Evening star., 1952-05-03
SENATOR ESTES KEFAUvER.

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believers, both laymen and clergy
the test of the religious man, ]
say, like the test of the political
man or any other. is not just what
he processes to believe.
Rather. he should and inevitably
will be judged by this-namely,
does he put his beliefs into prac-
tice, and how?
Does he talk of charity. but do
little OF nothing about it? Here
I am using charity in its broadest
sense-not merely in the narrow
sense of giving aims, but in the
larger sense of always being will
ing to give the other fellow an
even break, of being fair ano
honest in his business and social
relations, of never STOPPING to
bear false witness against his
neighbor, of being willing to con-
tribute not only his money but
his personal time and service to
making his neighborhood, his COM
and his Nation a better
place to live in for all, regardless
of race, creed. and color.
Charity Is Foundation.
Charity-that is, a feeling fol
ones fellow man-is the founda-
ton of the religious life, and
upon that sure foundation we
have built our democratic way
of life with its priceless rights,
liberties and opportunities.
That way of life is rooted in
the hearts of men and will, I am
absolutely convinced. never pass
away. come what will. It grew
out of our forefathers' aspirations
to higher and finer things-out
of their dissatisfaction with the
status quo.
Having an abiding faith in the
intrinsic worth and dignity of the
individual, they worked to give
him more freedom in all fields
more freedom of religion, more
freedom to move up in the social
structure, more freedom to speak
his mind and follow his ideas
wherever they might lead, and
more freedom to have his say in
all matters of common concern
They believed that the individual
was the center of government
its generating force, and not a
pawn to be moved about at the
Whim Of his self-appointed mas
tiers or any dictator whatsoever
Having an exalted concept OF
the human soul, they held that
man could be, if he wished, the
of his fate. They believed
that he could be trusted to dis
tinguiSh between good and evil
between virtue and vice, and that
he would, in the long run, al
ways prefer the good to the
bad. They believed, in short
that man was capable of living
a life of high moral principle
a spiritual life above compromise,
expediency, and the temptations
OF the moment.
Out of these concepts came our
concept Of democracy, the best
the world has seen.
Calls Change Ceaseless.
Our forefathers built well. and
we must forever go on building
The law Of this world is change
ceaseless change-and we can
never sit still and bask in the light
OF our past or present glories
however bright these may be.
We need a daily reaffirmat tion
of our democratic faith-less in
words, than in deeds. We need
a new zeal for virtue. We need
to have our national life reflect
more Of the energy. the imagina-
tion. and the bright idealism o1
our fine American youth.
Above all, if we are to have
peace on earth. good will toward
men," we must go on working
slowly but surely to make a reality
of the brotherhood of mana
truly universal brotherhood Of
Jews and Christians, Moslems anc
Buddhists. and men of every faith
all around the globe.
I hope the day is not too distant
when this city will be honored by
having a Washington pilgrimage
by the churchmen Of every ma.
ton in the world.
Working all together, in and out
of government. in and out Of or.
ders, let us refurbish our ideal.
till they shine clear and bright
so that with pride and humility
too We may blazon them forth
to the world, especially to those
millions and millions who are
struggling against ancient tyran.
nies in their fight for nationa
freedom and individual libertie.
all of those millions whose souls
have been fired by our own Ameri.
can spirit of 1776.
Above all, let us beam our idea.
and ideals to those once free anC
still proud peoples-the Poles, thu
CzechS, the East Germans, thu
Hungarians, Bulgarians, Romani.
ans, Russians, Chinese and other.
who are today suffering tyranny
in a new and more terrible form
behind the Iron Curtain. They arr
sore pressed, but not crushed, anc
will one day reassert themselve:
under banners proclaiming tht
dignity of man and the inviola'
bility of the human soul.
Our cause is good, and we shall
prevail if we muster and max,
wise use of the resources will
which God has blessed us-no
our material resources only, bu
our spiritual and intellectual a.
well.
We must not lose the fight TO,
the hearts and minds of men, ant
if we are true to the spirit-th'
religious spirit, the democratic
spirit-that has always fired us
we shall not fail.