The Unpopular History of the United States
son goes off to war, has got a right to know. I believe in explaining things. Folks might think that we are sending their boys across the ocean to fight some other fellow's war. That's not so. This is our war. It was our war from the very beginning, but we didn't see it, not then.
Five hundred years ago the English people bluffed and bulldozed their Magna Charta out of King John, which laid the foundation of British liberty, and the foundation of American responsibility in the present struggle. Five hundred years is a long distance to travel backwards. It's true, just the same. But a great Big Idea started then, and has been traveling forward ever since. Afterwards the English secured the Habeas Corpus Act, the Bill of Rights, and other guarantees of personal liberty. We brought those same rights with us to America, and we think a heap of 'em. They're what built our government. I've been finding some faults with our Government — but you can bet your bottom dollar I love it. Pretty soon that Big Idea
[148]
