CBA Record January 2018

WC: “What was gunpowder? Trivial. What was electricity? Meaningless. This atomic bomb is the Second Coming in wrath.” Agitated, he raised his voice slightly, “[Human]kind has never been in this position before. Without having improved appreciably in virtue or enjoying wiser guidance, it has got into its hands for the first time the tools by which it can unfailingly accomplish its own extermination.” He took a deep breath, and continued, “Evils can be created much quicker than they can be cured.” “The dark ages may return—the Stone Age may return on the gleaming wings of sci- ence; and what might now shower immeasurable material blessings upon [human]kind may even bring about its total destruction. Beware, I say; time may be short.” MBH: What can be done? What should be done? WC: I agree, “the question which we must ask ourselves is not whether we like or do not like what is going on, but what we are going to do about it.” A puff of cigar smoke engulfed my nostrils. “ One ought never to turn one’s back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half.” “With opportunities comes responsibility. Strength is granted to us all when we are needed to serve great causes.” “If the human race wishes to have a prolonged and indefinite period of material pros- perity, they have only got to behave in a peaceful and helpful way towards one another, and science will do for them all that they wish and more than they can dream. It is likely that [human]kind has a lot more to learn before it comes to its journey’s end.” MBH: What else must we do? WC: “The future towards which [you] are marching…must be based upon a reign of law which upholds the principles of justice and fair play, and protects the weak against the strong if the weak have justice on their side. There must be an end to predatory exploita- tion and nationalistic ambitions.” Churchill stopped speaking. He must have seen his movie-version self giving his famous “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields” speech because he muttered to himself, “We are all worms. But I do believe that I am a glow-worm.” MBH: Your talk about “a reign of law.” This provides a nice segue to another topic. Would you impart some advice for me to share with my fellow lawyers? WC: Like lawyers, “I have always earned my living by my pen and by my tongue.” First, “The short road to ruin is to emulate the methods of your adversary.” Second, “The worst quarrels only arise when both sides are equally in the right and in the wrong.”Third, “ Never hold discussions with the monkey when the organ grinder is in the room. ” Fourth, “The independence of the judiciary from the executive is the prime defense against tyranny.” And fifth, “Apt analogies are among the most formidable weapons of the rhetorician.” MBH: I see the credits are about to scroll. A final thought, if you would be so kind? WC: “What is the use of living, if it be not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone? How else can we put ourselves in harmonious relations with the great verities and consolations of the infinite and the eternal?” All at once, the haze formed the letter “V,” and then faded away.

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