HEAD OFFICE:~VIONTREAL,
Vol. 38, No. 12
DECEMBER1957
Preserving
OurFreedom
I
T IS TIMEto reassertthe principles
of our freedom.
We needto stopthinking
ofit as a political
condition
achievedonce,and for ever ours.Freedomcan be kept
onlyby vigilance,
useand practice.
The longhistory
of the struggle
forour freedom,
from
the freedomof dcbatein Ottawa’sparliament
back to
the chivalrous
impulses
of King Canute,is one of fine
thoughtstranslated
intodeedsby courageand energy.
That freedomhas been defendedthroughdisappointment and reverse by people who were alert to the
dangerof losingall thathad beengained.
Democraticfreedomhas failed in some countries
because
theirpeopleslept.It is commonplace
for people
who were fightingagainstus in recentwars to excuse
themselveson two grounds:they didn’trealizewhat
was happeningto their government,and there was
nothing they could do but obey orders. Tyranny
degradesboth those who exerciseit and those who
allowit.
Perhapswe have alreadylost some of our freedom.
We may have takenit for granted,thusturningit into
a negativething;we may have been silentin the face
of someinjustice,
thusdenying
our freemen’sresponsibility;
we may havefallenin lovewithsecurity,
which
is the opposite
of freedom.
Theseare the beginnings
of the lossof freedom,
and
they corneupon a nationsecretly.
The dangerof their
cominggivespointto the maximthateternalvigilance
is the priceof liberty.We mustrestateour beliefin
everygeneration
if freedomis not to rust away or be
stealthily
stolenfromus or bombedintowreckage.
To say that it can’thappenin NorthAmericais to
talkin a fool’sparadise.
Allwe needdoislookaround
the worldto sec nationsthatfoughtfor theirfreedom
even more vehemently
than we did who have lost it by
decay,theftor violence.
Whatis freedom
?
The question:"What is freedom?"is an awkward
question
because
it compelsus to thinkaboutsomething
we acceptso casuallythat we haveno clearconception
of it. The issueswereclearfo thosewho werefighting
for themat riskof lifeandproperty.
Liberty
wasnotan
abstractthing,but somethingsubstantial,
vitaland
mind-filling.
"Freedom" is by itself an incompleteterm. The
questions
to ask are: "Whatare we freefrom?whatare
we free to do?" Are we free from persecutionand
regimentation?
Can we apply ourselvesin peace and
withsatisfaction
to workso as to gaina decentstandard
of livingaccording
to oui ability?
Arewe freeto share
equallywith othersthe responsibilities
of the human
community?
Are we free to worshipin whatevermanner
we desire?Have we libertyto think,speakand act as
we see fit, withinthe laws we ourselves
have made to
preservehumanhealth,safetyand justice?
And if we have theseliberties,are we developing
them?Do we treasure
themas thingsjustas essential
to
us as breathing?
It is not enoughto make speeches
and
write articlespraisingfreedomas somethinggood,
greatand noble.Freedomis more than a poeticword:
it is vitalto ourlifeas humanbeings.
We arefreetogether
We need to have a livelysenseof the co-operative
natureof freedom.
It is not enoughforany of us to say
"I ara";we must also be able to say "I am part of."
Men are easilydeceivedby a counterfeitsort of
liberty, and mistake somethingfor their private
inheritancewhich is only their right as working
membersof society.
Ourcivilization
is so complexthat
it can existonly if thereis a continual
compromise
betweentheliberty
of the individual
and thelibertyof
society.The beautyof our sort of freedomis thatwe
remainourselves
evenwhenwe joinwithour neighbourstoattain
something
thatisgoodforailof us.
We haveset up a certainbalancein democratic
countries.
Ourpolitical
liberty
is of thekindthat
curtails
certain
personal
freedoms
withourconsent
so
thatthewiderfreedom
available
to us as members
of
society
maybe protected.
