Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-08-10


people have come to regard the little less
Objectionable than the other In this in many other
cned to go to extremes We somewhat mpulsive in
THIS nervous 1t to start political
the market We take to G new party i issues as readily as
FINANCIAL duck takes to watering his 'stocks"
These questions of the distribution of nations and
tonaes and the development of national character
also figuring large in the old world You find all sorts of
tonales represented in the different armies Of Europe
Yet ingenious mind has conceived the idea that at the
cson of the present European conhagraon if all the great
nations OF that continent are not consumed by fire. it will
be possible to ensure enduring by remakng the po
ca map OF the continent along lines of nationality This ap-
pies especially to the reagnment of the Balkans to the
evN1ymg of Poland and the re-dsposon of the Franco
German provinces OF Alsace and Lorraine
TWO hundreds years or less this reestablshng of
national lines would have been far easy than in day.
linen communication was not easy and travelling dis
graph nor common newspaper to give them intermngng
OF ideas The whole world provincial The people of
OF i've hundred miles Each people thus to develop it's
own dialect in the country and using the
language There was little migration and ntermarrage.
To-day no nation lives unto itself alone. In Europe
in America all natonaes represented in every country
States, numbering 100000 100000 largely Ger
mans and Ce Now in nearly every city the country
largely represented especially the Balkan peninsula.
About the middle Of the last century singing
inviting foreigners Come from every nation,
from every cline" To-day seriously questioning
whether Uncle Sam assimlae much foreign nutr
ment We look immigrants in the mouth jockeys examine
a horse We search their eyelds for signs disease
constitution of the United States despite the fact that
organic law is sealed book to some of presidents and
professional lawmakers. Occasionally ask them which
political party they propose to ion if let them enter
gates.
ated citizens and national development is to be found
tical platforms. 1t particularly interesting at this time
to note that in 1876 that sawar democratic leader Samuel
j. den thought would be element of strength for his
party to read into democracy declaration of principles the
Reform is necessary the omissions of
publican Congress and the of treaties and
diplomacy which have stripped fellow citizens of foreign
birth and kindred the Atlantic of the shield of
American citizenship exposed brethren of the
same great parent stock. We denounce the policy
which thus scards the liberty loving German and toerates
You picture the Democratic party adopting such
platform in 1916 and yet that declaration seriously com
HayesIilden campaign. Then the Republican party was
charged with antagonizng the German vote To-day it is
element in citizenship.
There little ground for the former charge as for
the present soft impeachment Yet through all these de-
eopmen the student of nations and government can trace
the evolution of what Charles E. Hughes has well called the
Of the extent which developments in connection with the
European have helped to estimate and in
controversy whether Patics day the flag of Ireland
should be put above below the Stars and Stripes New
YOrks city hall by Tammany mayor You cannot conceive
of any nationality in America trying to-day to put its former
flag above Old Glory
That striking contrast gives you the of our
progress in Amercanizaon in the development of nation
egn-born citizens The process of education in American
citizenship the most gratifying features of this age
incidental to WOrldWar.
of the encouraging and reassurng factors in Amer
lean politics has been the breaking of natonates
in their adhesion to different parties At time voters OF
nationality would be found largely in the Democratic
party example while another nationality would join the
Republican party. At the present time the Germans
divided in their party allegiance despite the efforts OF the
formerly independent New York Times to make itself be-
lieve that all Germans for Hughes.
We have worried for )ment the idea that the
Times would forbid German voter to cast his ballot Tor
Mr. Wilson, and refer this matter merely another
phase of this whole question of the tendency of this American
dehyphenate foeignbon citizens and mold them
into thorough-g going and unaloyed Americans
We hail this tendency wholesome, even though some
of may go in demanding that every citizen
shall American flag in his hat badge of his right
of genuine citizenship Just chauffeur must carry his IL
to auto The appeal of both democratic and
publican platform and of Mr. Hughes well Mr. Wilson
for dyedn thewoo Americanism is intensely educational
The result from this time forth will be strenuous jeal
of American rights increased loyalty to the Stars and
Stripes se-assertng self-sacrifcing patriotism.
Nor will the influence Of this process of Americaniza-
ton confined land alone Even in the midst
of carrying the of and brothery
love and world citizenship to the hearthstones of fredev
astated Europe. Every day battlefield sends its