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Flight o' Time
Medford and Jackson County
History from the files ot The
Mail Tribune 10, 20, 30, 40
and 50 years too.
10 YEARS AGO
Oct. 19, 1952 (Sunday)
The Hogue River Valley Ir
rigation association's board ot
directors have gone on rec
ord in favor of state legisla
tion for the regulation and
control of cloud-seeding and
weather control experiments.
The Army corps of engin
eers has scheduled bid calls
for the first three phases of
constructing a new, stand-by
Camp White.
20 YEARS AGO
Oct. 19. 1942 (Monday)
Donald G. Darneille induct
ed inio armed services in
Portland.
from Arthur Perry s e
Smudge p"l" column: "A na-
;,i.. rfrivo for tin cans
t Hill-w n... -
is in the offing. By sending
trucks to the rural areas with
the bent scenic vir-w ... .. ..
,,r,io Inr this county
J 1 1 1 1 Hit Mi." - -
could be obtained before noon
of the opening nay.
30 YEARS AGO
Oct. 19, 1932 (Wednesday
Central P"inl man k'"0"
In hunting accident; second
hunting death in week.
Jacksonville miner dies
when Korest creek mine lun
ncl caves in.
40 YEARS AGO
Ocl. 19. 1922 (Thursday)
Tune extension given six
men accused ot Ku Klux Klan
night tiding" activities when
Circuit Judge V. M. Calkins
postpones trials until after
.'lection.
Jackson counly grand jury
rui'linll ot
H'liMiMu.
iron fence around county Jail
in Jacksonville.
&0 YEARS AGO
Ocl. 19. 1912 (Saturday)
Kay Canon, son of Med
birds Mayor Canon, serious
ly injured' in gas explosion in
Sivei inn.
Mcdlnrri contractor reports
l. will n.nstiuct "fine, large
.S.imhi home." just outside
Medlnrri city limits.
What's Your I.Q.7
Nine or ten correct ll superior!
seven or eight is excellent; five of
lis is good.
1. Who was lhe hern of
Manila lay dining the Spanish-American
War?
2 Should the word "fed
eial" lie capitalized i( it is
part of a title?
3. In area. Argentina is the
second largest country in
Smith America; is it one
third, nnehalf. or two-thirds
lhe si.c of Brazil'
4 In lhe U.S. what is the
supreme law of the land
5 Which U. S city is nick
named "Quaker City'"'
H Does a hexagon h.uc
Six. eight, or ten sides'
7. Should the seasons of the
year he capitalized'.'
2. Is Iowa located cast,
west, or holh sides of lhe Mis
sissippi river?
9 The limbs on a tree do,
or do not, remain the same
height from the ground as the
Iree grows'
In Is Portland. M alnr
further north lhan Portland.
Orr-;n''
Answers: 1. Commodiri
r - -e D-vrpv. 2. Ye. 3. One
J -'. Crr'itt'isn end laws
-- -it's pu-stunt to
' '-., 6. Six. 7.
; i. 8. We:l. 9. Do.
r r'-1
BEfl
r 6K
OC'I'UbLH is. iaai
Duncan for Congress
"Bob Duncan is a tightwad."
This assessment, by an upstate editor of our
acquaintance, is true, in part. Certainly as a man
proud of his Scots ancestry, Duncan has been
tight-fisted with the tax dollar during his three
terms in the legislature so tight-fisted, indeed,
that he has been the despair of some state em
ployees and department heads who are dependent
on legislative appropriations for their empire
building desires.
However and it is an important however
Duncan is also a man who will spend a dollar if
he can be shown that it is necessary to, or bene
ficial for, the public welfare; if it will ease
human suffering; if it will assist progress; if it
will eventually make subsequent and higher
spending unnecessary.
UNCAN, as is well known, is the Democratic
candidate for Congress from the Fourth Con
gressional district of southwestern Oregon. His
qualifications are remarkable. As a legislator, he
was twice chosen by his colleagues to serve as
Speaker, an honor never before bestowed on an
Oregon legislator, and one not bestowed lightly.
He is a skillful lawyer. But he has also worked
as a merchant mariner, and as a laborer in mines
'and forests. He is an educated and intelligent
man. He is also close to and aware of the prob
ilems of farmers, loggers, businessmen, of the
' down-and-outer as well as better-off citizens.
And he is articulate in presentation and debate.
His is a "liberal," but is not a "knee-jerk lib
eral" who reacts to challenges by instinct.
