Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-06-09
People of United States Are
Criticised on Account
of Ancestry.
IS NO NATIONAL CULTURE
Writer States That Those Who
Came in Mayflower Were
Common Swineherds.
T1HE Kreuz- -zoitung, extreme


the breakfast table Of every
family OF the landed artistocracy of
prysia. devotes its leading article in
'-"tfe issue Of May to an attempt TO
explain to Junkertum the national
psychology Of America The reason
given to show why the tenets OF
kutur are 80 unpopular in America
is that the Americans are nation
of plebians,"
II will he news for Americans no
less than for the junkers to read in
the Kreuz-zeitung the following;
In recent times Americans have
, had the idea OF creating for them
I selves an aristocracy Whoever
Nwishes to belong to ii must furnish
proof that he Is descended from the
Pilgrim Fathers who landed from
the Mayflower There are a lot Of
clever takers who for n few hundred
dollars have provided themselves
with a genealogical table for that
purpose"
The article is attributed to "one
intimately acquainted With Ameri-
can conditions"
For many things in American
standing Of American psychology
one can only find the key when one
remembers that since the settlement
Of the land by Europeans. with few
exceptions only those belonging to
the lower classes peas
ants and artisans-have immigrated
And closer observation will show
that this Circumstance has today
strong influence that one In various
connections runs up against it fore
ibly.
Not All AriStocrats.
THE passengers on the Mayflow.
yer were neither lords nor scholars,
only plain folk who wished to work
with their hands to earn their bread.
And immigrants of this kind have
from the beginning arrived in
America. so that now the whole
American people bear this type
The new arrivals were mixed with
Adventures Of all sorts Many n
black sheep, who in his home would
do nothing good, was shipped off to
the new world
But on the whole the worker with
his hands was representative of the
immigrant, and so even today one
can designate the American people
as nation of laborers. That should
be no detraction, for no one judges
IL disgrace to have come from
4 small beginnings so'long as one is an
honorable man. and before God all
men are equal. But this circum-
stance explains much that could not
be explained before--for instance,
n Il fyHA N. Il H.
among the Americans although they
eHpend enormous sums in order to
obtain It.
americans in high positions are
not ashamed to confess openly that
they have not the slightest smatter-
ing OF art. literature or learning so
far as IT is not connected with their
calling, and no ono thinks the less
of them for it. Scholars are little
valued in the press. It is otherwise
when mind and ability are directed
toward practical ends, then they
know how to value the personality
of Fulton or a Morse
but for all intellectual work the
impulse to make money is the incen-
tive to progress and the most i'm,
p0rtant culture lever. When they
do not act for the sake Of gain they
do not accomplish much in the field
of culture.
Says Church Makes Concessions.
THE desire to become rich and
TO gather together money even byt
not entirely unQuestionabie means is
so strong among the American peo-
pie that the churCh--as on often
hears II charged concessions
to it in, dishonorable way. The
criticism Is made in various denomi-
nations that half OF the years Sun
day preaching has to do with the
drink mania because II is popular to
scourge that while one scarcely ever
hears word about cheating ones
neighbor in trade or business. SO
long as it is not matter of COM
mon, Grass fraud, such things are
gladly covered up by the mantle of
loye,' and for that they have tho |
sentiment; we are all OF us sim |
ners.'
Hence. also, it comes about that !
the newspapers of the small towns !
are accustomed to speak Of the rich !
Inhabitants as our best citizens or
the citizen Of the highest WORTH.
Where an aristocracy Of birth |
and an aristocracy OF intellect are |,
absent-for an aristocraCy of intel !
,lect in America is not recognized and |
not espeoted-moncy boOcmc the I
measure of the worth OF all things !
and all men. who will deny that |
herein also Hes a plebian tendency? !
FOR capital is a measure of the value !
or men that even the dumest can |
use. And 1t goes so well for Amerl- |
ca that they can prove that America |
Is the first country and people Of the |
would because they aer the richest |
An artist must prove his achieve |
ment by great financial success or |
else he counts for nothing, NJ matter |
now greatly ne may excel
Money Always Mentioned.
TT is notable also that the news !
papers in all things give the price.
Ihus one reads, for example, that !
Caruso will sing in the S2650,000 |
theater. CThey give always the fun
number Of zeros and add two for the
rrents), When few years ago the
capitol (the state legislative house Of
N!Iew York; at AlbanyAburned down
tne newspapers7wrote "Eprning Of
me $5,OO0,000.0O capitol in Albany.
lNhy not five millionO Then one
read; The airship rose from the
'l'oOo 10000 pier in Atlantic city.
etc.