Milford chronicle., 1957-01-04
"THE IDEAS OF COMMUNISM
ARE DEAD"

PharaOhS tomorrow. But 1t seems as certain
as anything can be that history will record
that the most significant and far-reaching
event of 1856, and perhaps of many years,
was the revolt in Hungary.
This uprising was not successful in the
ordinary sense of the word. Rifles and i'm
provised grenadeS and fists, unfortunately,
are no match for tanks and artillery. But
in another more fundamental sense, this act
on the part of an oppressed people was al
most incredibly successful.
1t showed that courage and the willing
ness to risk death and torture in the pursuit
of freedom exist in undiminished vigor in
this chaotic world.
1t showed peoples everywhere, once and
for all, the cruel true face of communism.
This is enormously important. Reports from
country after country state that member
ship in communist parties has abruptly de-
clined, and that the circulations of cOmmun-
list and ommunist-sympathizing organs are
shrinking. Well-known writer's and other
mOlders of opinion, who out of a mistaken
and stubborn idealism once supported or
tolerated communism, have openly proclaim
ed their detection from the party and from
the Kremlin The ruthless acts of the Soviet
government and the Red Army have excited
almost universal horror.
1t showed, above all, that communism
contains the seeds of its own destruction, and
that its very structure is crumbling A view
that is held by all manner of experts was
thus expressed by Kurt S. Lachmann, jour
nalist of long experience in Eastern Europe,
in u. S. News and World Report: what we
are witnessing now is the gradual decom-
position of the entire communist system
the ideas of communism are dead. What re-
mains is the numbering, armOred body of So
Wet military might"
This does not mean that there can be any
relaxation in the Western WOrld-its govern
ments and forces must be more wary and
alert than ever. To quote Mr. Lachmann
again, "DictatOrs are being cOrnered.
It is well to remember that cOrnered ami
mails often are dangerous" Desperate fan
atics are capable of the most desperately
fanatical acts. There is always the possi
bility that, seeing their own world collaps-
ing under the weight of its sins and ex-
cesses, they will attempt to bring all the rest
of the world down too.
This is speculation. But there is nothing
speculative about the fundamental lesson
that has come to us out of Hungary-a les
son that is destined to be read to us again
and again, as communism goes through its
death agonies, however long that may take.
Super-government, all-poWerful govern
ment, monolithic government, socialism,
ommunism-whatever name you want to
uSe-iS the imlacable enemy of human free
dom. 1t reduces the individual to the stature
of cipher. 1t makes a mockery of every
concept of human dignity, human rights, the
preciousness of human life.
Communism is simply the end of the line
for that kind of government. Socialism is
way station. So are all other systems of gov
ernment that attempt to do for the people
what the people can and should do for them
selves.
The thousands of Hungarian refugees
who have been airlifted to this country know
what slavery is, and how it is brought about
in the modern world. They, along with the
legions of their compatriots who fell VIC
tim to Coviet ruthlessness and savagery,
placed the ultimate value on freedom. They
risked all to gain it. They have set an ex-
ample of courage and resolution that every
American should understand and admire.
Moreover, the Hungarian blood bath
and all the other ugly fruits of communism
we see-should make every American re-
solve to keep the freedom we have, and to
forever defend and support system Of gov
ernment that is based on high concept of
the worth of the individual, and on the prin-
ciple that the government is best which
governs least.
REALLY BIG
We hear much about big business. We
should hear more, and think more, about big
government-which makes the biggest busi-
ness seem pygny.
Our federal government employs more
than 100000 people-while the largest pri-
vate employer, the Bell Systems, employs less
than TAG, 1000. The government has annual
revenues of about S8.8 billion-while the pri-
vate enterprise with the largest sales, Gen.
eral Motors, has about $12.5 billion. The
government has total assets of $165.7 bill
lion in the last year for which such figures