! Duncan thinks.
IJIS Republican opponent, Carl Fisher of Eu
jrene, is Duncan's equal in sincerity and per
sonality, and in ability to express his point of
view. He is a bit smoother than the rough-hewn
Duncan in appearance and presentation.
He lacks the breadth of experience that Dun
can has, although he too has served in the legis
lature. J 1 is contacts as a public servant and radio
station manager have not been such that he is
fully familiar with the problems and needs of the
broad spectrum of people in the Fourth District.
Me could be classified as a moderate conser
vative, politically, just as Duncan could be classi
fied as a moderate liberal. However, these labels
don't really mean very much.
IF we read the two men correctly, Fisher would
use the powers of government as little and as
sparingly as possible, while Duncan would judge
the uses of governmental power by what they
can accomplish in the way of general welfare, de
fense, and economic and human progress.
We believe that the respective positions of
the two men on current issues are actually some
what less important than their overall approach
to the business of government, for today's issues
can be gone tomorrow,
issues and new problems.
On this basis we support Bob Duncan (a
tightwad combined with
lul leader of men) for election to Congress from
this district. K. A.
Tax Base Proposal
For several years, Jackson county has levied
no nrnnertv taxes for county nurnosos. CA11 nroo-
erty taxes paid have been
tncts and other taxing units none for the county
as such.)
This was made possible because other sources
of income, notably from () & C timber sales re
ceipts paid the county, provided sufficient in
come lor it to operate without a tax. i
Such income was probably adequate even be-!
fore the county stopped levying a tax, but for a
I long time a levy was made at least once every
I three years. The reason? So the county would
not lose its tax base. Thus, some hundreds of:
.thousands of dollars were taxed which may not
'have been at all necessary.
M
FASUKK No. 7 on
would eliminate such a situation in the l'u-
lure.
It provides that a taxing unit can go on indef
initely without levying a tax, and still not lose
its tax base. Thus counties and other taxing
units will no longer levy unnecessary taxes solely
for the purpose of saving a tax base. Hut if
needed, a tax can still be levied, based on the last
three years when a lax was levied.
It also provides that taxing units which
through economy or other income, will not be
j penalized by losing a tax base, as was Jackson
county when it rejected a base-saving levy some
' years ago.
iTTHK same measure makes two other minor
1 changes - one that elections to establish a
new tax base shall be at a regular statew ide pri
mary or general election, rather than an election
in tile taxing unit only; the other that counties
lean incur indebtedness in excess of $5, 000 if re
quired or permitted to do so by state law.
The latter two changes are not substantive
in character, and are more of a "housekeeping"
nature, although the election provision would
tend to insure that more voters would vote on
tax base proposals than they do in elections con
fined to a taxing unit.
We believe the arguments in favor of the
proposal arc persuasive. There is little or no out
spoken opposition. We recommend a "yes" vote
for measure No. 7. F. A. j
to be replaced by new
humanitarian, a thought-
for cities, school dis-j
the Nov. (i election ballot
MEDFORD
"You See Anything
... Communications ...
Letters lo the Editor must bear lhe name and address of the writer, although under
certain circumstances the use of a pen na.ne or initial for publication is permissible
The Mail Tribune reserves lhe right to edit all letters with a view to clarification and
condensation. Letters submitted for publication must not exceed 400 words. The letters
printed in this column do not necessarily represent the views of the paper; in fact the
contrary is often the case.
Robinson Replies to Editorial
To !ho Editor: The editorial
of Oct. 17 by Eric Allen re
garding the candidates seek
ing the high and honored of
fice of Mayor of Medford
should have some further con
sideration. First I want to
make it clear that I don't be
lieve you build up one candi
date by character assassination
of the others. Our esteemed
editor is constantly harping
on this theory ever since the
so called McCarthy days until
it appears to him that his is
the only method by which he
can accomplish his own end
results.
Now this isn't my first polit
ical campaign. Eight years ago
Phil Lowry was a very hon
orable and worthy opponent.
Phil was elected by a close
majority and 1 feel I was
completely correct in my con
victions of Phil, who 1 have
known since our high school
days. He was one of the best
state senators this county has
ever had.
Now it is obvious I would
like to be the next Mayor of
Medford, hut both of my op
ponents are capable men, f
know for f have served with
one on (he Counciil for six
years and the other for two
years and have known both
of them for many years. I
would highly recommend that
no one flee Medford after the
election as though Caslro was
elected. 1 urgently request my
supporters lo support me on
my qualifications and not hy
running down my opponents.
