Seven months after martial law was proclaimed in the Philippines, Secretary Romulo lauds the advances of the country‘s "New Society." He discusses his perception of the unique form of democracy for which they are striving--one in which they must overcome government corruption, inefficiency, land reform, lawlessness, and anarchy. It was these issues that led to the need for martial law--not a democratic activity in itself, but justified in the course of nation building. This action is not unlike the circumstances that President Lincoln faced during the American civil war because "the transcendent aim was to preserve the Union." Lincoln‘s duty was "to employ with energy the extraordinary powers which the Constitution confides to him in the cases of insurrection."