The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-07
BY MARY ROBERTS RINEHARr.
THAT has become OF patriotism

made its volunteers starve
ut Valley Forge ana sent the North
and South fighting for principles
diametricaiiy opposed, but dcarer than
life itself" Is r merely sleeping.
heavy with the national fetch " the
full dinner pail? or. is it dead?
= mo eighty millions Of people would
answer that IL il living. that /. Is still
- rock on which the nation is
W0nded. that to impeach the essent.a,
patriotism of the American people is
to iinpeach the national integrity and
the national honor. And perhaps they
are right. Perhaps We are still n ma
ton Of patriots.
"A patriot is one who loves his
fatherland and is Jealous for its Ne,-
fare"
We ~ W country. certainly. But
jealous for its welfare: Are We that:
| think not.
' Patriotism is an active condition,
not a passive virtue. We have plenty
NJ latent pa iriotism. ! do not question
that. But latent patriotism Is as
potent as latent heat. II Is a negative
quality until 1t IL made positive. VIII
II. after all. require 4 war 10 bring out
this quality OF love of count and
zeal for its welfare. without which NJ
nation is truly great?
| am not impugning the American
people indy idually. but in the mass.
The psychology Of the mon is M: the
psychology Of its units. \. people may
h. Individually brave. and nationally
weak. II is a matter ~ unity ~
spirit. Of slnsleress VI purpose. Of one
vision n one ideal.
re as We are. "A federation Of States.
differing as We must in the things by
winch We live, our East and our West.
our North and our South. our farming
lands our mineral states. oar factory
resions-unw!eidly by our very size
and greatness something more than
n national government must hold us
together.
That something must 70 national
sp.iit.
individually brave 10 the pa N, ~
recklcssness: idcalist.c even romantic.
so INA We nave been called II nation
Of dreamers. what are We n]ationalivr
Dreamers our forcfathars certain.
were. They dreamed oc Il great i;epuh-
lie awake ana stirring. But ven they
did not ioresec our oVergrowth, orr
wealth. They did not realize that the.
were giving Us II land 40 rich that II
would leave US poor. For poor we are
in the things that could make US grea'.
Poor. The mob-and nations are hu.
subiimated mobs-is at the call IT
some great voice We have many
VOICES. but none are great enough 10
unite us. And. left to ourselves, We
have II" single purpose. no national
ideal, 10 follow.
We have much that calls itself pa
triotlsm. We are a sentimental! people.
We like to salute the flag. We like 10
see II iuttering from ships On the high
seas. We are rather insis,ent about
schools having a flag. and r~esentful
when, at the country club. they forget
To haul it down at sunset. We stand
up and shrek hystericaily when some
two hundred young women AT the Hip
podrome suddenly unfurl satin ban
ners II produce a mammoth lime
light imitation OF Old Glory. We APP
plaud when the band plays Dixie
n choke up over a line of civil war
veterans moving through the streets
on Decoration Day. There are some
OF US who cannot recite. without emo
ton, Lives there a man with soul 90
dead" and the rest OF il.
But are We an honestly patriotic
people, in that We are jealous for the
country's welfare? A sincerely and
unselhshly patriotic nation? No.
Are We v g a grimly earnest and
determined nation? No.
Are we even a dominant nation, ex-
pressing its will through its represen-
tatives? No.
Think Of this last question a mo-
ment. Does any one believe that the
American people. or eve a majority OF
the American people. are satisfied with
conditions AS they exist to-day? With
the Mexican situation? With our posi-
'!"n toward Europe and its insolent
attitud" to ny" With the Indian 1ues-
ton? With the tariff: With our army
and navy problem?
And this Is not II criticism Of the
present Administration, for il is true
Of the One before. me of the one before
that, 1t il a criticism of the American
people. or what avail discomfort and
mouthings? Uneasiness and unrest?
Continual chickering's and the substi-
tu,ing Of one political party for an
other in the hope Of changing things
for the better? Jealous for the ma
,ional welfare" II we were. would w