Eric Allen furiher stated 1
resigned as Council President
referring to the press of bus
iness. This is correct as at that
lime 1 was in lhe process of
putting in the Park and Shop
lot next to Penney's and also
enlarging the lot behind my
store. 1 have an artificial limb
and some of the time my leg ! must you resort to open and
got so tired that I missed the I malicious slander in order to
council meeting when the! support your choice of can
agenda was more or less rou- didates?
tine business. This is not only j Your descriptions of Wil
true this year but last, which 1 1 in in Singlcr and James Dun
was mentioned, hut if he j levy arc, without question,
would be honest and check mv honest and fair appraisals, but
eight years of service he '
would find I have had years j
in which 1 have had almost I
perfect attendance, hut I have !
kept myself informed at all
times on mailers that have 1
come before the council and I
I am sure my fellow mem- j has had in many years,
hers will verify this. There is! Medford voters are aware
also a poinl of ethics in- of the Mail Tribune's political
volved in holding the Council j policies, as arc they aware of
Presidency that is chosen by j the rigid conservative com ic
your fellow members and is i lions of Fred Robinson. I be
the highest position in the , licve you are presuming too
Council under the Mayor, and j much on the slight edge in
running for Mayor at the same ! registered Democrats and are
time some of the other mem-j overlooking the manv who
hers are running that helped I will forget "party" when they
in selecting you as their choose the man who has done
President. the most for Medford.
Now the religious issue If you were to run a paral
hruught out leaves me abso- lei column, listing the count
lutcly cold relative to the less labors and effort of
liquor question bin if Eric Robinson, as well as the pros
Allen had tin' problem with tige and slate and national
wine hollies and the alcoholic stature this man has ob
1 have had for the past (ti tallied, it would be much big
years and would nave spent cor than your accumulation
as much tune and thousands of unfair criticisms,
of dollars as 1 have m the Let's not forget the man
Medford Gospel Mission in do- who has come the closest to
nig ever tinny possible to re- unseating Wayne Morse in the
habilitate and correct t i s ; U . S Senate Let s not under
problem, 1 am sun- lie would estimate the man who has led
feel as I have felt that in ah- the ficht to save the down
solute fairness I should ah- town businessmen from the
stain front voting and let the fatal effects of urban pro
other seven members nive a grcssion.
fair and impartial decision. I ; Your criticisms of Robin
am not the only member thai son's record on the city coun
abstains when they feel a mat- cil are unfair, lo say the least,
let- before the Council has a He has purposely abstained
direct effect on their decision, from voting on liquor issues
this w as done by ano'iier when he has known his vote
member at our Oct 4 meeting. ; must be a no. and at such
also this issue is less than 1 times left the verdicts to those
per cent of lhe matters that with less stringent religious
come before the Council for convictions Why not tell the
consideration voters the whole story"
The shotgun approach to Where was Robinson during
tax cutting referred to by Erie these council meetings'' Tell
Allen seems ridiculous unless (hem'
he feels eight years is a snot- The Medford voters will
gun acquaintance. 1 opposed not elect their next mayor '
the ordinance six e.us ago in lor his abilities as a "mixer". :
which an attempt was made an 'entertainer" or a sales-j
MAIL TRlBUMfc. MbLlrUML).
Real Plain Yet?"
to exceed the 6 per cent limi
tation. I opposed this year the
7 mill increase levied because
the attorney general said it
was legal without giving the
voters a chance to decide if
they wanted their taxes in
creased for these so called city
services or if they preferred to
continue on a planned priority
basis as the rest of us must
plan on our homes and bus
iness. He said he hesitated to men
lion personality and speaking
ability and I can understand
why as our Mayor has sent me
a number of times to fill such
engagements for him, the last
just a few weeks ago at which
convention Dr. Elmo Steven
son was one of the speakers
and after the dinner he told
me he thought I made the
delegates feel the welcome,
we all extend lo the visitors
of Medford in about the
warmest welcome he had ever
heard.
Do please let's continue
with this campaign with hon
or, dignity and respect as 1
don't propose to keep answer
ing this type of gutter tactics.
Fred E. Robinson
Candidate for Mayor
and Councilman for
Ward 1, Medford
Editor's note: The usual
400-word limit on commun
ications is waived in this case,
inasmuch as Mr. Robinson is
replying lo an editorial in
which he was said to be un
qualified for the office he
seeks.
