War and Depression

75 years ago I delivered an oration in a contest at KU entitled: "Our Two Great Social Problems: War and Depression." The general theme was that man doesn't have control over the disasters from nature, such as earthquakes, lightning and tidal lwaves, but that man does have the capacity to prevent wars and depressions. We haven't made much progress in these areas in the last 75 years. Wars are still present and we are getting into a depression, pretty much like in 1934. We have the manpower and technology to provide tor the basic needs of all--but we are not able to do so. Millions of people idle, but anxious to work, natural r esources in abundance, technology galore. Yet millions losing their jobs, their homes, going hungry, needing medical attention.
Something is drastically wrong. It seems that our democracy is not geared to take care of these problems. A wise benevolent dictator might be able to turn things around. But then there is the matter of keeping in power a wise and benevolent dictator. If only our social sciences were as exact as mathematics and our physical sciences! Can our skills in the social sciences develop fast enough to save us before wars lead to our destruction?
LSmith6100@kc.rr.com