One person brings more effective change than thousands of protesters

Last night, I watched a documentary on the life of George C. Marshall, a man many consider the most important American of the 20th century. Without Marshall, the Allies might not have defeated Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. Without Marshall, Europe might not have fully recovered from the destruction and devastation of World War II, even now. Marshall, who was Army chief of staff, Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense, and key advisor to presidents Roosevelt and Truman, was responsible for success in war and in peace as his Marshall Plan laid the foresighted plans for Europe's recovery from war and its nurturing of democratic institutions and attitudes.

Even so, few Americans under the age of 60 know much about Marshall, if they know the name at all, and that's a shame. Marshall embodied the high principles and self-sacrifice of "public servants." Reared on the principles of democracy, civic involvement and personal honor in 19th century Virginia and tempered by his education at Virginia Military Institute, Marshall offered, a clear, knowledgeable, sincere voice to political debate without ever following the path of political partisanship.

Today, news accounts tell the story of clashing street demonstrations in California and Oregon, where belligerent and (sometimes) armed advocates fought each other on the streets as protests degenerated into chaotic clashes. These are just the sorts of things that Marshall opposed throughout his career. He argued for increases in defense spending to oppose threats from Germany, Italy and Japan. He argued for American generosity to salvage the collapsed governments and wretched lives of Europe. Isolationists vehemently opposed him, but his persuasive logic won the votes in Congress to pass his strategic plans.

Massive marches and demonstrations have only rarely succeeded in bringing about significant political change. Civil rights demonstrations of the 1950s and 1960s ultimately prevailed, but only after John F. Kennedy's assassination and Lyndon Johnson consummate political skills pushed through the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1968 Voting Rights Act and other landmark legislation.

Massive demonstrations during the Vietnam War did not persuade Congress to stop funding the war or force a unilateral withdrawal. President Nixon's decision to switch to an all-volunteer army in 1973 sucked the life out of anti-war and anti-draft movements.

In a democracy, the surest way of effecting change comes at the ballot box, and this is how it should be. Changing Congress and changing the occupant of the White House are the means to political change in this country. Woe to us if we allow our political future to be determined by mobs in the street.