Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-10-30


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You see what Mr. Page has done?
You see why this one out of the 1000
contributed won the prize? Instead of
attempting to say something "origin-
al" the author has done something far
more important and permanent. He
has drawn upon the immortal docu-
ments known to all of us, the Declara-
ton of Independence, the Constitution
of the United States, the federal oath
of allegiance, Washington's farewell
address, Lincoln's Gettysburg speech,
one of Webster's speeches, Edward
Everett Hales story, 'The Man With
out a Country" 1.-THE Star-Spangled
Banner" the army and navy regula-
tons, the great seal Of the United
States, etc. He has culled from each Of
them and has made composite, not of
mere fine-soundlng phrases, but of the
fundamental faith, the sacred belief In
all that is implied by the term "Ameri-
canism." 1t fairly reeks with Ameri-
canism. And yet there is no blatant
spread-eagle jingOlsm in this calm con-
fession of faith. 1t Is as dignif1ed as it
is sincere. 1t is a notable literary per-
Torrance, because 1t is a great patri-
otto expression. And all in 100 words !
A tour de force.
The author, 1t is interesting to note,
is a descendant Of a President of the
United States, John Tyler, and also of
a signer of the Declaration Of Indepen-
dence, Carter Braxton. He lives in
Friendship Heights, Maryland, near
Washington. He was born in Fred
erick Maryland, the birthplace Of
Francis Scott Key, the author of 1.-THE
Star-Spangled Banner" and was edu-
Gated in Baltimore. This is a curious
coincidence in view of the fact that
Baltimore, the birthplace of our ma
tional song, offered this patriotic prize.
1t Is hardly necessary to add that
these personal facts were not known
until after the award was made.
All the manuscripts were of course
submitted anonymously.
Now, Mr.. Page has done his part.
Mr.. Henry S. Chaplin, of New York,
who suggested the idea, has done his
part. Mr.. Matthew Page Andrews, who
engineered it, has done his part. The
rest Of us must do our part to make
this patriotic effort effectual. With
all due respect to our youthful train
ing many Of us were allowed to grow
up with the idea that "Our country"
meant little more than the place where
we happen to live. This mistake must
never be allowed to occur with another
generation. One does not think of
ones family merely as the people with
whom one happens to live! You ''be-
long" to your family, your family be-
longs to you. And so with your coun-
try. One reason why this nation has
been so slow to awaken to it's peril
and it's responsibilities is, or was. our
deplorable lack of national conscious
ness. We are now, however, at the
dawn of a new era. Probably there
is not a man, woman, or child In the
United States, provided he be In his
right mind, who has not today a diff
ferent feeling, a stronger reaction to
the words, "my country" than three
or four years ago.
It was for the furtherance Of this
feeling that this project of an Ameri-
can creed was originated. 1t was for
mally accepted in the name of the
United States government by the
speaker of the house of representa-
tives on April 3 and by the United
States commissioner of education. If
properly disseminated the patriotic eff
feet should be enormous. 1t might be
well for the churches to take it up as
well as the schools. Department stores
should be willing to print it in their
advertisements as they do appeals for
Liberty bonds. It should appear on
theatrical programs, baseball score
cards, magazine covers.
Meanwhile Mr.. Charles B. Falls, the
artist, is making a digniied decorative
border to be reproduced with the creed
for the use of schools and In small
sizes for post cards.