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〃I've known him for a good many years。 He's clever。 He's sowing seeds
of discontent； starting trouble that will be very serious unless it is
headed off。〃
Miss McCoy made no comment。。。。
Before noon the next day she brought in the speech； neatly typewritten；
and laid it on my desk。 Looking up and catching her eye just as she was
about to withdraw； I was suddenly impelled to ask：
〃Well； what did you think of it？〃
She actually flushed； for the first time in my dealings with her
betraying a feeling which I am sure she deemed most unprofessional。
〃I liked it； Mr。 Paret；〃 she replied simply； and I knew that she had
understated。 It was quite apparent that Krebs had captivated her。 I
tried not to betray my annoyance。
〃Was there a good audience？〃 I asked；
〃Yes；〃 she said。
〃How many do you think？〃
She hesitated。
〃It isn't a very large hall； you know。 I should say it would hold about
eight hundred people。〃
〃Andit was full？〃… I persisted。
〃Oh； yes； there were numbers of people standing。〃
I thought I detected in her tone…although it was not apologetica desire
to spare my feelings。 She hesitated a moment more； and then left the
room； closing the door softly behind her。。。
Presently I took up the pages and began to read。 The language was simple
and direct； an appeal to common sense； yet the words strangely seemed
charged with an emotional power that I found myself resisting。 When at
length I laid down the sheets I wondered whether it were imagination； or
the uncomfortable result of memories of conversations I had had with him。
I was； however； confronted with the task of refuting his arguments： but
with exasperating ingenuity； he seemed to have taken the wind out of our
sails。 It is difficult to answer a man who denies the cardinal principle
of American democracy；that a good mayor or a governor may be made out
of a dog…catcher。 He called this the Cincinnatus theory： that any
American； because he was an American； was fit for any job in the gift of
state or city or government； from sheriff to Ambassador to Great Britain。
Krebs substituted for this fallacy what may be called the doctrine of
potentiality。 If we inaugurated and developed a system of democratic
education； based on scientific principles； and caught the dog…catcher；
young enough； he might become a statesman or thinker or scientist and
make his contribution to the welfare and progress of the nation： again；
he might not； but he would have had his chance； he would not be in a
position to complain。
Here was a doctrine； I immediately perceived； which it would be suicidal
to attempt to refute。 It ought； indeed； to have been my line。 With a
growing distaste I began to realize that all there was left for me was to
flatter a populace that Krebs； paradoxically； belaboured。 Never in the
history of American 〃uplift〃 had an electorate been in this manner wooed！
upbraided for expediency； a proneness to demand immediate results； an
unwillingness to think； yes； and an inability to think straight。 Such an
electorate deserved to be led around by the nose by the Jasons and
Dickinsons； the Gorses and the Griersons and the Parets。
Yes； he had mentioned me。 That gave me a queer sensation。 How is one to
handle an opponent who praises one with a delightful irony？。 We； the
Dickinsons； Griersons； Parets； Jasons； etc。； had this virtue at least；
and it was by no means the least of the virtues；that we did think。 We
had a plan； a theory of government； and we carried it out。 He was
inclined to believe that morality consisted largely； if not wholly； in
clear thinking； and not in the precepts of the Sunday…school。 That was
the trouble with the so…called 〃reform〃 campaigns； they were conducted on
lines of Sunday…school morality； the people worked themselves up into a
sort of revivalist frenzy； an emotional state which； if the truth were
told； was thoroughly immoral； unreasonable and hypocritical： like all
frenzies； as a matter of course it died down after the campaign was over。
Moreover； the American people had shown that they were unwilling to make
any sacrifices for the permanent betterment of conditions； and as soon as
their incomes began to fall off they turned again to the bosses and
capitalists like an abject flock of sheep。
He went on to explain that he wasn't referring now to that part of the
electorate known as the labour element； the men who worked with their
hands in mills； factories； etc。 They had their faults； yet they
possessed at least the virtue of solidarity； a willingness to undergo
sacrifices in order to advance the standard of conditions； they too had a
tenacity of purpose and a plan； such as it was； which the small business
men； the clerks lacked。。。。
We must wake up to the fact that we shouldn't get Utopia by turning out
Mr。 Jason and the highly efficient gentlemen who hired and financed him。
It wasn't so simple as that。 Utopia was not an achievement after all；
but an undertaking； a state of mind； the continued overcoming of
resistance by a progressive education and effort。 And all this talk of
political and financial 〃wickedness〃 was rubbish； the wickedness they
complained of did not reside merely in individuals it was a social
disorder； or rather an order that no longer suited social conditions。 If
the so…called good citizens would take the trouble to educate themselves；
to think instead of allowing their thinking to be done for them they
would see that the 〃evils〃 which had been published broadcast were merely
the symptoms of that disease which had come upon the social body through
their collective neglect and indifference。 They held up their hands in
horror at the spectacle of a commercial； licensed prostitution； they
shunned the prostitute and the criminal； but there was none of us； if
honest； who would not exclaim when he saw them； 〃there； but for the Grace
of God； go I！〃 What we still called 〃sin〃 was largely the result of lack
of opportunity； and the active principle of society as at present
organized tended more and more to restrict opportunity。 Lack of
opportunity； lack of proper nutrition；these made sinners by the
wholesale； made； too； nine…tenths of the inefficient of whom we self…
righteously complained。 We had a national philosophy that measured
prosperity in dollars and cents； included in this measurement the profits
of liquor dealers who were responsible for most of our idiots。 So long
as we set our hearts on that kind of prosperity； so long as we failed to
grasp the simple and practical fact that the greatest assets of a nation
are healthy and sane and educated； clear…thinking human beings； just so
long was prostitution logical； Riverside Franchises； traction deals； Judd
Jasons； and the respectable gentlemen who continued to fill their coffers
out of the public purse inevitable。
The speaker turned his attention to the 〃respectable gentlemen〃 with the
full coffers； amongst whom I was by implication included。 We had simply
succeeded under the rules to which society tacitly agreed。 That was our
sin。 He ventured to say that there were few men in the hall who at the
bottom of their hearts did not envy and even honour our success。 He； for
one； did not deem these 〃respectable gentlemen〃 utterly reprehensible； he
was sufficiently emancipated to be sorry for us。 He suspected that we
were not wholly happy in being winners in such a game；he even believed
that we could wish as much as any others to change the game and the
prizes。 What we represented was valuable energy misdirected and
misplaced； and in a reorganized community he would not abolish us； but
transform us： transform； at least； the individuals of our type； who were
the builders gone wrong under the influence of an outworn philosophy。 We
might be made to serve the city and the state with the same effectiveness
that we had served ourselves。
If the best among the scientists； among the university professors and
physicians were willing to labourand they werefor the advancement of
humanity； for the very love of the work and service without
disproportionate emoluments； without the accumulation of a wealth
difficult to spend； why surely these big business men had been moulded in
infancy from no different clay！ All were Americans。 Instance after
instance might be cited of business men and lawyers of ability making
sacrifices； giving up their personal affairs in order to take places of
honour in the government in which the salary was comparatively small；
proving that even these were open to inducements other than merely
mercenary ones。
It was unfortunate； he went on； but true； that the vast majority of
people of voting age in the United States to…day who thought they had
been educated were under the obligation to reeducate themselves。 He
suggested； whimsically； a vacation school for Congress and all
legislative bodies as a starter。 Until the fact of the utter inadequacy
of the old education were faced； there was little or no hope of solving
the problems that harassed us。 One thing was certainthat they couldn't
be solved by a rule…of…thumb morality。 Coincident with the appearance of
these new and mighty problems； perhaps in response