Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-03-21
THE BROADER PATRIOTISM.
Toronto Daily Starr

A broader conception of patriotism
is required In many of the current
discussions on patriotism il is assumed
that this virtue has nothing to do vita
ordinary conduct or ordinary legisla-
ton; that it is concerned with the
army and navy, and nothing else. it
is assumed that Lloyd George does
not care much about patriotism, be-
cause his mind and heart are fixed up
on insurance against sickness ana
unemployment, old age pensions, get
ting people back to the land, and
other means of social betterment.
All this assumption is surely wrong.
The most warlike man must admit that
the strength of a country does not
consist wholly in armies and navies.
1t consists largely of natural resourc-
es, agricultural, industrial and COM
merical development 1t consists
mainly of the strength of the individ-
ual, physical, intellectual and moral
Luther Burbank, who is studying
how to produce new and useful forms
of plant life, is a patriot of the high
est type. Mr.. Creelman and Mr.
James, who are trying to improve ag-
riculture in Ontario, are patriots of
the same kind Mr.. Gage and others
who are fighting tuberculosis are max
ing Canada better country to live ill.,
and are, therefore patriotic. So are
the temperance reformer and the men
and women who are trying to stamp
out white slavery.
The Canadians of hundred years
ago were patriotic in resisting inyas-
ion, but they were equally patriotic
when they cleared the forests and
made the earth fruitful
Probably the greatest patriotic work
that is being done today is in the di-
rection of social reform. We need
such regulation of child labor as will
prevent the stunning of the minds and
bodies of children. We need play
grounds for the children We need
better houses. We need greater war;
ETY. and abundance of food for those
whose means are SMALL We need to
check sweating and the growth OF
slums. All this will mean strength,
not only in peace but in war. At the
same time it tends to prevent war by
fixing the attention of legislators and
publicists on the common interests of
humanity, not on the things which
cause quarrels.
We are about to celebrate the CEN
fury of peace between Canada and
the United States. What is the real
cause of peace? Simply the fact that
both peoples have been too busy to
hight. They have been developing the
land, constructing railways, building
school houses, providing cities with
the conveniences of civilization. In
ninety-nine cases out of a hundred
what the American is doing does not
conflict, and cannot possibly conflict,
with what the Canadian is doing. M.
Burbank can never have cause to
quarrel with Mr.. James, nor M.
Gage with some American who is
fighting against tuberculosis.
There is danger of war between
Mexico and the United States. Why?
Not because Mexico is doing the best
she can for herself, but for the very
opposite reason because there is in
Mexico no assurance of freedom and
order, but tyranny and danger of an
archy. There would be relief and JOY
in the United States if the Mexican at
airs were settled and the Mexican peo-
pie were making steady progress IN
/ civilization. The type of patriotism that
Is required in Mexico is the patriotism
that will insure freedom and order.
The same is true of every country IN
the world. The growth and strength
OF the nation depends upon the growth
and strength of the individual.