t - International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers

Caw Teemw TECHNOLOGY
SHORT time ago a conference representing
teachers, statesiuta, religion,
A labor, idutrialist, farnrs, layers,
engineers, racial minorities and a
variety of other groups, met as the Congress
on Educathion for Democracy at
Columbia University to discuss what
they considered the supreme problem of
our time, namely, 'How shall we educate
for denocraly?"
At first i..pression it may seem that
the conference exaggerated the importance
of its theme. But reflection or
a study of the discussions will rveal that
the topic is extremely comnprehensive.
Education includes the cultivation of the
means for realizing the ideals of society.
In the Unliited States the ideals of society
are the ideals of democracy, as noble
as any yet conceived for the guidance
of temporal affairs. There is room for
questioning, however, whether the means
employed are effiiently adapted to the
realization of the democratic goal. An
intelligent criticism of democratic means
requires a re-examination of objectives.
When the ultimate objectives of democ
racy are considered, the great scope of
the topic becomes apparent. As observed
by a member of the conference, in tracing
the origin of the idea of democracy.
'"If we are bold enough and insistent
enough our search will carry us into a
considleratioe of all things human-the
ultimate desig, of the universe."
What is the real meaning of demnocracy,
of freedom, of equality ? These are
broad concepts subject to various and
often opposing Interpretations. As noted
by one of the speakers, the word democracy
does not lppear in the Declaration
of Independence; nor in the Constitution
of the Uitead States. Another observed
that it is easier to die for democracy
than to define it. If democracy is to reach
a greater perfection, indeed, if lemocracy
is to survico, there must be a more
widespread, realistic and precise understanding
of its goals.
The specific questions before the conferenee
were not less significant. Can
democratic government and the democratic
way of life deal with the particlar
issues arising out of immense machine
technology, cities crowded with te,ming
millions, private corporations exercising
powers which were formerly not possessed
even by sovereign states, the role of
organized labor, industrialized farming
and the decline of freehold agriculture,
millions of unemployed and the demoralizing
effects upon millions of others
who cannot find signifiant work, an
economy which is efficient in material
and wasteful in human resources, and the
q7ad& DEMOCRACY?
Conference of
leaders threads through maze
of "isms" to seek an answer
international rivalries which complicate
all these issues?
In emphasizing that time presses hard
for a solution of these problems, the
members of the conference were indulging
in no professorial rhetoric. No more
real or timely issues exist. Indicative
of the nature of what is at stake, there
is here cited an extract from a recent
issue of Nation's Business, charateristic
of some of the false solutions which are
currently being urged. The article in
advocating that federal relief should end,
states:
".-. almost every state constitution
decrees that persons in poorhouses,
prisons or insane hospitals
shall not vote. It should be lational
for courts to rule that there is no
naterial difference between a pauper
housed in a room rented with public
funds and one housed in an institution,
if some taxpayer just raised the
question. If that fails, state lcislatures.
not the federal government,
define who shall vote. The power to
eliminate paupers has always been
recognized! The relief vote is dangerous
only when it is allowed to
vote,. Once amputated, it is harmless
to retaliate.
LIQUIDATE THE UNFORTUNATE
The sanction here appealed to is power,
not right. The use of the word retaliate
is an adnission of the injustice of the
proposal. The barbaric recommendation
that palupers be ".liminated" would, if
successful, eliminate human rights, liberty,
equality and democracy itself. And
yet, it is advocated within tile forms of
democracy!
Contrast that recommendation with
Charles A. Beard's statement at the conference
interpreting the declarations of
the founders of the Arcricln Republic,
"Ringing through their utterances like
the tones of a clear bell is the warning
thesis: A wide diffusion of property and
a general equality of condition are the
very foulndation stones of popular governin.
[lt; a high concenltration of wealth
is incompatible with uliversai sufflrge;
a broad distribution of opport.unity and
assurance to labor is necessary to the
security of republican institutions,"
It is noteworthy that many of the
addresses made at the Congress for Eduaetti
s t .tressed the importance and
The Journal of ELECTRICAL WORKERS and Operators
immediacy of the threat which the continued
unhealthy state of our economy
holds for democracy. But when the particular
functions of the schools were
under consideration, the fear of permitting
teachers to include "controversial"
issues among their subjects was repeatedly
vxpre.sed. Since the actual condition
of our ecollomy, and the causes and the
effects thereof constitute the most controv.rsial
issue of the dlay it seems, in
the writers opinion, that the dilemma
which tile educational conference rfleeted
typifies the dilemma with which democracy
is confronted. Avoidance of such
is.ues not only delays solution. but leaves
the way open for action based upon ignorance
and the frequently deceiving
propaganda of partisans.
This difficulty ws reflected in anothr
form in the discussion entitled '"Centera
of Tension in Education for Democracy.
As summarized by Frank P. Graham,
president of the University of North
Carolina, the most conspicuous source
of tension arises over the scope and cost
of the schools. Because of the depleted
condition of public treasuries, itself a
condition resulting from a faulty funec
tioning of our economy, there is a growing
pressure to lighten the burden at
the expense of education. It seems that
President Grahanm's treatment of the matter
was significant. After pointing out
that, in spite of the great sum spent on
education, it is still less than is spent
for past and future walrs, he said, "The
suggestion that we save out of the school
budgets to pay olff the large state debts
leaves out of acCounlt the fact that we
will pay off our long ilunhin debt only
by the Ion-run educational development
of the latent capacities and creative power
oi the people."
While the struggl of democracy is
usually, and properly . associated with
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