Recipe For Unity
The New York Mirror published on March 2 a "cogent, stirring argument for national unity and enlightened tolerance" by Basil O'Connor '12, president of the National Conference of Christians and Jews
Says Mr. O'Connor: "Americans are being exhorted on every side these days to work for 'national unity.' .... National unity is not achieved in any country by edicts and laws, armies or brickbats. It is not to be won here in America by pious hopes and mere solemn pledges made by after-dinner orators. It must begin and be won in the hearts of each individual citizen. Only when tolerance and hate disappear from the inside of each one of us can we form a united front against those who would divide us."
As a recipe for avoiding the "hate, division and fear" on the march in the world today, he gave Dr. Robert A. Ashworth's Code for NationalUnity: (1) American democracy, with liberty and justice for all, is the most perfect form of political community yet known. (2) If our democracy is to be preserved we must uphold it with unselfish and sacrificial devotion. (3) No hostile influence from without can disrupt any nation among whose people distrust of one another is excluded. (4) We must have a patriotism so great that one citizen cannot hate another. (5) America is a composite of many racial and religious groups, no one of which can truly claim superior loyalty. (6) Each of these groups has made its own distinctive contribution to the national life. (7) Variety is a source of strength to the nation, not of weakness. (8) Men may differ in religious convictions and yet unite in defense of American liberties. (9) The American liberties are guaranteed by the Constitution to citizens of all faiths equally. (10) Whatever threatens the liberties of any of our people threatens those of all.
