206 State Papers and Addresses

The thought that is uppermost in my mind today, however, in coming to
extend greetings to graduates of this splendid college is one that I am glad to
have an opportunity to present to a group who soon will be occupied in directing
the educational development of a portion of Maryland's future citizens. To
my way of thinking, in these times of so-called liberal thinking it is more
important that our teachers have the correct concept of our national and
governmental problems than it is for almost any other group of our citizenry.

When you begin to study the revolutionary changes in thought and in
policy that have come to pass in at least certain of the great nations of the
world, the method by which this change was effected is clear to anyone who
seeks the answer. The change was wrought by the relatively slow, but abso-
lutely sure, method of juvenile education. The new totalitarian ideas, so utterly
unlike those held by the older generation, were inculcated into the young people,
boys and girls, during their formative years in the class room, and by the
various other methods of propaganda that are available in profusion today.
So much is this the case that the generation which grew up during the past
ten to fifteen years had no idea of anything but the dogmas that were being
taught them. As a result, they came to accept them whole-heartedly, and
their unquestioned allegiance to the totalitarian precepts of today is but a
natural consequence.

So it is that I would say to the teachers today, as you prepare to go forth
and take your places in the schools of our State, that you have a particular
responsibility towards the State and the Nation in the matter of keeping alive
and strengthening the ideals of democracy upon which this Country was
founded. ~~

So close will be your relationship with the children in the classrooms,
through your daily contacts, that quite often you will exercise decidely more
influence upon the development of their minds, and the assimilation of their
ideas, than will their parents. or leaders in any other sphere of activity. The
children will accept without question, statements from teachers and if by mis-
chance there should happen to be any mistaken or ill-conceived notions regard-
ing government from which there emanates the desire to effect a change in our
system of government, it would be a relatively easy matter to persuade many
of the younger generation to adopt such theories.

Yesterday in the nearby city of Cumberland, there was a most impressive
demonstration of loyalty and affection for the flag of our Country. It was my
good fortune to be there, and to say a word about the importance in the world
of today of the American Flag as the symbol, (possibly the last remaining
symbol, ) of democracy and personal liberty throughout the world. It surely is
not amiss to emphasize again today the unique position held by this Country
as the leading proponent of the dogma of individual liberty in the world.
Democracy is on trial today, it is facing a fight for its very life not only in
Europe but possibly much more than we realize here in our own Country as
well. Congressional hearings in Washington, and news dispatches from other
points of the Country as well, leave no doubt in the minds of thinking persons
but that the propaganda of the totalitarian system of government is wide-
spread and well organized throughout these United States.

Not only do our people meet with it in the offices and the shops, and in
every phase of daily activity, but the charge consistently has been made that
communism and similar subversive doctrines have been spread in many of the