Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-11

DENVER, Sept. ~ tRQ.-
FOLLOWING is partial tert OF
resident EisenhotDer's remarks
today at a breakfast NTH 48
Republican State Chairmen::
Thank you very much. gentle
men. This is a special group and,
of course. I feel especially hon.
ored at the privilege Of meeting
you. ] understand that you are
just new graduates. and I must
say, in way, it's the strangest
kind Of commencement exercise
for me to attend, although ! have
made a number of commence
ment addresses.
What strikes me is this: Gov
ernmental service Is the tempo
rary privilege of some people. But
what you are doing is exercising
the inherent right and perform
ing the basic duties Of citizenship.
Every citizen owes 1t to himself
and his country to participate
individually. or. Of course.
through a political organization
in making certain that our coun-
try goes in the direction that
conforms to his ideals and hopes
for that experimentation that
country.
Quotes Gettysburg Address
Now, if you win forgive me, in
stead Of jumping into farm prob
lens and Geneva problems. and
things of that kind, which are
discussed interminably, am 60
ing to talk just little bit of
philosophy this morning-politi-
cal philosophy, that is-because
of a very deep and abiding be-
lief that if a political party is
not held together by q common
faith. a common conviction. in
certain fundamentals, then it is
not a true political party, but
1t Is merely a conspiracy to gain
power. -.
Now. the text I am going to
take is one with which you are
completely familiar. You have
all used 1t a thousand times. But
whether or not we have stopped
to think sufficiently Of what it
means is another story.
Lincoln concluded his Gettys-
burg address: g.. that govern
ment of the people. by the peo-
pie and for the people shall not
perish from the earth"
The first thing ! want to bring
out is that he recognized that
the possibility of this type OF
government perishing is always
with us. And it is still with US.
Government Of the People"
The experiment in free gov
eminent that was started by our
founding fathers is still going
on, and it will go on to the end
of time. because the law Of
change is the law of life. :.
"Of the people" Just exactly
what do you think of when you
say government of the people?
I think, in a simple sort Of
way, we could say "of the peo-
pie" doesn't mean a government
of farmers, of labor bosses, Of
smart politicians. OF business
men, or Of anybody else.
1t means a government OF all
types and classes Of people. re-
gardless of race or color or re-
ligion or everything else that
tends to separate us in our So
cial and ordinary lives.
1t means a government which.
in its whole constitution. Its
whole concept and its aims. takes
in the thoughts. the purposes,
the ideals. the aspirations and
the problems of today and 1855,
years ago.
And by the people" by the
people" really means that every
individual is participating in that
government. Remember, Lincoln
defined this Government in three
ways: of, by and for implying
that If the people did not exer-
else their right to govern, 1t
shall perish from the earth.
Only 500 Of Voters Vote
In the national elections, some
thing like a little over so per
cent Of all qualified electors vote,
and in State and local elections.
I am told that it is frequently as
low as Is per cent.
Well, government by the peo-
pie would seem to be not -four
ishing as well as it should. Some
politician some years ago said