of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 413

and noble purpose must furnish the Nation leadership while there is yet time;
men who are graduates of Jesuit Colleges like yourself, who have been educated
and concurrently impressed with the fact that they have been so educated, not
merely to achieve a financial and economic success, but rather for leadership
in a way of life. That way of life is essential for the preservation of free
institutions in a civilized world.

The Jesuit graduate has, perhaps unconsciously absorbed a philosophy of
life which translates the basic metaphysical principles into true, living values.
He has not learned simply the nature of virtue, but he has been trained to its
acquisition and practice. Years of training under Jesuit teachers have con-
vinced him that only by justice, temperance and courage can he achieve a way
of life worthwhile. Consequently, he is unalterably opposed to governmental
dictation by human whims and caprices, such as is the order of the day in
totalitarian states.

The graduate of the Jesuit College not only is Intellectually prepared to
acquire the vision to recognize opportunity, but he likewise has the courage
to use it. Such a man orders his life on the basis of objective truth, of human
liberty, always exercised within the realm of law and order.

Jesuit philosophy as absorbed by the graduate during his four years of
daily contacts is repugnant to any governmental dictatorial rule because, by
its very nature, this philosophy develops independence of action and liberty of
spirit. Men trained in this atmosphere could never accept willingly such gov-
ernment as has been imposed upon the millions in the conquered countries of
Europe. For the Jesuit teaching impresses that true discipline can never be a
force imposed from without, but is rather a power of self-conquest within a
man, based on solid religious and moral principles.

Never was there a time in the history of mankind when the principles you
young graduates have been fortunate enough to acquire during your college
days, were more necessary to entrants into the field of life. Throughout a
great part of the world, all the accepted principles of justice have been uprooted,
and man has been made subservient, completely so, to the will of a ruling few.
The right of individual liberty; the right of free speech, free press, free as-
sembly; the right to worship God according to one's individual conscience—all
these fundamental privileges, so basic a part of our free life in America, have
been and today are denied to countless millions throughout the world. Only in
the democracies that now survive, and that now are so seriously threatened, is
the dignity of man respected.

If the future for the graduate of today in America is still an open book, it
is because America is free, its people are free, and personal initiative is en-
couraged rather than forbidden. Don't think, however, that these priceless
privileges that are yours came by mere accident. Every privilege, every right,
every opportunity was won for you by toil and sacrifice, even by the sacrifice
of many lives. And these privileges and rights are worth all the toil and
sacrifice that they entailed. They are worth all the toil and sacrifice that you
and all of us may be called upon to subscribe today, in order that the free
American way of living may be preserved. Certainly, young men who have
had the educational facilities that have, been yours would be derelict in their