We aretrulyfreeif we livein an independent
state
in whichwe have the rightand meansto choose,
criticize
and changeour government;
in a society
wherethe lawsare equalfor ail people,and the
restrictions
on ourpersonal
freedom
areat a minimum;
in an economic
systemwhichgivesus theopportunity
to secure
a livelihood
according
to ourability,
desire
andenergy;andin an environment
wherewe are free
to display
ourmerit
andto express
ourselves.
Government
is needed
communism,
statism
andalltheotheropposed
sortsof
government,
if we banishthemfromourmindsbecause
theyareunpleasant
to thinkabout.
Knowledge
of whattyrannystandsfor andwhatits
effects
areon thelires
andspirits
of people
should
put
somehonest
detestation
intoa freeman’s
fight
against
it.
Statism-the formof government
that makesthe
statesupremeand the persononlya tool--rarely
presents
itself
tothepeople
ofa country
asa policy
they
may choosefromamongothers.It is a growththat
attaches
itself
tothepolitical
bodyby encroachment.
A
demagogue
or a partyleaderappears
on thehustings
withpromises
to cureallills.Heappeals
to fear,
greed
orhate.Hepledges
easysecurity
along
whatever
linethe
crowdwantsat the moment.He movesfromstageto
stagewithsubtlety
, untilthepeople
findthattheyare
deniedthe rightof criticism,
freedomof action,
freedomof thought,
andthe rightof appealeither
through
thefranchise
or through
independent
courts
of
law.Legislative
andjudicial
powerarein thehandsof
thedictator.
Thatsortofstate
cannot
be built
onanarchy.
Itneeds
government,
anddemocratic
government
is thehardest
sortof government.
It is hotmerely
majority
rule.In
addition,
itmustrecognize
therightofeverygroupto
Thechoicethenis between
conformity
andmartyrbeheard,
to present
itscase,andto receive
thoughtful
As the Germanlaw
attention.
Thedutyto listen
isanimportant
ingredient dom:no roomis leftforfreedom.
of July14,1933,toldthestoryin fifteen
words:
"The
inoutsystem
of freedom.
onlypolitical
partyin Germany
is to be theNational
Buthavingsetup a democrafic
government
doeshOt
Socialist
GermanWorkers’
Party."
meanthatwecanshuffle
offfurther
responsibility.
The
government
is nothingmorethana groupof persons
Leninset forththe communist
view:"Whyshould
~elected
to managethecountry’s
affairs.
Likesharefreedom
of speech
andfreedom
of thepressbe allowed?
holders
in anybusiness,
we needto exercise
control Why shoulda governmentwhich is doingwhat it
overthoseto whomwe delegate
management
jobs.
believes
to beright
allow
itself
tobecriticized?"
i
Whatwe havein democracytodayis government
of thepeopleby themselves,
thronghwhichtheytry
tosettle
everything
forthegreatest
goodof thegreatestnumberby thecommonsenseof themajority
after
theconsultation
ofail.
Governmentby the majoritymay be unpleasant,
oppressive
andfrustrating,
butittannever
be unendurableso longas everYmember
of a minority
hasthefree
opportunity
to convertthe majorityby changing
their
views.
Responsible
government
in a democracy
livesalways
intheshadow
of coming
defeat,
andthismakesit eager
tosatisïy
thoseitserves
andinwhose
hands
itsdestiny
lies.Here,onceagain,
we findthedemand
foractive
useof personal
freedom:
thosewhorefuseto takepart
in thegovernment,
directly
or through
thefranchise,
may be pnnishedby livingundera governmentof
worsementhanthemselves.
Wha~tyranny
offers
Therearepeoplewhodeclare
thatif manything,s
wouldbe worsein
Canada
underan intelligent
dictator,
somethingswouldbe managed
better.As wassaidof
the peoplewho were refusedlibertyby a Greek
tyrant:
thoughtheirchainsweighed
heavier,
yetthey
werenowsmoother
andbetterpolished
thanformerly.
Dictators
haveroundit expedient
in mostcountries
theycommandtodayto keepor to setup sornedemocraticforms,buttheresultis nothing
betterthana
caricature
of democracy.
