Evening star., 1961-12-31

trary. Europe's distresses and
those Of Asia and Africa are no
longer Americas advantages: they
are now Americas distresses, too.
Canada no longer is the hostage
but rather the indispensable Inch
pin Of Anglo-American solidarity.
Lock of Perspective
Nor do the great wars of the
first half Of the twentieth century
afford wholly reliable experience
for the global compass Of our
foreign policy during the second
half Of the century in which we
are now so unpropitiously pro-
Jected. 1--WE fail to see the world
In perspective" Dean Acheson has
suggested. because we regard 1t
through eyes which we have in
herited from our grandparents and
great grandparents" From our
parents, too. he might have said,
and from our own yesterdays.
For the world has changed much
since Mr.. Acheson wrote these
words only a couple of years ago
witness Cuba. "The world into
which we were born is gone"
declared President Julius A. STRAIT
ton as the Massachusetts Institute
OF Technology reached its centen-
airy last spring; I'VE have little
or no idea Of the world into which
our children may grow to maturity.
1t Is this rate Of change, even more
than change itself that is the
dominant fact Of our time" Things
are changing so rapidly-just look
at the moon!-that I have been
worried lest they should change
to stultify these remarks since
they were submitted to the Amer
1can Historical Review, in Sep
tember. for publication in the
January 1862 issue.
In this rapidly changing world
does liberty, does freedom still set
the tone and give color to our
major activities, as it did in the
days OF our nations founders when
they bequeathed its blessings to
us? Take the tone of the academic
world. Have not our social studies
been tending overmuch to self
study-to what is the matter with
us rather than to perils and
strengths that test our liberty?
Too much self-study, too much
self-criticiSm is weakening to a
people as it is to an individual.
There is such thing as a national
neurosis. A great peoples culture,
Alfred North Whitehead reminded
us, begins to decay when it COM
mences to examine itself.
The NotionoI Purpose
A great and virile people.
Theodore Roosevelt's characterize
tion of the American people, can
also waste itself away when 1t
turns to massive self-indulgence.
In self-Study and self-indulgence
We have been losing sight OF our
national purpose rather than fail
ing to have one. During the let
down of the last Is years we have
been experiencing the world crisis
from soft seats of comfort, de-
bauched by mass media of sight
and sound, pandering for selfish
profit to the lowest level of our
appetites. fed full Of toys and
gew-gaws, our military prepared
ness held back by lnsidious strikes
for less work and more pay, our
manpower softened in will and
body in a climate of amusement.
Massive Self-indulgence and mas
sive responsibility do not 60 to-
gether. A great nation cannot work
less and get more, with fun for all,
in today's stern posture of power.
How can our lazy social dali
lance and grooming softness COM
pete with the stern discipline and
tyrannical compulsion of subject
peoples that strengthen the ag-
greSSive SinewS of our maligant
antagonist? Only If we can freely
sacrifice for the Blessings of Lib
erty what they are forced to sac
rifice for the compulsions of tyr
amy.
Inheritance Of Freedom
If the measurement of American
foreign policy in space and time
throughout our history offers lit
tie precedent for meeting the chal-
lenge of revolutionary changes in
today's global picture, there is one
thing sure in this crisis of our na-
tional life; the unchanging value
OF our inheritance of freedom, as
we confront the dilemma of our
times.
The dilemma Of our times, in
this latest and fateful Gestalt of
world power, is whether to stand
firmly in defense of the Blessings
of Liberty at the risk of a third
world war that may destroy civili-
zation and with it all human free
dom and dignity, or to accept
Communist revolution and slavery
that would also destroy those same
precious freedoms and leave the
world materially intact under new
masters. We still pray that there
may be middle way for freedom.
But in the face of the two ex-
tremes of this dilemma Bertrand
Russell advocates, and too many
with him on both sides of the At
lantic, even after the lessons of
Hungary, Tibet, and Cuba. accept
ing Soviet mastery rather than
standing fast for the Rights of
Englishmen and the Rights of
Man, that is, for the Blessings of
Liberty. This is a counsel of de-
featism for all we hold dear.
Our Ancient Heritage
For if we stand, to quote book
review of September last year,
committed in every fiber of our
being not merely to protect our
poti0n hIIt olSn to ctriIOOla foY. tho