Show WHERE IS OUR SENSE OF PURPOSE The principal thing that may be said of 1968 is that It was not a particularly felicitous year It was a year of tragedy strife confusion confusion confusion con con- fusion and contradiction We had continuing prosperity for most people people accompanied accompanied by growing domestic dissension In Viet Nam U US U.S. S observers spoke optimistically about the military situation At the same time the patience pa tience of the American public with the war appeared to come to an end For better or for worse this country's armed opposition to communism in Southeast Asia my be terminated terminated In the not too not future It will seem to many In looking back over the past year that much of our trouble stems from a confusion of s and labels labels- a confusion that has existed for a long time but In 1968 r reached ached a climax The confusion Is well typified In the career of Mr Johnson as Pr President He went into office with the near unanimous support of the people He carried out his pledge An unprecedented wave of social legislation became law Untold billions of federal dollars have been committed to programs pro pro- grams ns 0 of health and welfare education urban rehabilitation a broad war on poverty and environmental Improvement All of these things have been produced under the label of liberalism In fact liberalism has hu become nearly synonymous with the outpouring of governmental tax funds and broad expansion of government power powers This in itself is per h haps p most lo confusing and and contradictory phenomenon n our torl liberalism liber liber- 4 I la is the antithesis of a authoritarian i gov gov- eminent Many ManT reasons have been given for Mr Johnsons Johnson's eclipse in popularity of which the Vietnam war ranks Yet he brought into full flower the highly popular philosophy of government responsibility for solving social and economic problems Some call It the welfare welfare wel wel- fare state There is no reason to doubt that Mr Johnson was sincerely striving to give the people what they thought they wanted Measured ed by legislation he was largely successful Logically he should have looked forward to tranquility and strong support Instead he got riots Before the end of his first full term asan asan as asan an elected President of th the United States he fell so low in popular est esteem em he was was was' compelled compel led to announce that he hI would not be a candidate can canS for reelection It Is difficult difficult to believe the Vietnam waris war wari i Jq is accountable for th the sudden Rudden reversal of Mr Johnsons Johnson's political fortunes His Ills misfortune mis mis- fortune fortune If if it may be called that that could could be a symptom of national confusion in a day when love of country is considered juvenile by many patriotism corny the Presidents are chosen on the strength of their ability to keep everybody happy The decline In Mr Johnsons Johnson's Johnsons John sons son's popularity accelerated when the cost both In inflation and taxes of the governments government's governments government's govern govern- ments ment's increasing dominance began to be felt As a new President prepares to take office of fice fide we hear a great deal about the task before be fore him of bringing the country together Judgment is being withheld until people can see how he performs Perhaps It might be bewell bewell bewell well in the coming months for the people to look Inward and judge themselves Our I country will become what the people make it Unless we are ready to accept a dictatorship we should cease expecting the President of the United States to be all things to all men He is a fellow citizen filling one of the worlds world's toughest and most dangerous jobs In the long run the President can but reflect re reo fleet the philosophy and p purpose of the the people We should not ask the new President to perform per form like a monkey on a stick We should ask what is our philosophy Do Do we bel beleve eve in a government of laws Do we vie believe in local initiative Do we believe in the responsibilities ties as well as the rights righta and liberties of the individual Do we believe in the American system The fut future re of the country depends on our answers to these questions The man mon in inthe inthe inthe the White House cannot answer them for us Nineteen hundred and sixty sixty nine nine may prove to be a year of testing of people not a PresIdent President President Pres Pres- ident people who sadly need a renewed sense of purpose based on the Ideals and principles principles prin prin- of self self seU government |