The Best Man
To the Editor: Your editor
ial of Wednesday, Oct. 17,
was a disgraceful display of
political acrimony! Is it the
policy of the Mail Tribune to
justly report the facts, or
your bitter attack upon Fred
E. Robinson is shameful and
obviously an underhanded
"slap in the face'' for the man
who is in my opinon. and in
the opinion of many, the best
qualified candidate Medford
OrlfcliON
Alliance for Progress Disappoi
So Far; Opposed by
By PHIL NEWSOM
UPI Foreign News Analyst
Last March 13, observing
lhe first anniversary of his
S20 billion Alliance for
Progress program, President
Kennedy declared that the
goal of welfare and equality
for peoples and nations is
"within our grasp."
But for those Latin Ameri
cans who might oppose his
program for reasons of priv
ilege, the President had a
warning.
"Those," he said, "who
make peaceful revolution im
possible, will make violent
revolution inevitable."
This week in Mexico City,
United States and Latin econ
omists have been studying re
sults to date. The results were
disappointing.
The economists found (hat
not only had most Latin
American nations failed to
achieve the 2.5 per cent in
crease in per capita income
sought annually by the Alli
ance, a number either had
man. They will elect him for
his integrity and self-sacrifice.
After all, Mr. Editor,
there is much more in being
a mayor than entertaining at
the country club - making
flowery speeches, or meeting
dignitaries at the airport. For
this reason, the voters of Med
ford will elect the best of
three fine candidates. That
man is unquestionably Fred
E. Robinson.
Eugene L. Parker
2326 Sunnyview Lane
Medford
Bad Game Laws
To the Editor: I am not in
favor of what is being done in
the Game Commission! I am
specifically concerned with
the killing of doe deer and
cow elk and the S3 tag for
the unit hunt. Also with the
Game Commission's requiring
each hunter of antelope to ap
ply individually for a tag in
stead of applying for them in
groups of two lo four the way
it has been done in the past.
The present system almost
eliminates the wage earner
or anyone needing lo pool re
sources from going. I am in
favor of replacing the five
men on lhe Game Commis
sion. All of you who are dissat
isfied with the present Game
Commission or the game laws,
write a letter. Have all of
your friends and relations
write one too. Write lo Gov
ernor Hatfield or candidate
for governor Thornton, our
Attorney General. If we all
do this, they will know be
fore they are elected or re
elected, just how the people
stand on this issue.
Remember!!! Write to Gov
ernor Hatfield or Attorney
General Thornton.
Mark E. Norton
P. O. Box 85
Phoenix, Ore.
Living Proxy
To the Editor: All Granges
are supporting a "get out the
vote" campaign, and I thought
maybe you'd like to share this
quote I found with your
readers.
MY SACRED BALLOT
"The blood of free men,
shed since the founding of my
country, stains my ballot
sheet. What ever others may
do, I will not carelessly mak."
my mark. Those who died for
Ibis, my voice in my govern
ment, had a right to expect
that I would prepare with
every faculty to use it w isely,
honestly and courageously.
They did not die 1'iat blind
partisans or reckless men
might make a game of free
elections.
"1 will not be confused or
deceived by propaganda, slo
gans, or histronics, I shield my
eyes to the glitter of person
alities, purge my mind of pas
sion and prejudice and search
diligently fur the hidden
truth. I must be free of all in
fluence save Conscience and
Justice.
"I vote as if my ballot alone
decided the contest. I may lose
my preference, but I will not
throw away my sacred vole.
For within the booth I hold in
my humble hand the living
proxy of all my country's hon
ored dead "
By Ralph Bushncll Potts
Thank you for assisting us
in this most important civic
service.
Mrs. George V. Michels Jr.
Hornbrook Grange 391
Box 14
Hornbrook. Calif.
Ontario Semi-Weekly
Newspaper Sale Told
Ontario, Ore - ITi Th
semi-weekly Ontario Argus
Observer newspaper has been
purchased by two Idaho men
The paper was bought hv
William MacKnight of Jer
ome. Idaho, and Larry Robin
son of Salmon. Idaho. Iron.
Mrs. Agnes Lynch of Ontario
and J Don Lynch of Portland
stood still or actually had suf
fered an economic decline.
Many had failed to submit
detailed plans for projects
under the alliance.
A "committee of nine" set
up last February to keep tabs
on progress found a lack of
understanding of Alliance
goals among the general pub
lic and strong opposition to it
by "powerful political and
economic interests," from the
Castro-Communist left to the
extrenched wealth of the
right.
