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Spirit of Democracy

These documents bear the spirit of democracy. Both contain the essential idea of democracy. The Constitution of the United States begins with "We, the People." The Mayflower Compact begins in a similar manner: "We do solemnly combine ourselves." The essence of democratic government is to be found in these words: We get together; we combine; we look after our common interests; "We, the People" must work together in order to provide for the common good. A democratic government is mutual cooperation and organization of neighbors one with the other for the purpose of meeting the general needs.

Read every great democratic document of history, from the Magna Carta and Bill of Rights of England to the new Constitutions of the Republics of China and Czecho-Slovakia, and you will find them alike in their emphasis upon common needs. A democracy is a society cooperating for the good of all. It is a government owned and managed by its citizens. Our American Democracy is team work on a great scale. It is a great society composed of individual citizens who are organized into a political WE. The American Democracy has been organized in order that the opinions and policies of the citizens may find free expression.

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A strong democratic government can come only from a people of character and intelligence. The character of the people of this nation was shown in the great World War. When we BUILT SHIPS AT THE RATE OF ONE A DAY we, as a people, showed

speed, resourcefulness and earnestness of purpose. The spirit of the nation was shown when millions of our young men WILLINGLY LEFT THEIR HOMES

FOR THE TRAINING CAMPS and Europe, in answer to their PRESIDENT'S CALL TO ARMS.

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They shall not pass!" When we think of the Irish, we think of a race rich in humor, in imagination, in courage. Scotland immediately brings to our mind the integrity, the steadfastness and the strength of will of the Scotch. At the mention of England, we think of tenacity of purpose as shown by Nelson at Trafalgar. When the Italians come to our mind, we think of their industry and their love for art and music. When we think of China, we think of its civilization which has existed for thousands of years; we think of Chinese trustworthiness, and their tremendous capacity for work, of their great sense of

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justice and honor. When we think of the United States, we think of opportunity, speed, individuality, vision, earnestness of purpose and resourcefulness.

The World War

When our love of freedom and justice summoned us to enter the Great War, the American people sprang to their grim tasks. The workers of the nation cheerfully answered the call to speed up production. Ships were built at the rate of one a day. Business and professional men left their desks and laboratories to place their trained minds at their Our young men, by country's service. the millions, ungrudgingly flocked to the camps and from there to the battlefields and performed deeds of valor, bringing to the nation undying glory. History gives no other example equaling the speed and energy and resourcefulness of America's response to its President's call to arms. Every great nation is first built upon the character of its people. As Viscount Bryce, the author of The American Commonwealth, said: "The History of the nation is the history of the men who compose the nation, and not of their dwelling place."

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But when we have a nation which is rich in its resources and has also a people of noble character, then we have the ideal combination which makes a nation fit to guide the destinies of the world.

Enlightened Democracy

We must not forget that America is the first great successful Democracy, and that for scores of years after its foundation the rest of the world prophesied its failure. But it did not fail.

American Democracy spread. The Great World War was fought, in fact, for the maintenance of the American idea of Democracy.

And now as we look forward into the future we see the doom of despotism, and we entrust the happiness and safety of the peoples of the world to enlightened Democracy. We have because of this great thought become the leader and inspiration of the nations, and we must keep our thought and purpose sound and pure.

It is a combination of these two essentials-unlimited resources and people of character that makes this great democracy of ours-THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

That we here highly resolve that . . . this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom-and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."-Abraham Lincoln.

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"It is vain to hope for the success of a free Government without the means of insuring the intelligence of those who are its source of power."-Rutherford B. Hayes.

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"The will of the people is the end of all legitimate government."-John Quincy Adams.

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"We admit of no government by divine right that all are upon an equality, and that the only legitimate right to govern is an express grant of power from the governed."-William Henry Harrison.

"Our Democracy means that we have no privileged class, no class that is exempt from the duties or deprived of the privileges that are implied in the words, American Citizenship.'"-Theodore Roosevelt.

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The development of our natural resources, such as water, minerals and forests, is a matter that should be looked after by the Federal Government.

The Mechanics of Government

We, The People, Are the Members of a Great Corporation, and the Men and Women Whom We Elect Are Our Business Managers

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When we read the newspapers and magazines we are often confused by some of the words that are used to describe governments. We become familiar with such words as monarchy, oligarchy and democracy, but we seldom take the trouble to find out what they really mean. How many of us can tell what a monarchy is? There are the monarchies of Great

Three Duties

THE three duties of

Government are:

1 To make the law;
2 Toadminister thelaw;
3 To interpret and en-
force the law.

There are different ways of carrying on the business of a nation just as there are many ways of organizing a business. One business may be run by a single individual. The owner is the boss. His decisions are final. Another business may be organized into a partnership with two or more individuals sharing the task of looking after its activities. A corporation form of organization may be used with stockholders, a board of directors, a president, vice president, secretary, and a treasurer. A nation also may be run by one person who con

All three working together promote the best interests of the people... It is our duty to do all in our power, as individuals, towards making these three functions of Government work properly.

siders it his own private property and uses it for his own selfish purposes. But, on the other hand, a nation may be run on the corporation plan with a few people or many as the members, and a few or many officers to run the business.

The corporation plan is the one used. by most governments today. We, the people, are the members and stockholders of the corporation. The people whom we elect to run the business of government are our own business managers.

Britain, Japan and Spain. Are they alike because each

has a monarch who is supposed to lead? Certainly not; they are very different. Are the Republics of France, Switzerland, Mexico and the United States governed exactly alike? They differ greatly both in spirit and form. Is Great Britain with its king any less democratic than France with its president? No, both countries are controlled by the

people. Both are responsive to public opinion. In each, the people have organized themselves for the purpose of government.

Snap Judgments

The above questions show how very careful one must be not to make snap judgments about the government of a country.

There is a vast difference between governments. Sometimes a name means nothing. Nations are often

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