AMON UMBER COMPANY

"Never Trqde Freedom for Securilyr" Beniomin F. Foirless Tells Groduoles

Athens, Ohio-Benjamin F. Fairless, chairman of the board of U. S. Steel, takes issue sharply with the proposition that "calculated treason" cannot be distinguished from "honest freedom of thought."

"To men of integrity," Mr. Fairless said, "the difference will always be clear; for it is integrity, above all else, which determines our right to the enjoyrnent of freedom, and which governs our ability to preserve it."

In a commencement address June 13 marking the i50th anniversary of Ohio University, Mr. Fairless told graduates that religion and morality or "our abiding faith in God" still is this country's "most powerful and decisive weapon" against the forces of evil in the world today.

"That is a weapon that exists only in the arsenal of freedom." he said. "We have all observed that whenever, and wherever, dictators have tried to control a free people, their very first attack has been aimed against all forms of freedom and religion."

Mr. Fairless declared that despite the uncertain times confronting this year's graduates, those who are prepared to assume the heavy responsibilities of leadership shall not lack opportunity. "Had you been able to choose for yourself the age in which you wished to live, you could, of'course, have picked a time when life was far more peaceful and serelle than yours is ever likely to be, but you could scarcely have found a moment in history when the rewards of successful leadership were so greatly to be prized, or when the penalties of failure threatened such a complete disaster."

In 1776, when support of American independence was a capital offense, the colonists had the integrity and the courage to stand up and be counted. "They were not ashamed to avow their loyalty to America; nor were they afraid to face the consequence of their freely-held beliefs. In short, they were not the kind of men who hid their convictions beneath a bushel-or behind a Constitutional amendment." Mr. Fairless stressed that "the authors of our liberty made it crystal clear that the enjoyment of liberty is the greatest of all human rights; and like all other rights and privileges of man, it carries with it grave responsibilities and obligations. Foremost among these is the obligation to use our freedoms honestly for the good of oun fellow men, and never to claim them falsely as a shield for evil. Thus the authors of our liberty were careful to decree that freedom of speech does not mean freedom to slander; that freedom of the press does not protect us from the laws of libel; and that the right to bear arms is not a license to murder. And surely they did not believe that any freedom they had won, gave them the right to destroy the freedom of others, or to betray the people of this nation into servitude under a foreign power."

Summarizing, he offered Ohio University graduates "three small pieces of advice:"

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1) "When you must choose between two contrary courses of action, look carefully at each one in turn, and ask yoursell this question: 'Will it increase or diminish the freedoms of my fellow men?'

"If it offers to enlarge the scope of individual freedom, (Continued on Page 31)