In short, the Alliance for
Progress program-designed to
lift the living standard of 200
million Latin Americans-was
in a state of "crisis."
Colombia and Venezuela
had gone the farthest toward
carrying out the self-help de
Washington Report
By William
(ci United Featur Syndicate
CHICKENS ROOSTING
Washington The chick
ens have come home to roost.
They are roosting all over
that good de
gree of bipar
tisan national
unity on for
e i g n affairs
which had
been the one
true distinc
1 1 o n of the
3 ivcnneay a a -
trtin m l n lstration
and which had helped pro
tect this country in a world
of danger.
What has befallen is the in
evitable consequence of an
unnecessarily partisan-minded
congressional campaign from
the White House over com
paratively two-bit stakes.
Angered at criticism by
President Kennedy of his own
foreign policy record, former
president Eisenhower has now
replied in kind. So the long
armistice maintained between
them on perils beyond the wa
ter's edge is now broken.
TTOWEVER they had dis-
agreed on domestic mat-
ters, they thus far had been
together in common consent
thai this country simply could
not afford harsh partisan di
visions on affairs like Berlin
and Cuba. They are together
no longer - and the whole
world knows it.
General Eisenhower, in
deed, had been a tower of
strength to President Ken
nedy in all those foreign prob
lems which beset all Ameri
cans - Democrats and Repub
licans. But on Monday in Bos
ton, for the first time in this
campaign, he attacked the
Kennedy administration not
only for its domestic policies
but for its conduct of foreign
affairs as well. He did so, he
frankly said, because a short
time before, in his home state
ot Pennsylvania. President
Kennedy had thrown barbs at
his own previous conduct of
those affairs.
This columnist has been one
of those long alarmed that a
mere campaign lo decide who
should go to Congress was
taking on the tone of an all
out contest between two men
not now running for any of
fice. President Kennedy and
General Eisenhower. Five
days before the Eisenhower
speech in Boston, after recall
ing that on the mortal foreign
issues the President and for
mer president had fully co-operated,
this correspondent had
predicted:
j "The kind of campaigning
i in which they are now engag
ed could tear apart this rcluc
i tant but incomparably impor
i tanl Kenned y-Eisenhower
i comradeship on this vital se
I curity concept."
IF THE comradeship has not
now been torn apart, it is,
I to say the least, in extreme
j danger. And for what has this
I extreme danger been risked?
For a bare hope by President
I Kennedy that he m.ght, just
I might, bring to Congress a
j few more Democrats who
would favor those domestic
I welfare programs that were
denied by the old Congress.
Put aside the fact that this
old Congress was already
I heavily Democratic - though
; it is true it did not give him
every single welfare plan he
wanted. Put aside that it me
morably supported him. with
i Republican participation, in
, the things that were really
important, the issues of na
tional survival. Grant, for
argument's sake, that "medi
cal care for the aged" and
"urban renewal" and all that
are desirable.
But how do these things
compare with Berlin, with
Cuba'' What kind of a sense of
national priorities is involved
here? Are medicare and slum
clearance more important
than keeping this nation to
gether for what may be the
gravest national peril of our
lifetime1
T T IS VERY late now But
elementary national inter- ;
est demands that President ,
Kennedy seek reconciliation.'
en the one vital point of na
Far Right
manded by the alliance and in
pressing agricultural and edu
cational reforms.
But it was especially ironic
that Venezuela also was in
deep trouble.
Under the determined lead
ership of President Romulo
Betancourt, Venezuela had
distributed more than 3.5 mil
lion acres of land to 55,000
families. New schools enabled
the country to cut drastically
its illiteracy rate.
Opposition to Bctancourt's
determined program of econ
omic and social reform fol
lowed the classic pattern.
On the far right were those
who saw a threat to privileged
positions. On the left were
those who opposed U. S. par
ticipation in Latin American
development and presented
S. White
tional security, with former
president Eisenhower.
The rupture simply must
now be allowed to endure.
For when all this charging
about in the Congressional
campaign is long over. Presi
dent Kennedy must make
fateful foreign policy 'decis
ions in the loneliness of the
White House.
The howling partisans who
have cried him on to exces
sive partisanship for such as
medicare will not help him -or
the country - much then.
He must have high Republi
can help. And circumstances
make Dwight Eisenhower the
only Republican who could
really give him help here.
