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Show EDITORIAL PATRIOTISM VS. DEMOCRATIC LICENSE By Sidney J. Ottley In this day and age, when men are nervous and jumpy, and Truman jokes are second only to cries of sabotage and communistic communis-tic intrigue, we wonder what has become of the old Spirit of Oneness which has made America what it is. History is replete with stories of men and women who sacrificed sacri-ficed personal power, prestige and even life itself for a cause and that cause was Liberty for the Masses. "I regret that I have only one life to give for my country." "Give me liberty or give me death." "I would hold Stanton's horse if that is what is required to win the battles for OUR cause." "I decline to be made King." "Make way for Liberty." "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." "This is the place, drive on." Every student of history can name the author of the above quotes and on occasion, does so with great oratorical gusto, but when the excitement subsides, it is so very easy to follow the rabble and indulge in criticism of those whose station in life entitles them to the same respect, confidence and devoted sustenance susten-ance that was given to those who pioneered our political, social and religious standards. With the leaders of other ages, in our own land and others, there has been a vision of the future which guided them toward their destiny and "come hell or high water" that vision was religiously reli-giously pursued to the end and we are the proud, if not altogether grateful recipients, of the blessings accrued from such pursuit. When we stand and sing lustily and long of the achievements of our illustrious ancestors, let us inject an interrogational stanza, which might be entitled, "What will our descendants have to sing about?" Will it he crude jokes at the expense of our leaders; loud complaints, reckless lives, indifference and complacence, drunkenness, drunken-ness, rapine? No, I think it won't. I believe this generation will awaken to higher aspirations than those of a power-drunk world. You and I, President Truman, Senator Hogwash, parson Greene and Joe Doakes are the pioneers of this generation and none can place the blame for our failure or our success on the shoulder's of anyone but such as us. The fellow just behind the fellow in front of you is responsible respon-sible for the success of this generation. How did he vote (if he did) ; how does he sustain authority; how does he live; and above all, FOR WHOM DOES HE LIVE AND STRIVE? |