The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-11-17
SOME NATIONAL TRADITIONS.

rights. You are representing TO-DAY
the same ideals and fighting for many
of the same things they fought for in
1916, 1893, 1872, 1916, 1861, and 1898.
In 1916 our forcfathers refused any
longer to submit 10 the demands OF a
tyrannical government and declared
themselves Independent. The farmers
and ShOpkeeperS and mechanics ana
fishermen who rushed to arms at the
beginning of the Revolution did not ut
first realize they were forming new
nation. But before long they saw
clearly that In order to enjoy liberty
they must shake off the rule of the
autOcratic government which had its
seat in London.
In their attitude they had the sym
pUthy of a great many Engllshlnen
who were broad enough to see that the
American coloniStS were really fighting
for the rights Of all free peoples. Ii
vas not the English people who were
seeking to suppress liberty in AinerIcs
but small body of court politicians
an autocratic government-Which mis-
represented the people.
The Americans Of that day on thelf
part did not hesitate to take up arms
for their rights, even though they
came into conflict with the seasoned
troops of great power-even though
they had to meet invasion and partial
conquest of their own country.
| In 1898 we found ourselves in state
of war with the French government.
This is not usually thought of as an
| American war, since there was no
! fighting except for few encounters
N the high seas. There was no
declaration of war and it was all set
/ tied within a few months. Yet the fact
| is that a state of war actually existed.
Here again W had no quarrel with the
French people, whom we admired and
loved for the help ehey had given us
during the Revolution. We were real
~ at war with little group known as
the Directory, who. had seized the gov
eminent of France and miSrepreSented
its people.
In the War of 1912 with Great Brit
aen, the principal question at issue
concerned the freedom of American
ships and the rights of American sail
orS on the high seas. For the most
part the American army was poorly
trained and equipped and had little
success. 1t redeemed itself, however,
at the Battle of New Orleans, where
Andrew jackson led the western
militia to well-earned victory. The
british government tacitly recognized
the .soundness of the principle for
which the Americans fought.
Americas next war was with Mex
leo. The Mexicaus had not been very
careful of American rights either In
Mexico itself or along the frontier, and
the disagreement as to the ownership
of a certain large strip of land along
the Rio Grande easily led to hostil-
tiles. In the war that followed the
armies of Scott and Taylor won vic
tory after victory against overwhelm-
ing odds and eventually Mexico sued
for peace. One result of the war was
to establish more definitely the right
of an American citizen abroad to q
reasonable amount Of protection and
support.
Less than IA generation later came
, the great Civil war. Never was the
fighting spirit Of the citizen-soldier
; better shown than in this unhappy ana
brief struggle, when Americans were
. pitted against Americans. Both sides
were fighting for principles of govern
ment, the North for the principle OF
union, the South for the principle OF
, the right of states to secede from thu'
Union. Today, with the war hall
century behind them, there are prob
. ably few Americans either North OF
South, who do not rejoice In thell
hearts that the principle of union was
, uDheld and that we are able today tt
t meet our new foe as united nation.
, We entered the Spanish war to pu
J, an end TO misrule in Cuba. Again ouI
y quarrel was not with the Spanish PEG
/, pie, but with the government. which
! was creating conditions in Cuba tina
we couel not endure with self-respect
The Americans are peculiarly s
! peacc-loving people. They have NJ
: taste for warfare and no lust for ter
r rito-y or power. Yet within less thar
! one hundred and fifty years we have
n entered six important wars, the las
, and perhaps the greatest of which ]:
t the one just beginning against tn
= German government. Why has all thi:
!, warfare been necessary!
f The answer is to be found in TIL
!. simple fact that there are certain
American rights and principles tina
:. must be upheld if the United States j
Il TO remain free and self-respectin;
l. nation. These rights have never beer
: attacked-and probably never will b.
? attacked-by other free and demo
r cratic peoples. But the world is no
t vet rid of governments in the hands .
r small groups who betray their owl
h people and drive them forward il
s ruthless assaults on the freedom ant
S rights of other peoples. 1t is a gov
d eminent of this type that now menace
:. all liberty-loving nations.
= In all our previous wars against for
e eign powers the American people hav
e fought for principles, not for wealtl