Fraternity-Testvériség, 1980 (58. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)

1980-01-01 / 1. szám

LÁSZLÓ L: ESZENYI:

GOLDEN RULES FOR OUR TROUBLED TIMES

In these troubled times people are quick to blame the leadership for every problem of the nation conveniently forgetting how their selfish attitude created and nurtures most of them in the first place. Less and less Americans are asking what they can do for the country and the number of those looking for handouts frighteningly growing. There are thousands of third generation welfare families imposing not only undue burdens on the hard working segment of the society but also contributing to the moral decay of the nation.

In this election year the same political rivals who very recently accused the incumbent administration with coward inactivity are now clamoring about overreaction and war mongering to please those young voters whose cowardness is clearly demonstrated by their vehement objection to registration, a mere preparation to serve the country which secured the highest living standard for them. They do not seem to realize that even the strongest nation is doomed to perish whose youth is not willing to offer sacrifice in sweat, tears and blood.

It is timely to reprint the famous “Ten Points” kept in the Library of Congress and erroneously attributed to Abraham Lincoln because they eloquently express the spirit and principles of our great leader.

“1. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.”

“2. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.”

“3. You cannot help small men up by tearing big inen down.”

“4. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.”

“5. You cannot lift the wage-earner up by pulling

the wage-payer down.”

“6. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.”

“7. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.”

8

“8. You cannot establish sound social security on borrowed money.”

“9. You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man’s initiative and independence.

“10. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.”

In all probability, our nation will face challenges in the eighties unmatched in graveness since the Revolutionary War.

We have to balance our enormous budget as the first step to check the choking inflation. ”We cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than our income.” Certain people have to learn that the society does not owe them free living without helping themselves.

Drawing benefits without producing or rendering useful services is one of the main causes of inflation, considered number one problem of the country. Politically motivated administration and congress will never successfully cope with this undoubtedly delicate question.

We shall rebuild our military machinery as fast as possible to stop pigmies of the world community to push around our great nation just because they have oil and other raw material which we could but do not produce ourselves thanks to our greedy industrial leaders.

And above all, we must restore the old American fighting spirit which pulled the United States of America through every dangerous period since the Revolution. Not even the most miraculous wonder weapons can secure our future only courageous and dedicated people are able to do so. The French history may teach us a noteworthy lesson. Preparing for the second World War French leaders built a mighty system of fortresses — the Maginot Line— which lulled their people into the feeling of false security. They expected the Great Wall to do the job and neglected to put more emphasis on the fighting spirit of the army. The Wall badly failed. God may save our nation from a similar mistake: the missile psychosis which might convince some young men that it is their only duty to financially contribute to the military effort but the fighting itself should be carried out by hired hands, a proxy army.

In the moral rearmament fraternal organizations must take a lion’s share. Our Federation’s membership will certainly set a fine example true to our Hungarian heritage.