In the Day's News
By FRANK JENKINS
The news was full of sad
ness Wednesday. In San Fran
cisco, for example, where the
Chronicle's Ron Fimrite slarls
off his End of the World (Scr
ies) with this lugubrious para
graph: "There was a rising scream
in Candlestick Park, a sudden
silence, a stunned pause . . .
Then the 43,000 who had
hooked their dreams to the
Giants' crazy star picked up
what marbles they had left
after two weeks of pennant
and Scries madness and head
ed home, the mocking strains
of 'Bye, Bye Baby' still ring
ing in their ears."
From Ron's slory, one gath
ers that Candlestick Park and
the Field of Armageddon were
one and the same on the black
day of Oct. IB, 1962.
H. ME!
'Twas a tragic day.
BUT THERE have been other
tragic days.
"But there is no joy in Mud
ville, mighty Casey has struck
out."
SO, SAN Francisco, TAKE
HEART.
You aren't lhe first lo see
the world come lo an end.
rpHEN -
There is Portland, where
the Oregonian's Gerry Pratt,
wiring from Chicago, leads off
his dirge in this manner:
"Portland was the brides
maid in Chicago Tuesday as
the United States Olympic
Committee nominated Detroit
the American candidate for
the 1968 Olympic Games."
LWAYS a bridesmaid, but
NEVER A BRIDE?
No. it isn't that bad.
Gerry goes on to say:
"But the bride's bouquet,
the flowers that could mean
WE ARE NEXT went square
ly lo Portland, and even as
the announcement was made
the City of Roses was laying
plans for a bid for the 1972
Olympics."
That's the spirit
It may be long but it won't
be never.
I SI if'"
- .
"You'd be surprised how meny colieqe kids are inter
ested in politics . . . and most of 'm hive earl
out here . , .1"
nting
and Left
the Alliance for Progress at
a U. S. political maneuver.
From both sides came vio-lcnce-a
bomb attack on Car
acas' Tamanaco hotel, street
riots, assassination attempts
and guerrillla raids on small
villages.
Strictly
Personal
By Sydney J. Harris
ic Field Enterprises Inc.
LARGER THAN LIFE
As a corollary to my recent
piece about people not want
ing to become human beings,
and using ev
ery device to
reject the es
sential hu
manity, thern
is a contrary
process that
we continual-
;r ' ly use with
jjt public figures.
ni a lunch
"! con recently,
two men I know were arguing
bitterly about Franklin D.
Roosevelt. One of them was
an implacable Roosevelt-hater;
the other was a passionate
Roosevelt-idolator.
Despite their diametrically
opposed positions, what these
two men had in common was
a refusal to admit that Roose
velt was a human being -both
viewed him as much
larger than life, as something
approaching a saint or as
something close to the Devil
incarnate.
Actually, of course, Roose
velt (like most of us) was a
man of mixed motives and
conflicting tendencies. He
was both idealistic and
tricky, honest and devious,
determined and irresolute,
amb i t i o u s and magnani
mous, clear-eyed and fuzzy
minded. But we will not permit
him and other figures of
his type - to be the check
ered human being he really
was. After his death, we
carve him in monolithic
marble to suit the portrait
in our minds; and we place
flowers at the foot of this,
statue, or splatter it with
rotten eggs.
We ourselves retreat
from our humanity by mak
ing ourselves smaller than
life - by subordinating our
selves to one passion, one
appetite, one narrow band
of the spectrum of human
possibilities.
But, turning lo our pub
lic figures, we distort their
humanity by making them
bigger than life - by glori
fying or debasing them all
out of proportion to their
actual merits and defects.
This, apparently, makes us
feel more emotionally com
fortable; it gives us a deity or
a devil to use as a rigid frame
of reference for our own be
liefs and prejudices; and, of
course, it obviates our need to
do any further thinking or re
valuating on the subjccl.
The chief value of history,
of course, is that it rectifies
such contemporary distor
tions, and places such figures
in their proper proportions. It
often takes a century or more
for society to arrive at a just
and reasonable estimate of im
portant public men; it is as
hard to achieve a good per
spective on the public figures
of our time as on the art of
our time.
The political aspects - even
the political truths - of the
Roosevelt regime do not inter
est me here; what interests
mc is the need we have for
a mythology, lhe psychologi
cal drive to turn mere men
into gods or devils, and to
credit them for all the rains
or blame them for all tha
droughts. When will we ac
cept the humanity of ourselv
es, and of our leaders?