Salt Lake Telegram | 1936-02-22 | Page 4 | The First President

1 iI The First President are in the American calendar no other othe I. I anniversaries as meaningful as Independence day and ay and Washing Washington's ons on's birthday The one ne marks mark the event that gave the world new political conc concepts con con- c which ever since ce have humanized government government government govern govern- ment the other recalls the illustrious p patriot triot military genius and farseeing statesman No eulogy can add to his stature To America anc and the he world he remains a heroic character a living living liv liv- in ing and stimulating inspiration to all civili civil atlon On this the two hundred and four fourth h annir anniversary anniversary anni anni- r of the United States is be beclouded beclouded be- be clo clouded ded by bya a strange conflict of ide ideas s. s Attack is launched against fundamental institutions o of government gove ent of which Washington was w s both architect and builder Revolution and rebellion is openly advocated and demagogues rogues traitors anarchists and cranks propose th the ty tyranny tyranny tyranny ty- ty ranny of one form of dictatorship or the chaos ha s of another In this time of turmoil and confusion a time when sane Americans speculate upon the capacity of democratic government to achieve survival the nations nation's gr greatest need is to recapture recapture recapture recap recap- ture the ideals of th the founding fathers to see seethe seethe seethe the vision that gave them courage and faith that fired them with a patriotism in which there was something of holiness this turmoil and confusion the nation must b reborn its concepts of liberty freedom freedom freedom free free- free free- dom and equality preserved its institutions and tr traditions strengthened Upon this his soil there can be no place for fantastic alien political economic economic economic eco eco- social and religious ideologies no place fo for class war warfare are no place for intellectual spiritual spir spir- Hual or physical slavery suppression or sion Zion When this union was in its birth throes Washington uttered precious advice to his contemporaries contemporaries contemporaries con con- temporaries counseling them S not to be satisfied with places in their own state while the common interests of America are and sinking into irretrievable ruin but to attend to the momentous momentous mo- mo L. L concerns of an empire and on another other occasion io fo o forego the liberty to reject or alter any act of congress which in a full representation of ot states has been solemnly de debated and decided decided de de- de- de on t. t In these days statesmen and citizens groups and factions states and regions the masses and all the of Gene General General Gen- Gen the classes classes all may interpret spirit e eral l Washington to fill present needs In his hist t time e the first president b believed unless these principles motivated the people there was no hope of consolidating the union Today unless unless un un- un- un l less ss' ss the faith valor loyalty and love of liberty liberty liberty lib lib- lib lib- erty moving the builders of the e nation flame in the hearts of Americans the structure of government they erected stands imperiled Upon t the e framework they fashioned with eternal eternal eternal eter eter- nal principles of justice the Americanism they bequeathed to posterity can rebuild a political and arid social system of enduring strength to stand tand a as a a. light to the world