WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED

by Fred J. Cook ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 13, 1968

Prolific journalist Fred Cook churns up all our present domestic and foreign agonies and pleads for a return to an enlightened tending to our own ills. Because Americans have always shunned the way of ""all those others""--unabashed self interest--in international affairs, we incline toward delusive moral crusades and often find ourselves supporting the enemies of liberty. The seeds of Vietnam, he feels, lie within the provisos of the Truman Doctrine of 1947, affirming the ""good guys and bad guys"" concept. Each dismaying chapter outlines the progress of our dilemmas--race and urban problems (more than one-half of our population live in 1% of our land space); political inefficacy; lack of confidence in the government; higher taxes; etc. The solution lies, the author feels, in an implementation of the spirit of a speech by John Quincy Adams in which the President asked for a championing of freedom everywhere--in sympathy, but direct action only for our own land. To create a really great society here will help more people, and serve as an inspiration abroad. Although there may be those who wilt object to the rapid overview, nonetheless, this is a readable and energetic presentation of a deeply felt distress, and a hope. (Cook has his good guys too--a campaign plug for Lindsay is a rider.) Many storms and one rainbow vision.

Pub Date: June 13, 1968

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Prentice-Hall

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1968

Categories: NONFICTION