The Washington times., 1918-03-31
WHAT MAKES
AN AMERICAN
Prof. McKeever Tells
His Ideas on Who's I
Who and Why
By William A. McKeever.


tone Of the nation's foremost au-
tAsritiea on problems Of child
+ heod and sseioIogy.)
IVY no is q real Ameriean1 who
w 10 not? All are agreed that
we now have only.these two
classes-AmericanS and Not Ameri-
cans. The children are everywhere
discussing this question and we
must help. them with the answer.
One small schoolboy was settling
the matter for his chums when he
exclaimed. "rll tell you. whenever
fsller's named Fritz that's a sign
he's q German"
Ask a group Of boys and girls
Of the grammar school age to ez-
plain who 10 q real American and
why. and the great variety Of an
svers win easily suggest the nscss-
sity Of clear ana careful instrue-
tion. Who can give itf
Now. there are; two great. funda-
mental rules to be obssrved In
teaching the young-ntst to be
guided BY the native Impulse or
interest; second. to choose . topic
which is prs-eminently and per-
sistsntIy In the public mind.
Ordinarily preadelsscent children
do not care . pennys worth who is
an American. who not But the
noise and sxcitsmsht about the war
have forced the subject upon their
attention. and the explanation
should be given to this coming gem
GRAFTON promptly and clearly. Thus
a new and better American COM
monwealth will be conceived Of for
the future. se,s.,-.-a
whersfors. It Il our first duty to
explain to the young that we are
now defining AmericanIsm In terms
Of gsnuins ana activs loyalty-thaI
some Who are aliens in q legal
ssnss szs tsus TO- and devoted in
their service of our flag; that some
naturaI-born and some naturaliEed
eitisens are faiiinEto pass the new
test.
Indeed. this 10 q rather startling
affair for US adult minds to consider
for ourselves. as welt ~ fors our.
children. namely. that certain mem
bers OF the so-ealled Oldest and best
families are cold and indifferent at
this time. IL not slaeksrs. and that
certain sturdy immigrants are rush-
ing into the American Army with
most commsndable entkusiasn.
It is point Of view. an attitude
toward Government and progress. =
sense OF right and righteous
ness. to-day as never before IN a
half century. that Is separating the
American sheep from the foreign
goats. One by one the whole pop
ulation is to be called upon and each
asked to show positive proof that
he Is loyal to our cause. There is
now such q variety of ways to lend
a hand or a dollar or otherwise as
slst that no reasonable excuse re-
mains.
But reckless boys are now guy
ing" not a few men who happen to
have a German name or who speak
with a German accent At this hour
OF Intense feeling II Is well-nigb i'm
possible to undo the insult or in
Jury that may thus be indicted upon
innocent and loyal citizens. Just at
this point the guardians et the
young must forestalI erroneous
Juvenile actions with both caution
and explanation.
Here, then. in a word. Is our best
method Of teaching young America
a. 20 loyalty: To have him con-
sidsr words and deeds rather than
names and records OF citizenship;
to explain TO him in simple terms
the fact that We must all stand or
fall together In the momentious
business In which we are now en-
gagged; to explain how the Stacker
10 much more than an innocent
or ignorant offender and how the
failure of many like him may
amount to such . menace as to
threaten the very existence OF the
nation itself: finally to make Il
clear that the blood OF our own
boys Is the terrible price TO be
charged against those who now
attempt to confuse or hinder the
leaders of this nation.