Milford chronicle., 1956-01-06
FREEDOM Is NOT A NATURAL RIGHT

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 1856
FREEDOM is NOT A NATURAL RIGHT
At this season the economists present
their summaries Of what has happeLed IN
the past and what is anticipated for the
future. There are problems and, maladJust-
ments notably in certain branches OF agrl-
culture. But the overall picture is one OF
extraordinary material progress and achieve
ment-probably the greatest in recorded MS
tory
The Secretary Of the Treasury, George
Humphrey, has described what millions OF
Americans have been actually making OF
our economy" Our total production OF goods
and services is not far from S4OO,OOO,OOO
year-which works out to seven times the
1900 level after allowance Is made Tor price
rises. 1t is of the utmost significance that
the greatest share of this goes not to the
wealthy. but to the people in the lower and
middle income groups. Where, early in the
century, only one family in 10 earned as
much as $4,000 a year in terms OF today $
prices, now half of our families earn more
than $4,000.
The fruits of this are found in statistics
which are astonishing by any standard. AT
the turn Of the century there were 14,OOO,OOO
life insurance policies in force in this cOun-
trv-now there are 250,000,00 In 1900 in
dividuals had liquid savings of all types
amounting to less than 100000 100000 =
now the total exceeds $235, 200 100000
More than 100000 Americans have over
S3OOOO 100000 invested in pension and re-
tirement trust funds which didn't even exist
in 1900 Close to 10 per cent of all our fam
lilies today own stock in American corpOr
ations while s. per, cent live In homes OF
their own.
What an this means, in Mr.. Humphrey
phrase, is that "the basic interests OF the
man in Overalls are today the same as the
basic interests of the man IN the business
suit" He uses imitation as an example Of
that mutuality of interest Between 1885
and 1858 imitation "stole" S478 out of each
$1,000 of savings-almost half. 1t did tha
bv cheapening the dollar-by cutting it,
purchasing power.
That brings up an ever-existing danger
1t is commonplace to read political pro
Grams which propose tax reduction on tn
one hand and, on the other, all manner O
increased federal expenditures for socla
security, for schools and roads, for publ
housing, for public power development, an
so on and so on. How could such program
be put into effect? In only one Way-b
running the government farther into deb
through a series of huge deficits. Ihen re
newed imitation would follow as day follow
night, and the people would be robbed G
their savings again. No other results coul
be expected from a policy of taxing les
while spending more. And, along with tn
material losses, the Individual would los
opportunity and freedOm-a price alway
exacted by governments which are reckles
with the assets of the people, and insatiab
in their drive for more and more power owe
the lives of all.
It is far easier to ouild a system whiC
gives the masses Of people freedom alor
with material Well-being than it is to mail
tain it. DR.. George S. Benson has points
out that "When you look back down throul
the pages of history, you WILL find u
wrecks of 10 civilizations. You will find tn
nowhere in the world at any one spot ha'
people for many generations maintained
good government or good economy" Der
agoguery, special privilege, successful pre-
sure groups, gradual wasting away OF Il
principles of individual freedom, responS
bility and obligatiOn-these were among Il
seeds whose crop was disaster.
No nation has any natural right to fire
dom. Freedom must be worked for a
earned-and everlastingly protected.
terial gain is a by-prOduct, so to spea
which comes to those who place the gre;
est value on the free man and the free s
ciety in which he lives and works.