Each on His Own White Charter; E. Zarbin

How often have we heard· that thought expressed. Not in just that way, perhaps, but something like it. James Reston recently said in the New York Times, "The American conscience is not quiet these days. It would like to be eased by some political savior .... " Holmes Alexander, in his column, wrote, "Somewhere along the road ahead we must find a turning, or find a leader to perform some mir acle of rejuvenation." (Emphasis supplied) What is necessary, in their view, Mr. Zarbin is a newspaperman in Arizona. and in the view of millions like them, is for a man on a white charger to come bounding onto the scene. They want someone in whom they can put their faith, behind whom to unite. They want him to issue instructions, to transform the unthinking, to wave a lance and thereby imbue all around him with their idea of right thinking. But there's the catch: to imbue all around him with their idea of right thinking! Little chance of their agreeing among themselves, aside from their universal desire to create a utopia and to have someone else - if they are not picked - lead the way. This doesn't stop them,though.What they want now is the messiah. They can quar rel about substance later.

There is, of course, no end to the list of men ready to take on the role of the Glorious Knight. Even a semi-Glorious Knight would do : just someone, some where (within the democratic tra dition, naturally) to rescue us 640 THE FREEMAN October from ourselves and set us on the loving path of brotherhood and righteousness. This is the wish, but it is also the defect;· for there is no one per son capable of doing what they wa.nt. There are, however, millions of persons who individually can mount their own white charg.ers. They can do this by insisting upon right thinking and right action for themselves. Thus, each can be his own man on a white charger. If each does this, there will be no need for a "political savior," no need to "find a. leader." Each person would be a savior and leader in his own right, for he would have saved himself. We may understand and admit that this condition is unlikely to occur very soon. But, unless each mounts his own white charger if men insist on finding a savior instead of doing what is right themselves - the goal of freedom in all areas of our lives will be impossible of achievement.

If our troubled world is to be set aright, it is to be done by our selves, by each of us setting him self aright. ~ CORRECTION: The review of William Rusher's Special Counsel (Arlington House, 1968) in the September 1968 .FREEMAN errone ously listed the price at $10.00. The correct price is $6.00.