.
We are not quite sure of which
way to turn or what to do.
Within the nation, we see and
feel the effects of initiation upon
our income and our savings.
We see the communistic ter
mites trying to destroy the very
foundation of our free government
and our free economy.
We see the nations political
leaders divided among themselves
over what should be done to arrest
imitation and to meet the challenge
of communism.
We see more and more of our
earnings being consumed by taxes.
We see all of these things-and
more. It's enough to arouse fear,
to cause confusion and to create
uncertainty.
In view of the turbulent present
and the uncertain future, which all
of US face together, we need to
examine the cause of our trouble.
If we turn back a few pages of
history, we find that the threat to
our free way of life is the root of
our trouble.
Twice in one generation we have
fought two world wars in defense
of freedom.
Today we stand on the threshold
of third world war. And again
it is in defense of our freedom.
A considerable proportion of our
public debt of approximately 256
billion dollars was created by wars
fought to preserve freedom.
And a major portion of our TO
odd billion dollar national budget
this year goes for the cost of wars
past, present and impending-all
in behalf of freedom.
Yet, over the years, many of US
have taken freedom for granted.
By now we should be acutely
conscious of the fact that freedom,
like everything else in life, comes
at price.
But no matter what the price
may be, we must pay it, for moth
ing could be worse than to lose our
God-given rights and our human
dignity.
The outlook is not bright. We'd
be deluding ourselves and betray-
ing our children if we considered
the present conflict a little inter
national skirmish. It's nothing of
the sort.
We're at war, whether we want
to call it that or not. Approximate
ly 10000 casualties in the first ten
months of the war attest the fact.
When the smoke of the conflict
clears away, either the free people
of the world or the Communist
will emerge victorious.
It now is self-evident, if it has
not always been, that democracy
and communism cannot exist side
by side.
Democracy is founde d upon
faith in God, in the dignity of man
and upon the concept that the gov
eminent is the servant of the peo-
pie, not their master.
Communism is founded upon
atheism, strife, fear, tyranny and
the philosophy that the government
is the supreme master of the peo-
pie.
Thus, the principles upon which
democracy and communism are
founded are as far apart as love
and hate, or as good and evil.
Since the cause of freedom is
founded upon justice and right
eousness, we and the other free
people of the world are invincible
if we unite in purpose and in &C
ton.
l say this because we have the
know-how and the productive ca
pacity to turn out the goods and
services essential to the preserva-
ton of freedom.
But it's going to take more than
money and machines and know
how to win. It's going to take the
will and the courage to WORK, to
SAVE, to VOTE and to PRAY.
In the midst of our dilemma,
here are four basic points upon
which I feel all of us can unite.
1 call these four points "The
Four Pillars of Freedom" because
no matter how great our trials and
tribulations may become, we can
preserve our freedom if we have
the will and courage to WORK,
SAVE, VOTE and PRAY.
/ realize there are other i'm
portant pillars of freedom, but I
have suggested these four because
they are basic, and because each of
US can have part in giving them
life and meaning.
First, there is WORK.
There is no substitute for work.
Ever since the dawn of history,
man has had to work in order to
survive.
There is no way to supply our