New-York tribune., 1919-11-23
ment. 1t is his corresponding duty to
facilitate by reasonable concessions
our entry into that partnership.
162o-1e2o

Snone TO many SO wrote Governor |
William Bradford of the landing of
l02 men, women and children on
Massachusetts Bay in 1920, by which
we commonly date the beginnings of |
our America. Next year will mark
the passage of three centuries since
that small adventure, so propheti-
cally described by it's leader. AL
ready plans are in hand for an elab
crate celebration of the year; and it
is of especial interest to find in The
Contemporary Reuieao an account of
what England is proposing to do in
honor of the occasion. =,
The Anglo-American Society. of
which the Duke of Connaught is
president, has charge of the arrange
ments, working in cooperation with
the Mayfower committee of the Free
Church Council and the Sulgrave In
stitution Of America. An elaborate
program Of educational lectures is
planned for the coming winter. In
May and June it is expected that a
representative American delegation
Will visit England to partake in. CON-
memorative exercises at Scroohv
(where William Brewster lived)
Austerfield, Boston, Cambridge and
other English places connected with
the origin Of the Pilgrim movement.
A visit to Holland on the invitation
of the Leyden. committee will follow,
covering the ground touched by the
Pilgrims during their twelve years
residence in the Netherlands, from
1908 to 1920. The sailing of the
Mayf1ower will be commemorated at
Southampton and Plymouth, and on
September 16, the date of the final
departure from Plymouth, the Brit
ish delegates, with their American
and Dutch colleagues, will sail for
Boston.
1t is thus in the latter part Of next
year-it was on November 19 that
Cape Cod was sighted, after nine
weeks voyage-that the great occa-
slons will naturally take place in this
country. There have been historic
celebrations of the Pilgrim landing
before in America. But we are con-
fldent the coming anniversary will
surpass them all in moving appeal.
1t will be pleasure to unite with
Britons in joint praise of these typi-
cally Ang1o-Saxon ancestors Of ours
who lit the small candle of 1920.
Further, the nation will wish to pay
devoted homage to that typical be-
ginning of America which has for
three hundred years maintained at
its heart Of hearts the pioneer cour-
age and tradition.
Lord Weardale, writing Of the ter
centenary, quotes from John Mase-
field passage deserving every
Americans reading. The words are
from an introduction to the "Chron-
icles of the Pilgrim Fathers" in the
Everyman's Library:
"a generation fond of pleasure, dis
inclined toward serious thought and
| shrinking from hardship will find it
difficult to imagine the temper, cour-
age and mnnliness of the emgrants
who made the first Christian settle
ment of New England. For man to
give up all things and fare forth into
savagery in order to escape from the
responsibilities of life = in order,
that Is, to serve the devil, whose
feet are bound by civiization'-is
common. Giving up nll things in orr
der to serve God is g sternness for
which prosperity has untitled us.
For nll the Mayhower's sail
ing, there is, perhaps, little existing
in modern England or America, ac-
cording to the Primitive Pattern in
the Word of God 1t would be
healthful could either country see
herself through the eyes of those
pioneers, or see the pioneers as they
were. They were plain men Of
moderate abilities, who, giving up all
things, went to live in the wilds, at
unknown cost to themselves, in order
to preserve to their children n life
in the SOUL"
Renewed respect for the Pilgrim
spirit, for old America, has been one
outgrowth Of the war. And there is
also on which to build in this coun-
try factor which Mr.. Masefield
does not take up-the fresh and re-
newing waves Of pioneering which
each generation, from 1920 to 1920,
have participated in. Much of the
country may have grown soft in
temper and courage. The frontier
ever pushing westward, has kept
alive something Of the Pilgrim soul
in our strongest and best. Yet the
warning of Mr.. Masefeld is de-
served and pointed. We need in
1920 as never before the spirit of
1900 Nov O,,r coy,o;pr ,,,o,~,o~; 81 c