New Britain herald., 1915-11-30

lnoicate a general acceptance or pre- vailing conditions which spells adap- tab1lity. An American approximates the standards of clothes accepted by his fellows.
 "A second and more comprehensive test of Americanism is found in willingness to learn the English lan-
 guage. Every language voices the
 soul of its creators. The literature
 of people breathes out national
 spirit. Ignorance of English bars
 newcomers from understanding our
 national soul.
 While dress and language point
 toward the deeper ideals of American
 ism they do not touch its heart.
 There are those in the United States
 today who have neither adopted pre-
 vai1ing standards of dress nor speech,
 who are Americans in spirit. There are also many who were born under the Stars and Stripes and have Eng
 fish as a mother tongue who are un- American in conduct and thought.
 What, then, is the acid test of
 Americanism To be born in this
 country does not make a man an American. To be born abroad does not make a man an alien. When the thirteen colonies made their first united stand against Old World at tempts to deprive them of their rights, they became Americans. But in that stand they were not creating new rights or privileges. They were de- lending old ones. The claims of Washington and Adams, Franklin and Jefferson, was that England had granted the colonies certain privileges and that parliament was plotting to take them away. These liberties were theirs by national right, by pre- cedent and by tradition. So the col onists armed themselves to defend their liberties. Through this decision we have recorded a clear indication of a fundamental idea of an Amer ican spirit-the nation of liberty.
 ''This idea of liberty which prompt ed separation from Old World sway expresses itself in a general beller Tn the necessity of opportunities for 1n- dividual development. This develop ment finds expression through the establishment of institutions, laws and customs which permit mental and social growth The New World has been called the land of liberty because the individual finds numerous ave- nues for self expression, individual and national.
 Another fundamental American is belief in unity. The thirteen original colonies soon saw that their individual life depended on union. Out of the many, one be- | came their motto. Through our en- tire national life this idea has pre- dominated. Out of many races de- | verse creeds and languages one peo- ole is being evolved. The true Amer | can stands for this oneness. Through | liberty and unity the thirteen colonies l faith in national greatness. l Through these avenues they ex- pressed themselves in self-govern- ] nent, industry and educational sys- l ems. 1
 Little Unity Tn Europe.
 To-day certain Old World countries | urnish lamentable examples of the bsence of this idea of unity. Aus ria Hungary in times of peace is al- avs on the verge of internal disrup- on, Over a score of races strug- le to maintain the supremacy of heir traditions and languages. Out f the many, one has not come trife, racial hatred, oppression and ocial cleaveage abound. The at empts of Russia to impose it's nat1on- lities upon the Fins affords an- ther example of Old World failure to reduce one out of many. Similar illustrations are found in attempts at the Poles. The Old World plan of forcing the civiliza- ion of one race upon another has not, 0 far, produced unity. The oneness Inherent in Americanism springs from is a belief in liberty and national.
 Another hallmark of an American deep-seated belief in democracy. n theory we all profess it's prin-