St. Paul tidende. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1902-1928, 1918-03-01

siSs1os 6rsbas SCI Nsasts
took that perilous venture d pre-
serve for their children the faith
and language Of their fathers.
This fidelity to. the past, which
the philosopher Goethe, says is the
foundation for all true greatness,
coupled with a firm purpose TO-
make use Of it for the development
Of a better future, is one Of the
principal reasons why the Puritans
came to play so important a part
in the life Of this country.
This same fidelity and firm pur-
pose lies in the hearts Of many
American citizens of Danish des-
cent. America is entitled to and is
in need of the best, that is in us
and our children. That can lie
called forth only by the aid Of u
mother tongue, the means of lift
ing our spiritual Inheritance; there
fore it is u duty, not only to
ourselves and our children but to
America, to teach our children
their mother tongue and help them
to make use of it for that pur-
pose.
That is what we mean when we
hoist the Danish flag with the
American. 1t does not mean that
will plant the kingdom of Den
mark on American soil; it has no
political significance.
On the. contrary, we use the two
flags together as an emblem of true
loyalty to the best interests of
America; to signify that we will
call out every ounce of energy
which is in US from the past, and
make use of it and our other valu-
able inheritances from Danish an
'%cestors for the u%pbuilding of this
country which has become ours.
In doing this we are following
closely the example set by the Puri-
tans, the foremost builders of this
nation.
But" some one may ask again,
ARE you not cultivating love for a
foreign country at the expense Of
the love for this country which
should be natural to every
American-born child?
The best answer to this can be
had by mingling with young people
growing up / communities where
Danish-americans, practicing the
theories herein set forth, are in the
majority. You will find there no
divided loyalty, and an appeal to
them for American patriotism will
readily find a responsive chord. An
excellent example Of this was shown
last year. When the call for volun-
teers in this war went forth, byio1.
to the enforcement of the draft lazv,
the largest percentage Of volunteers
furnished by any community in the
State of Minnesota came from two
Danlsh-American settlements which
are leaders IN practicing the theories
that l have herein endeavored to
explain.
In one Of these communities is
located a Danish American college
of the same kind as the folk high
schools of Denmark, which during
the last half century have played
so important a part in the develop
ment of that country. Both the Da-
nish and English languages are
used at this college, and there is
a day school for children, where
both English and Danish is taught.
Some time ago the correspondent
of a leading American newspaper
discovered a proportionately large
contingent from this community in
the American army in France, and
he exclaimed: "The people of your
community mus be very loyal
Americans.
French, German or Danish can
be used to foster disloyalty; but so
can English, and it is a matter of
common knowledge that it has been
so used.
But there is no reason why the
study of the history and literature
of another country in the language
OF that country should foster dis
loyalty to America.
In our public schools young. Poop