Lipallegiance
is givent0
principles,
butthereis no heartor honesty
in theii:
horriblywrongand crueland mind-destroying
form
of government.
Whathas all this to do withCanadians?
Nót to
frighten
themwithghostsbutto warnthemthateven
here,at theothersideof theworldand withsevcn
hundred
andfiftyyearsof MagnaCartaas a bulwark,
theymustbe on guard.
Itis notan easybusiness
to protect
thefreedom
of
in a society
thatdemands
forpreservation
Letus setoveragainst
thisnotion
offreegovernment theindividual
justwha~-it
isthata tyrannical
government
offers.
We
of itsveryliïetheexistence
within
itsgovernment
of
of power,
organization,
andauthority.
acquire
onlydiraideasabouttotalitarianism,
fascism, largemeasures
Peoplein publicoffice
tancometo thinkthatthey
servetheinterests
of thepeopletheyrepresent
if,
behindthe traditional
formsand pageantrythey
quietly
manage
thesubstance
of thecountry’s
business.
Governments
have a way of demandingfrorntheir
legislative
bodies
ailthepowersthattheythinkthey
cangetconceded
to them.
Theonlysafeguard
of thesubstance
offreedom
is an
informed,
educated,
soundandvigilant
public
opinion.
Freedom
willnotbekeptifweelect
officials
torepresent
us andthenbecome
politically
dormant.
Direct
concern
of voterswiththegoodof the country
expressed
in
positive
wordsandactions
willconfine
government
to
itsonlyjustifiable
role:
thatofprotector
oftherights
andfreedom
of theindividual.
Themoreofourpersonal
burdenwe encourage
our government
to assume,the
closer
webringthedaywhentherulers
willbe stronger
thantheruled,
andself-government
willdisappear.
Charters
of freedom
itselfas SaxonsandNormansintermingled
afterthe
conquest.
Theclimaxcamein thereignof John,whose
reckless
taxation
brought
aboutan uprising
ledby the
barons
withtheArchbishop
ofCanterbury
at theirhead.
TheGreatCharter
whichJohnwasforcedto signat
Runnymede
contained
few provisions
thatwerenew,
butit brought
together
themostimportant
rights
that
hadbeenenjoyed
by English
freemen,andit guaranteed
them.Itis notitsdetails
thatgivetheGreatCharter
lasting
importance,
but itsunderlying
principle
is
important
for ail rime:thatgovernment
shouldbe
conducted
according
to thelaw.
Thelistofcivil
liberties
wasextended
bythePetition
of Rights,
forced
uponCharles
I byparliament
in1628.
A third
great
instrument
inthehistory
ofcivil
liberties
grewout of the revolution
sixtyyearstaterwhich
resuhed
in thedeposition
of KingJamesandthecalling
to thethroneof WilliamandMary.It was embodied
in theBillof Rightsof 1689,by which,ahhough
the
monarchremainedformallyhead of the state,the
controlling
authority
wasvested
in parliament.
Thisfreedom
of oursbeganhumbly,
grewslowlyand
wasfostered
withpatience,
endurance
andcourage.
It
Freedom
crosses
theAtlan~ic
issurely
wortheffort
onoutparttounderstand
it,to.
preserve
it andto improve
it.
Loveof freedomand recognition
of individual
humanvalueweretwo of the outstanding
qualifies
One lessonwe learnfromexpressions
of freedom
whichtheEnglishman
tookwithhimto thenewworld.
through
thecenturies
isthis:
itisn’tgoodenough
tobe
against
something
because
we don’tlikeit:we needto
Englandwasthe onlygreatcolonizing
powerthat
uphold
positive
valuesbecause
we believe
in them.
hadrepresentative
government
at home.It wastaken
for grantedthatwhenEnglishpeoplesettledin a
Thisis evident
in thelawof KingCanute,
which,
colonytheywouldestablish
representative
government.
though
notacharter,
wasoneofthefirstexpressions
of
examplewasin Virginia,
wherein July
freedomunderimpartial
law.In 1027he commanded Theearliest
1619theremetat Jamestown
thefirstassembly
in any
hiscounsellors
"thathenceforth
theyneither
commit
colony.
