Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1954-01-08
HOW STRONG ARE WE?


wisdom for nation, like business, to review
its assets and its liabilities
On the credit side the United States has
an unrivaled standard of living. Our men
and women enjoy wages and working cOndi-
lions superior to those existing anywhere
else. The tide of goods and services that flow
endlessly along the American production and
distribution line staggers the imagination.
We have political system which comes
as close to being responsive to the wishes of
the people as any one can conceive of. In
the last presidential election the people re-
moved from power party which had been
In control for 20 years and put another in it's
place. In some future election the party now
IN power will be replaced. But no heads roll {:
no purgeS are held; the losers are not LIQUID
ated. All are free to air their views.
We are no longer actually at war. un-
satisfactory as the Korean situation is IF
recent reports are correct, our military
strength and that of Western Europe have
shown remarkable improvement. The chance
OF another world war is less than it was.
So much for the credit side of the ledger.
What of the debts?
The most disheartening domestic de-
velOpment of recent times has been the grow
ing dependence of millions of people on
government, mainly the federal government.
to provide services and benefits that. if free
system is to be preserved, must remain the
responsibility of the individual and the family
group. There has been blind seeking for
a kind of cradle-tO-the-grave security whose
end, in the sweep of history, has always been
the sapping Of moral fiber and spiritual
values and ultimate slavery. The most OBJ
vlOuS manifestations of government
are crushing taxes and mounting national
debts, and the inevitable undermining of
economic and political freedoms.
Another phase Of the debit side is found
In the long strides that have been made in
either sOcializing outright American enter
prlSeS and resources, or in subjecting them
to so much government dictatiOn and control
that specialization comes even nearer And
socialism, historically, is but the forerunner
OF communism or some similar system of
government by oppression and terror
1t is true that our present government
is pledged to reverse this deadly process. It
is true that some heartening steps in that
direction have been made. It is equally true
that the forces that would destroy our free
system and replace it with very different
kind of system are still awaiting their chance.
AS matter of self preservation we must
put the welfare of the nation first in consider
!uS ulPOICduC HdClOIldl issues, because our
jobs, our businesses, our farms, and our
liberties depend upon the perpetuatiOn of a
strong nation of self-governing people.
What the decision will be depends en-
tirely upon our moral strength. Will we
welcome policies and programs that are in
accord with philosophy of maximum freedom
for all-and will we accept the temporary
financial dislOcatiOns that such policies and
programs may create? It will not be easy
to end the era of do-all, give-all government.
But, if the traditions and ideals to which we
all pay lip service, and which have made us
great and strong are preserved, it is as neces-
sary as the air we breathe
Nineteen fifty-four will be year to test
whether the American people will have what
it takes to maintain themselves as indepen-
dent individuals.
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