New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1918-01-09

begotten in our slums?
The history of the United States since
the Civil. War has not yet been written,
for it is the history of an epoch just
closing It marks the sudden leaping
4 Of people into wealth if not into power;
1.-THE fabulous growth of cities, the end Of
| the pioneer STAGE. the beginning OF an
industrial period, and the pressure Of
economic and social problems towards
their solution ~
At least 90, 100000 people have come
full grown into our national life from the
steerage, the womb out of which SO many
of us were born into this newer life.
Most of us came to build and not to de
fstroy; we came as helpers and not ex-
ploiters;~w we brought virtues and vices,
much good and i'll, and that, not because
we belonged to this or the other national
or racial group, but because we were
/ human.
It is easy to- prove that our coming
means the i'll of the nation as that it
means its well-being. To appraise this
fully is much too early; it is a task which
must be left to our children's children,
who will be as far removed from to-day
scant sympathies as from it's overwhelm-
ing prejudices.
The great war has swung us into the
current of world events, and it ought to
bring us larger vision of the forces that
make their peoples. AS yet we are think
ing Historically rather than historically,
and the indications are that we may
not learn anything nor yet unlearn, OF
which we have perhaps the greater need.
Thus far we have become narrower
rather than broader, for the feeling to-
wards our alien population is growing
daily less generous, and our treatment of
it less wise. ~ i
Nor am sure in what wisdom consists;
the situation is complex; for we are the
Balkan, with it's national, racial and re-
ligious contentious. We are Russia,
with it's ghetto, it's Polish and Finnish
problems We are Austria and Hungary,
with their linguistic and dynastic diff
fculties. We are Africa and Asia;
we are Jew and Gentle; we are Protest
ant and Greek and Roman Catholic.
We are everything out of which to shape
the one thing, the one nation, the one
people. IL /. .
Yet l am sure that we can not teach
these strangers the history of their
adopted country and make it their own,
unless we teach them that our history
is theirs as well as ours, and that their
traditions are ours, at least as far as they
touch humanity generally, and convey
to all men the blessings which come from
the struggle against oppression and
superstition.
In their inherited, national prejudices,
in their racial hates, in their tribal
quarrels, we wish to have no share, ex-
cept as we hope to help them forget the
old world hates in the new worlds love.
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None. Of us who have caught vision
Of Wat America may mean to the world
wish to perpetuate here any one phase.
IF Europe's civilization OF any one ma
tional ideal.
: Although our institutions are rooted
in English history, though we speak
England's language and share her rich
heritage of spiritual and cultural wealth,
we do not desire ODE again part Of
or nourish here: Ter ideals Of
an aristocratic society. . ,..zs.S
In. spite Of the fact that for nearly
300 years large part Of our population
HIS been German, and that our richest
cultural values have come from Germany,
in spite CT her marvellous resources in
science, commerce and government, we
do not care to become German, and I
am sure that Americans Of German blood
CT birth would be. the first to repudiate
it, should Germany 5 civilization threaten
to fasten itself upon us.
We .do.nct wish to be Russian, in spite
y +. gS
Of certain values inherent in the Slavic
character, nor do we desire to. be French.
s. We do crave to be an American people, 4
and develop here an American civiliza
ton; but if we are. true to the manifold
genius Of our varied peoples, we may de-
velop here civilization, richer and freer
than any one Of these, based upon all
Of them, truly international and there
FIRE American. IS
Historians tell us that the history Of
the United States illumines and illustrates
the historic processes Of all ages and all
people. IN.
To this they add the disconcerting.
prophecy that we Gre drifting towards
the common goal and that our doleful
future can be readily foretold. We have.
had our hopeful morning, our swift and
brilliant noon, and now the dark and grew
Il ! o4ov,c rs