The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-31
ny EDWARD $. VAN ZII.E.

: patriotism. Il seemingly universal attribute
of mankind. In reality the vcrmiform ap-
i IsndiN If human nature, an atavi>tic sur
viyal. under process of elimination to-day
through the bloodic>t surgical operation the
race has ever undergone: Will one Of the manv
icohoclaStic results "f the war If wars h" the
destruction of that parochial strain in the
makeup of the average man that leads him to
fight and lie for a certain flag, no matter
what relationship that flag may bear mt the
moment to the cause of universal human prog
r">S: Does 1t not seem more apparent to-day
than ever heretofore that love Of country may
he the real root Of all evil, that patriotism Is
merely herd sellishnesS, sprung from the Jungle
and worthy only Of the lower creatures dwell
Ing therein?
\ little over n year ago such questions rs the
above would have been devoid If timely sig
nifcance outside Of socialistic circles, would
have SInackcl too much Of what may he called
futurism to demand immediate and serious con-
sideration. But during the last twelve months
many old things have passed away ana nearly
all things have become new, and out Of the
chaotic weller from which n strange. myster-
iouS world Is being evolved there must come
certain readjnStments that will force mankind
to abandon forever various time hOnOred coD-
victions for the maintenance of which millions
Of misguided ZealOts may have persisted In the
past.
Is one Of these doomed convictions the belief
that 1t Is incumbent upon the individual to
make any sacrifice that his country. right or
wrong, may demand Of him at a crisis? "Dulce
ct 1ecorum est pro patrla mort" asserted Horace
ages ago-waiving all questions Of ethics-but
he displayed his good sense by dying upon his
couch and not upon a battle field.
4 peculiar combination OF circumstances led
the writer Of the above to visit last summer
several historic shrineS in the United States to-
ward which. year after year. thousands If pa
triotic Americans turn their steps from motives
varying In praiseworthiness from idle curiosity
tn burning enthusiasm for the ideals these
shrines represent. The itinerary that chance
ordained FOR me took me first to Plymouth Rock.
from there to Mount Vernon and thereafter to
Chattanooga, Chickamauga and Missionary
Ridge.
Outward and visible signs Of Colonial, Revo-
lutiOnary AMI civil war times gave their sug-
gestiye fllir~ to my imagination, and ! have
endeavored Of late to coordinate the impress
siOnS made upon me by my recent pilgrimage,
to the end that I might clarity perchaIce my
puzzled mind regarding the real Significance to
this generation Of Americans of that seemingly
universal. and usually highly praised, human
passion known as patriOtism-Or love OF coun-
try.
A. n historic exhibit. or sacred relic, Plym-
outh Rock IL sadly disappointing. 1t appears
10 have shrunk from a gigantic symbol Of
human protest and progress to a stone In a
roadway, an obstacle to motorists. rather than
q stimulus to soaring. reminiscent souls.
The Plymouth Rock OF my anticipations was
but Of the stuff that dreams are made Of"
The city fathers-Or mOthers-Of this Mecca
OF all devOut puritans have placed Il fence
about their fragment OF historic stone to the
end that passionate pilgrims who worship ut
this shrine shall leave 1t undefaced. Would
that instead OF with n fence they had sur
rounded their petty rock with n curtain! ]
should IN that case be the richer to-day by at
least one lost Illusion.
But to me. faring forth In quest Of a new sane.
tiOn for that passion OF patriotism that has