In1620,Bermuda
setupitslegislature,
themselves,
norsurfer
toprevail,
anysortOfinjustice English
oneof thedramatic
eitherfromfearof me or fromfavourto anypowerful andin thatsameyearthereoccurred
episodes
in thehistory
offreegovernment.
A handful
of
person."
He ordered
hismagistrates
to administer
the
Puritanrefugees,
seeking
a placeon unknown
shores
lawequally
to allpersons
whether
highor low,rich
wheretheycouldliveaccording
totheirbeliefs,
free
or poor.
and
unmolested,
drew
up
an
agreement
rightly
A hundred
yearslatertherecamethefirsteffort
to
as oneof themostremarkable
documents
of
limitthepowerofkingsby legalstatute
openly
arrived regarded
modern
history.
Those
people
on
the
Ma~flower
started
at andopenly
proclaimed,
andwe areindebted
foritto
theirCompact:
"Inthenaineof God,"andcontinued:
a woman.She was the EnglishPrincessEdytha,
"We...
solemnly
and mutually..,covenantand
daughter
of KingMalcolmof Scotland,
whosenaine
combine
ourselves
together
intoa civilbodypolitic."
was changedto Matildain honourof the King’s
mother,and who came to be calledby her people
Echoesof MagnaCartamay be heardin the early
"GoodQueenMold".Beforeshe consented
to marry
constitutions
of Virginiaand Massachusetts
and
HenryI, shecompelled
himto signacharter
guarantee- intheUnited
States
BillofRights.
ingtherights
ofindividuals
anda return
toconstitution- Morerecently,
the saineechois pickedup in the
alrule.
Thiswasdistributed,
withcopies
ofthelawsof
NorthAtlantic
Treaty,
signedby nations
"determined
Alfredthe Greatand Edwardthe Confessor,
to a
to safeguardthe freedom,commun heritageand
hundred
places
of safekeeping.
civilization
of theirpeoples,
founded
on theprinciples
of democracy,
individual
liberty
andtheruleof law."
Thesethree,the chartersof Alfred,Edwardand
Henry,werethe sourcematerial
of MagnaCarta,the
Freedomin Canada
GreatCharter
of Liberties,
underwhich,
in thewords
We enjoymanyfreedomsin Canada,some won in
of Lord Macaulay,"commencesthe historyof the
withinmemoryof
English
nation."
A newnational
feeling
hadasserted oldenrimesandothersestablished
ThereareCassandras
in everydemocratic
state,
prophets
of calamity,
whotellus thatthecrisisis
uponus andthereisnothing
to do butcrawlunderthe
bed andawaitthe outcome.
But humanexistence
and
thecontinuance
of freedom
dependupon,first,seeking
~.
peace,
andthen,
ifthatfails,
self-defense.
As Pericles
toldtheAthenians
at a timewhenmoralewas low:
Norhavewe libertyonlyas a nation,butin the
"Remember
thatprosperity
tanonlybe forthefree;
largerareaof worldaffairs.
TheCommonwealth
does
thatfreedom
is thesurepossession
of thosealonewho
notstandforstandardization
or denationalization,
but
havethecourage
to defend
it."
forthefuller,
richer
andmorevarious
lifeof allthe
No safeguardis automatic.
To maintainfreedom
nations
comprised
init.
requires
a hardness
and staminathatpresuppose
a
A committee
at the ImperialConference
of 1926
strongdesireand determination.
OliverWendell
describedCommonwealthnationsas "autonomous
Holmeswroteof "freedom
leaning
on herspear."
It is
communities,
equalin status..,
unitedby a common
wellto let the underworld
knowthatfreedomhas
allegiance
to theCrown."
It wenton to saythatfree
a spear.
institutions
arethe Commonwealth’s
life-blood
and
We maybe tempted,
in theenjoyment
of lifeas we
freeco-operation
itsinstrument,
withpeace,
security liveit underdemocracy,
to sayto ourselves:
"Wetan
andprogress
amongitsobjects.
