The sun., 1916-08-27

think more clearly on this subject ana
to understand what that freedom u
which forms the basis Of our national
life. what rights It includes and what
limitations It Imposes. II should a.
least Be- possible to tnculcate the idea
that freedom does not mean license to
do what n pleases. whether mi
pleases to do right things or wrong
things A thought Of this kind, firmly
settled In the youthful mind, u Of
much greater value than exuberant
defamation about liberty and inalien.
able rights.
= That patriotism should find expires
sion In eloquent speech 10 quite natu-
raj and commendable. and II u encour.
aging to note the care and ~earnestnees
with which u schools on every pos.
sible occasion bring the thought Of
U country to tho minds OF their
pupils. For while this thought Il not
as full and clear to the child al Il u
to M man. its true meaning can b
easily Impressed and permanently
fixed by the teacher. so that when the
school days are over the young patriot
will have something to guide him and
to save him from perplexity a. he
considers not simply the words but the
actions Of many older patriots and the
marvellous diversity OF forms which
love OF country assumes.
No one. for instance. is surprised at
the manifestations Of patriotic feeling
which recent circumstances have
called forth. The people may b slow
to realize danger from without but
nee they are fully aroused they rally
quickly enough to the country's de-
fence. some In the ranks and many
others at their desks. Naturally the
enthusiasm makes Its way into the
schools, and ! have followed with In.
terest the movement toward q more
general training Of our youth in mill
tary tactics. And while I hope that
our country may always be adequately
defended in time of war. I am even
more deeply concerned for its safety In
time OF peace.
AS between the enemy who openly
marches against Is and the traitor
whom we discover in our w ranks.
there can be 10 hesitation In saying
which is the more dangerous. But the
most insidious of our foes is neither
on the field nor within our lives. is not
to be ~vanQuishcd by force or detected
by the watchfulness that warfare be-
gets. The peril that democracy ought
chiefly to dread Is latent in every in
huence md tendency that wcakens the
moral fibre OF the people and thereby
units them to breathe the air OF free
dom.
How can the danger be avertcdf
What elements OF moral strength ri
be built up in the heart and mind OF
the child toward the formation Of .
character that in the very exercise OF
freedom will make that freedom moro
secure? This. II l mistake not. is the
vital problem for n system OF educa-
ton hat aims at rendering service to
society.
II We take history for our guide, We
shall find abundant evidence to show
that freedom flourishes only where It
Is fostered by sobriety and %frugality.
by personal purity. by fidelity in do
mcstic relations, by the practice OF
Justice in all relations n the exer-
else Of charity in behalf OF those who
deserve It. Where. on the other hand.
selnshness prevails n passion il UNI
curbed, the home desccratcd and mu-
tual obligation forgotten. the end OF
freedom is not far off. and the has
tening Ills move more rapidly in pro-
portion to the spread Of intelligence.
immortality Is the soil in which tyranny
thrives.
1t matters little by what name tho
tyrant Is known--whether despotism
be Of one or of many. Of the individual
or Of the State, The same evil result