The daily Nome industrial worker., 1915-12-07

To every man the country which he claims as his own is doubtless as Goldsmith said the first and the best, although doubtless in this much travelled age the Creeks say ing that every land where a man finds success is his native lana, must be added as a qualifying clause in the question of patriotism. But it is wise that we should con. sider what is commonly understood as patriotism from the point of vie V of other countries than those which are identified in ones mind as one's native land, and consider whether patriotism has the claim to be con- sidered the virtue that all concede it. Thus the very numerous re- ported or authenticated bombis. outrages that now excite the na- ton, seem to Americans very un- justifiabio and very outrageous, Am, ericans claim that if these outrage5 are insp rec: by a devotion to any foreign country those who perform them cannot in any way justify them
 And yet suppose that the United States were fighting a great nation or series of Great Nations, and sup pose that Germany was at peace and turning an honest penny pro- viding munitions of war for those nations which were battling agains: the Star Spangled Banner-and suppose yet further, Americans do- miciled in Germany but who never lost their devotion to Old Glory conspired to upset these munitior- |supply plans which were slayins their fellows, and proceeded to dy- namite the Krupp Works and other intuition plants, what would the United States really think of their fellow citizens or fellow countrymen in Germany?
 " V 'ChIuAC to Ooy thul luCy would be applauded as high mind ed heroes who riskcd everything for their nation, and who would later be rewarded by a line in the page of history for their altruistic yet effective devotion to their native land
 It makes quite difference whose OK is gored, and to look at this question of patriotism calmly, we have to recognize the relativity ot things and judge it's operation in re- lation to other nations
 It will be conceded that 1t is a shocking, wholly unjustifable con- dition that any person whether a naturalized citizen or a foreigner should come to the United States and interrupt the peaceful flow ot industry by violent means such as dynamiting or other activities of d like nature.
 The papers with unanimity will concede that. But let it not be over looked that these actions are in Ispired by patriotism pure and un- sullied. Devotion to the German flag is the stimulus that drives these people to act thus. It is love of their native land that fills the pages of their papers with attacks upon United States officials, upon United States industries, upon United States neutrality. It is Ger man patriotism which drives men to act thus.
 And let it be at once acknowledg- ed that it is not impossible to con ceive American citizens acting simi- larly were the United States placed in a similar position. And the same handspring of such activities would be, patriotism.
 These are considerations which are worth some thought. It was an American made the toast My Country, May She be always in the Right, but Right or Wrong my Country That is precisely the national morality that inspires bombist plots and dynamiting and various other activities. It is patri- otism, but it is very doubtful wheth- fer when one analyses 1t in cold blood that one will be prepared to disagree with Tolstoi that "pa- triotism is the vulgarest of vices. We say that should any indivil. ual adopt a personal morality oi that nature he would soon be out. !awed It is one that is immediate