TheStatute
of Westwin,ifnotintheshortrun,thenin thelongrun."But
minister,
riveyears
later,
setallthisforth
ina legisla- whentheopposing
forces
areso strong
as theyarenow,
tireway.
andtanbe so suddenly
launched,
therewillbe no long
runforthosewhoareunprepared.
personsstillliving.We havefreedomof speech,
freedom
of assembly,
freedom
of religion,
freedom
of
the press,freedomof association
in tradeunions,
professional
societies,
andsoforth,
allsubject
to the
lawof theland,andwe haveailthepersonal
freedoms
baseduponMagnaCarta.
Freedomhereand now
Stronger
thanwe think
We areeompelled
in thepresent
stateof theworld
Our positionas democracies
is stronger
thanwe
to lookuponour freedoms
in a hard-headed
way.We
think,
not
because
of
our
high
standard
of
living
orour
muststopgazing
backward
witha sortof home-sickness
scientific
progress,
but
because
freedom
is
so
deeply
atthedirapast.It isfutile
toindulge
in speculation
rooted
in ourspirits
andourminds.
If webearwitness
abouta back-to-nature
movement,
a return
to a stateof
unceasingly
to
our
delight
in
living
as we do,to our
innocence
suchas existed
before
theappleincident
in
enjoyment
of
religious
liberty,
political
liberty
and
theGardenof Eden.Butneither
arewe selling
choice
the
civil
liberties--personal
freedom,
freedom
of
lotsin thesuburbs
of Utopia,
to be occupied
in some
communication,
and
freedom
of
assembly--then
we
future
time.
shallnotbe eaught
unawares
by thedeceitful
penetraFor thosewho dearlydesirea Utopia,Voltaire
tionoftyranny.
summed
up theneeded
action
in thefinalinjunction
of
Freedom
is an ever-broadening
thing.It is notyet
Candide:
"Let’scultivate
ourgarden."
We don’tneed
perfect,
butby givingthoughttoitwe can workat
to waituntilmillions
of people
havedeliberated
upon
making
itcornecloser
to ourideals.
Andwe tandream,
ourideaof freedomand legislated
it.We haveour
whichis oneof theprivileges
of freedom,
aboutwhat
freedom
hereandnow,to useeffectively
andwisely,
willbe.
andtocherish
andprotect.
Mostof us knowJamesHilton’s
bookLostHorizon,
Letus notmincewords:
thedescent
is easyfromany
orthemoving
picture
ruadefromit.Thereareromantics
heightto whichmenhaveattained.
Oncestartedon
amongus,peoplewho wishthatConway,the heroof
theroadthatleadsto anauthoritarian
formof govern- thestory,
hadstayed
in Shangri-La
as successor
to the
mentthecourseof eventscanbe readin history.
The
HighLama.Thentherewouldbe a shadowykingdom
living
sparkofdemocracy,
thefreedom
of theindividual of freedom
in theValleyof theBlueMoon,a placeof
humansoul,is stamped
out.As Sir WilliamWallace
peaceand culture.
It mightbe unattainable,
butit
saidso welh"No countryis wretcheduntil,by a
wouldbe there,
beyondthemountains,
to reachtoward
dastardly
acquiescence,
itconsents
toitsownslavery." andto be sureabout.
The sort of freedomthat we in the democratic
Onewayto guardourfreedom
andto extendfreedom
countries
hopefor,spread
ailovertheworld,
embracing
is by education
for freedom.The dictators
teach
every
person,
may
seem
far
away,
but
it
is
theonly
tyranny.They imposebeliefs and they demand
possible
beacon
upon
the
uncharted
seas
of
the
future.
obedience
to a creedwhichrousesthebasernatureof
That
freedom,
in
which
our
national
and
personal
men. They make robotsof their people whereas
freedomsare boundup, is a preciousthing,worth
democracy
offersopen-eyed
responsibility.
It is the
striving
toward.
difference
bet~veen
theslavemindandthefreemind.
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