M.R.A.'s Message

ORGANIZATIONS M.R.A.'s Message Moral Re-Armament is a well-heeled movement for "the advancement ... of personal, social, racial, national and supernatural salvation." M.R.A. people think of themselves as the best ideological defense against Communism. It is possible that many Americans would, if they understood M.R.A., find Communism less nauseating. Currently, 192 delegates and actors from M.R.A. are stumping the capitals of South Asia and the Middle East— in U.S. Air Force transports—with a three-act musical morality play called The Vanishing Island. A summary of M.R.A. s message:

INTRODUCTION The Vanishing Island takes place in two countries. One of them is called the land of Eiluph'mei and the other is called the land of Weiheit'tiu. The meaning of the words depends on which dictionary you use If you look it up in one dictionary, Eiluph'mei (I Love Me) means the Land of Liberty. In another, it is called the Land of License. Weiheit'tiu (We Hate You) in one dictionary is said to be the State oj New Democracy. If you look it up in another, it means Land of Tyranny . . .

ACT ONE:

The island of I Love Me, a rich and decadent democracy presided over by King Capricorn, Prime Minister Benjamin Bullfrog Secretary of State Ebenezer Muddle and Lord Chancellor Marmaduke Malfeasance, is threatened with invasion by Odioso, dictator of the land of We Hate You: Odioso first raises the passionate challenge of his have-not state: Give us our share That is our prayer. Just as the rivers, oceans and air Just as the wind Is for mankind So is your wealth, my people find.

Confronting this challenge, the rich people of I Love Me reassure themselves by singing the praises of democracy, first, of elections:

One for you and one for me. That's what makes democracy. We are right. And you are wrong. That's the spirit to keep us strong. Vote on everything. Twice a year. Squash the fellow you cannot smear. Some you can smash. Some you can square. That's the way to clear the air.

Next, a big businessman named Joshua Bible steps forward, and proudly sings the benefits of private enterprise: If you ask what we're doing and why—We are keeping the country in clover.

Men may plan politicking And griping and kicking At mystical schemes far away, But we're pinned to an office Our reply to a scoff is The simple demand "Does it Pay?" No matter what others may say—For bisness is backbone and brainbox and bread So we'll stick to our bisness until we are dead.

For we're busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy with our bisness Wracked with duodenal ulcers Wives who from our homes expulse us Plagued with liquor, overfat and dizzi ness.

Stimulated by such philosophy, the people of I Love Me decide that the best way to stave off Odioso's threatened invasion is to send a kind of Point Four delegation to We Hate You to convert the people to democracy. The happy islanders sing: