Show how strong are we As a new year r fo begins e gi ns it is th the e part of wisdom yeam for r a nation like lik e a business to revie review W its it 3 assets and its liabilities on the credit side the united states has an uri unvalued standard of living our men and women enjoy wages and working conditions superior to those existing anywhere else the tide of goods and services that flows endlessly along the american production and distribution line staggers the imagination materially teri ally speaking business a agriculture 9 ri and labor are doing well we have a political cyst system em which comes as close to being responsive to the wishes of the people as any one can conceive of in the last presidential election the people removed from power a party which had been in control for 20 years and put another in its place in some future election the party now in power will be replaced but no heads roll no purges are re held the losers are not liquidated all are free to air their views we are no longer actually at war unsatisfactory as the korean situation is if recent reports are correct our military strength and that of western surope europe have shown remarkable improvement the chance of another world war is less than it was so much for the credit side of the ledger what of the debits the most disheartening domestic development of recent times has been the growing de oen dence of millions of people on government mainly the federal government to provide services ier vices and benefits that it if a free system is to be preserved must remain the responsibility of the individual and the family group there has been a blind seeking for a kind of cradle to the grave security whose end in the sweep of history has always been the sapping of moral fiber and spirl values and ultimate slavery the most obvious manifestations of undermining of economic and political freedoms another phase of the debit side is found in the long strides that have been made in either socializing outright american enterprise and resources or in subjecting them to so much go government dictation and cantron control that socialization comes ever nearer and socialism historically is but the forerunner oi of communism or some similar am tern ot of government by oppression and terror it is true that our present government vern ment is pledged to reverse this deadly process it Is true that some heartening steps in that direction have been made it is 1 equally true that the fore forces that would destroy our free system and replace it with a very different kind of system ire are still awaiting their chance As matter self preservation we must put the welfare of the nation first in considering important national issues issue s because our jobs our businesses our farms and our liberties depend upon the perpetuation of a strong nation of self governing people what the decision will be depends entirely upon our moral strength will we welcome poli cies cies and programs that are in accord with the philosophy of maximum freedom for all and will we accept the temporary financial dislocations that such policies and program may create it will not be easy to end the era of doall do all give all government but if the traditions and ideals to which we all pay lip service and which have made us great and strong are to be preserved it is as necessary as the air we breathe nineteen fifty four will be a year to test whether the american people will have what it takes to maintain themselves as independent individuals |