New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-11
UN-AMERICAN

To the Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir; As ono OF the newer breed" OF "un-
American" Americans whose ancestors fought
In the Revolutionary army, ] should like 10
say something about this word "un-Ameri-
cam tho epthet Of rcprosch par excellencs.
Just what does il mean7 believe under
stand American psychology well enough 10
know about what the average American thinks
it means.
1t is un-Amercan not TO believe that the
United States is the most free and most dem
ocratic country on the globe.
Unfortunately il is not. New Zealand Is By
far the nearest approach TO pure democracy
in existence. Indeed, Of all the democratic"
countries the United States is probably th.
least free-thst is, the voter in this country
has very little to say about the actual con
duet OF tho government. Let me substsntiats
this Government consists Of three branches,
executive, Legislative and judicial. The eI-
ecutive branch is entirely in the hands Of one
man. the President. True, there is a Cabinet,
but il is appointed by the President and each
member must act according to his wishes II
he wants to remain in Office. The legislative
branch is at least partially under the Presi-
dents control. Besides the power Of veto
he usually has control Of legislation II his
party is in power. And as for the tudicis'
branch, the Supreme Court, that can be put
az completely under his heel as the Cabinet,
for has he not the power TO create as many
new Judges as he wishes, and did not Allan
Benson threaten to do this II he became
President? American government, therefore,
is government by one man, who frequently
carries out only his own pet ideas rather than
"the will Of the people
France, England, or any o. the British
colonies give far less power to the chief s1-
ecutive. In these countries he must govern
as the majority Of the elected representative
wish him TO govern and reflect rather thar
ignore or make" public opinion. That our
people have the power to make change at
the end Of four years (by which time much
damage may have been dons) does not change
this fact, nor does II guarantee that the neIt
man will be any better. This hardly gives
US the right to boast of our democracy
Neither does the fact that there Is no other
land in the world where trusts and other
selfish interests are permitted to have such
colossal power.
It is un-American not 70 hate England.
But Just why should Americans hate or DIS
trust England? Was not the Revolution
war against the half-mad George III rather
than against England? Did not Englishmen
refuse to enlist to fight against US, and did
they not call il "the Kings War? This was
really more in the nature OF a civil war, even
If il did result in independence. George III
had to hire Germans to fight the colonists II
was the last attempt of an English king 10
control British politics and II ended disa'-
trously.
Il is un-American not TO believe that We
owe our independence TO France. But the
agency that helped US was not republican
France. but the feet and army OF Louis XVI
So then. our debt OF gratitude was not TO the
French people, but to the "ancien regime
their oppressors, who naturally helped Us be-
cause they were fighting England themselves.
another little tin god shstteredD
The term "un-American" therefore carries
no more reproach than "un-British" or "un-
French" n the South had won the Civil
War doubtless "un-Confederate" would b
often heard there to-day. Southerners would
now be as bitter toward the United States a.
many Americans are against Britain, instead
Of loval United States citizens. And II George
III had not been so arragant this country
would TODAY be part Of the British Empire
and we would be loyal British citizens.
But doubtless this heresy is altogether TOO
"un-American", A NEW ENGLANDER.
Cambridge, Mass, Jan. 10, 1911