The Washington times., 1917-01-26
Congress of Constructive Pa
triotism Hears E. A. Steiner
Define Needs of Security.
ATTACKS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Iowa College Professor Accuses
People Of Being Intel
lectual towards.

ave are in grave danger OF being
unable to fuse the nation into q neces
Sary unit because of its growing lack
OF democracy in cts social life, and
the intensity and blindness OF our
racial and religious prejudices."
This was the statement of Edward
A, Steiner, Of GrinnelI College, Iowa,
before the Congress OF Constructive
Patriotism meeting at the willard for
its third session today.
SVYe Are UndiscIpIIned.-
I'VE are an undisciplined people,
physically, morally, and Intellectual
Iy," he continued. ''The public school
aystem must become nationalised in
so far as that is possible. It has back
OF 1t an admirable purpose, and the
most idealistic but, also the most in
efficient teaching body in existence.
We must ask our specialists to define
for us the scope of a public school
education; what share 1t must have
in the making of citizens, and how
this is to be brought about
Then we must bring every school,
whether public or private, whether
supported by q church or q foreign
national body, into harmony with this
program"
Answer To Preparedness.
This was, in part, Mr.. Steiner's an
swer to what this country must do be-
fore Il can be prepared" He cited
also three fundamental principles of
effective nationahsn in which the
TTpffad -Rfafss Ia de6ctanf
''In order to develop an effective ma
tional spirit" said Mr.. Steiner, ''there
must be q full, unhindered chance for
economic vell-being. II the sense of
belonging to the nation has remained
weak among the people of eur alien
population, il IL because we have al
lowed them to remain alien TO US, and
because we have little concern for
theiE welfare.
THE second element in which we
are lacking is the sense of social CO.
hesion, and thirdlI we lack a con-
gram"
Intellectual COwardness.
The American boy IL not a coward,
stated Mr.. Steiner, he Is physically
the most daring in the world. Their
covardness IL intellectual and not
physical. But, continued the speaker.
fighting is done with the brain, al
though men shoot with rifles.
We must train the American boy
to use his head, and not his fist
alone, In the defense Of his country.
Walter C. Piper, former president
Of the National Association of Real
Estate Boards OF Detroit, Mich. told
Of how the employers In Detroit sud.
denly realized the Importance OF the
characterization" of their foreign
born employees. Campaigns were in
augurated, he stated, for the, educa-
tion OF the city's foreigners, with the
result that there was an increase of
100 per cent in the applications for
citizenship.
But, he stated, the Americanzation !
Of our alien population is not the
duty OF commercial organizations. OF
public educational systems, municipal |
governments OF private school sys-
TENS. but the duty of all these insti.
tutions together.
The Immigrant" he stated. "is a |
Ah0O5NIld4 pOlIA-
icaI factor. All the forces OF indus /
try. society and political wisdom are
necessary to accomplish this assimi- /
lstion.
The audience OF 1000 gathered in
the D. A. r. Memorial Hall last night
for the second session OF the con-
Eress. frequently cheered Elihu Root
as he spoke before the body, urging
the nation to prepare for war in or
der to maintain peace.
Refers to Wilson's speech.
Mr.. Root said President Wilson's
speech to the Senate on world peace
was a practical admission that there
is no way out Of war except by pre-
pRration for war. He also stated
that q denunciation OF Germans