Norwich bulletin., 1917-08-18
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The Foe of Patriotism is Greed.

MT. Editor: When the moral life is
 viewed. solely by the light of reason.
 we cannot but help regard patriotism as the brief of many virtuesa devotion
 to the public good is the ideal of duty.
 It is the proneness of the human
 heart spontaneously to admire this noble sentiment of patriotism that en-
 ables so many of the undeserving to obtain applause and advancement by the hypocritica1 adoption of it's exter
 nal indications. We have good req son
 to trust in the doctrine that religion is the basis of all those rights which patriotism aims to defend For ris there one thing within the universe that vindicates the dignity of human personality like the gospel of our Lord and Saviour?
 Patriotism is but the assertion and vindication of this dignity of human personality through the agercy of the natural society of the state. Patriot ism calls for the sinking of private in
 terests for the public good, and the seeking Of the public good before pri- vate gain.
 The peril of patriotism is greed. In the modern world today everything is measured by the standard of money. The relations of mankind instead of being governed by sympat thy, good will and friendship. are placed upon the altar of bargain and sale. The nations of the world have lost the sense of social unity and are formed
 
 der the influence that the cause Of a nation is best promoted when that nation seeks it's own private interests. The principle is sound enough as a statement of the advantage that comes to the state from individual liberty and initiative
 While 1t is true that some appeal to self-interest is necessary to evoke and uphold this initiative, there may be much good and little harm when the power of the individual is kept within reasonable limits: but when the law of the land allows individuals pursuing particular and private interest to com bine in groups, and gives the priv ileges and sanction of a corporate or ganization and life to such groups pur- suing an interest wholly private and unrelated to the public good, and when the industrial system is the prey Of such interests, then the public veal is the last thing considered, and the love of the common good-the common friendship-is at an end. It is then that patriotism is a mere pretense and the life Of the state is in danger.
 Selfshness the antithesis of patri- otism, is the cause of most of the dis orders of the body polite today. Where is the American who fears to meet bravely and successfully every exter- nal danger with which we may be con- fronted? The solution of the internal problems of our national existence calls for patriotism of the very highest order.
 The supreme need of the hour is that every one of us. rich or poor employer or employe. official or citizen. look in a calm and patriotic manner. with good will, moderation and mutual forbear- ance. into the evils of our day, and consider the sacrifice which the solu- tion. of these evils demands of every | one of us, For we know the principle | of democracy in the state cannot long | CO., exist with .feudafism in industry | and the placing of American industry | on a personal basis and on the relation | of man to man and of obedience rather | than on the impersonal basis of eff ciency and organization will be a great I and indispensable support of political democracy. Reason alone will not curb l avarice support patriotism. Patri | otism will not endure if not based on | motives that only genuine religion | supplies. -r
 It Is that power alone which can stem that frenzy which precipitates men and nations with the rage of a torrent into excesses. When the in Justice and fnveterate abuses are elin- mated from the government of society | will have come into its l Jwn. It is then we can give the best | we have, even life itself, to maintain our country in her integrity and to | safeguard the immemorial rights and