The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1960-07-28
THE AMERICAN WAY

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EDITORS NOTE: John T. Flynn
is a noted author, lecturer and
radio commentator
This is the season of promises
POLITICAL promises. From now
until the election in November,
politicians of all parties will regale
you with the innumerable wonder
full things they will do for you
All you must do in return is to
vote for them. At least, that's
what they tell you. But it might
be a good idea to remember that
before a politician can give you
anything, he first has to take some
thing away from you.
1t is funny-perhaps a better
word is sad-that free and indie
pendent Americans seem to be fall
ing for the 'let-the-government-
do-it" idea at the very time when
other nations are starting to ques-
ton the wisdom of this intriguing
but dangerous notion. Some years
ago, New Zealand went about for
what is known as the Welfare
State-so-called government Sc
curity from the cradle to the
grave. Now the welfare chickens
are coming home to rooSt in the
form of terrible taxes and bureau
cratic controls. And many New
Zealanders are asking what is go
ing to happen to their country.
The government bureaucrats grab
so much of the peoples substance
in order to make their endless
handouts that enterpriserS are CIV
ing up in disgust. They don't want
to start new businesses or expand
old ones-it'S hardly worth the
bother.
Over on the other side of the
world, the Scandinavian countries
are running into trouble with their
Welfare State schemes. One of
these countries has the highest
suicide rate in the World-in a
Welfare-State paradise, mind
youl An expert speculated that
this was due to sheer boredom
| The government takes care of
everything, so there is no chal-
lenge and no excitement. Another
expert thought the high suicide
rate came from an inability to
face up to the smallest problems.
If you leave all decisions to gov
eminent, eventually the point is
reached where making a decision
for yourself seems an impossible
task. This is another way of say
ing that under the Welfare State,
or ''letting-the-go vernment-do-it,"
the character Of the individual be-
comes soft through disuse.
But the most important point
for Americans is that welfarism
and freedom won't mix. No free
society can go in for the Welfare
State and remain free. Inevitably,
the time arrives when a choice
must be made There are only
two: Abandon welfare-statism-
which means stop government
handouts of all kinds-and return
to freedom; or continue to the
logical end of the Welfare State,
which is complete socialism.
If you can keep from being
blinded by the politicians prom
Uses, the reason for the choice
should be obvious. In a free So
| ciety such as ours, government
has nothing to give Before it can
give anything, it must first take
away. There is no one to take
from except the people and indus
tries and commerce of the free
system. For a while, such is the
genius of the free society, it is
able to support itself and the in
cipient welfare-state bureaucracy
But the bureaucracy grows and
grows. So do the handouts. Event
ually, the burden becomes too
great for the free system, which
produces everything, to bear We
must always remember that is is
impossible to give" anything
which is not first produced-in-
Guiding money income Bureau
Gratis produce nothing-they sim
ply give away what other pro-
dIIca SO inevitably we roach the