Denver labor bulletin., 1916-09-16

n of the bill.
and; and our very habits OF thought
have undergone radical change. But
do you believe that We have dropped
like n burden all the immemorial ira
ditions of our home landsf We have
not, and it would be thousand pities
if we had. For the primal glory of the
American spirit is that it is a blend
Of all that Europe has to offer. A blend
not mosaic. / recognize no sub-na-
tionalities under the Stars and Stripes.
/ hate the look and the sound Of such
words as French American, English-Am-
eriman, German American Local preju-
dices ought not to be imported from
over the water. But / have no respect
and no sympathy for the man who turns
in anger and in derision against the
land Of his birth. IL is only good French
men, good Germans good Russians, that
will make good Americans. The wonder
full range of America is due to the very
facts that from the most varied cor
ners Of Europe, each with his or her
potentialities. IL would be suicidal for
America to ignore that fact, which ought
to be her pride. We are composite
nation, and our duty, as we become
more and more American, is not to for
get our own ancestors, not to limit our
traditions to the hundred and forty
years of Independent national life, but
to trace all the roots of the mighty
American tree to the various transat-
lantic soils where they first grew. Let
us--if YOU will forgive the familiarity
of the expression-first let us pool our
ancestors-let us all be heirs to all
The greatest privilege of American citi-
zenship is just that blending of trndi-
tions
Italy, Spain, Russia, Japan.
And want you to love and respect
Italy, too Italy. twice the mistress or
leader of the world. at the time of the
Roman empire and at tho time of the
Renaissance; italy. laden with such
burden OF historical glory that IL seems
as tho any nation would sink under IL
and yet she lives and grows, energetic.
self confident, joyous, conscious of her
past greatness. but not nwed, and thus
proving herself worthy of still greater
future; Italy. oldest and youngest of
great nations, still as Of cid the breed
ing ground and the Mecca OF innumer-
able artists: Italy. well to the fore in
science, and making giant strides in
good government. want you to re-
member and love the chivalrous and
mystic spirit of old Spain. gloomy and
ferocious at times, but which wrote for
us the grandest epic of discovery and
conquest; I want you to seek and love
the vast, vague and mighty spirit of
Holy Russia, the land of sorrow, whence
came such words of peace and love.
thru the lips OF Tolstoy. ms the world
had not heard for many hundred years.
want you to know and love the smiling
beroism and philosophy, Europe is one.
the whole western world is one. and
very soon the whole. East and West.
will be one. Even soldiers Of contending
nations are more and moro alike in uni
form. armament and spirit. But while
all the thousand streams of modern
civilization are converging into one
mighty river. historical culture reverses
the process; ii looks backward, toward
the head waters of each rivulet; IL pre-
serves and emphasizes differences which,
il left to themselves, would soon disnp-
pear in the broad current Of modern
thought. The nationalistic, traditional
ist education of Europe fosters exclusive
ness, dffidence, hatred. Hence the
strange paradox that the best educated
OF all European nations is also the most
bigoted in its pride and selfishness; that
tHe Hhteiul pTeJuulces winch nave Cnuse0
the present war have been kept up, not
by the common people, but by poets,
politicians and university professors. All
of us, when we come to America, are
welcome to preserve our sentimental and
artistic traditions; but we are expected
to leave behind all the hereditary jeal-
ousies which are the warp and woof Of
European history. What Europe needs
is similar experience. a great unlenrn-
ing, mighty revolution against the
dead hand Of the past That still op.
presses her. Tho past Is pasti Let us
cherish the fine old stories OF our IA
thers heroic deeds. But let us settle NIL
present and future differences rs men
Of the twentieth century. II we could
but coniure away that incubus Of his.
torical traditions, peace would be ut
hand.
Our Idealistic Patriotism.
Many Europeans believe TINT those
very traditions-a war stained history. a
nobility, dynasty-are essential to a
nation. They despise the dead level of
our democracy, the uninteresting rdk{rd
OF our party struggles, barely relieved
by two or three wars, ono only on a
large scale. They call us sordid mater
ialists, because our ideal Is not to Qlorify
Wholesale murder. Materialists, wei
Apostle of international Justice.
Not only must we keep America true
to the American spirit in home affairs,