South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-09-14

constitution of the United States. On
that day, Sept. II, in 1887, the constitutional
convention completed its work, and the dele
gates issued forth to take the damnation of
those two extremes Of human thought. always
present in advance movements; of the conserv-
atives who regard every new thing IS too rsdi-
cal. and the radicals who regard everything as
old and too conservative.
This year. incident TO our Americanization
novement-Thich IS sadly needed, particularly
IN the legislative branch of the American gov
eminent itssf,-it IS urged that special study
be made of that charter of human liberty on
its birthday, but, since at md-week, it Is doubt
full if many will rest to consider it, IN their mad
quest of weslth-or in lodging the shafts of
poverty,-this has been declared a sort Of Con-
stitutional Sunday 10 be kept holy with secular
thoughts.
II is well that this Should be. We are nearer
today to the Reputation OF the fundamentals OF
that document than ever before in the nations
history. Those fundamentals all couched IN
the preamble. The rest Of the constitution IS
given ever to forms and processes; to dslsgat-
Cd powers and bills of rights.
eve the people of the United States"-our
colonial fathers,-framed and adopted that
constitutions; "we the people," not the labor
unions, nor the agricultural societies, nor the
banking interests, nor the railroad presidents,
nor the steel magnates Tor the harvester trust
nor the packing industry, nor the chambers of
commerce, nor any other set Of Prussianlike
''junkers," such as today seem operating to
overthrow that spirit of democracy, and though
clinging to the form, substituting therefor in
reality, government of ciques
Indeed. Is it well that this has been declared
Constitutional Sunday" and that it is Sunday;
the socalled Lords day, the Sabbath, and that
we should study the American constitution to-
day, particularly as to the fundamentals, some
what IN that spirit of altruism Suggesting that
you look the word ''altruism" up), with which
we profess to approach the holy altars-long-
ing for truth.
MUCH was said-Previous to the armistice,
wi about German propaganda in Amer
lea, and the Pro-Germanism that resulted. 1t
was much less in evidence, however, during the
war, or before it, than it has become since in
America today, a considerable element
while yelling AUGMENTATION from the house
tops, is by the mental attitudes Of its compo-
nents and modes of operation, doing every
thing to Prussianize America that possibly can
be done-the Hun, as military power, hav-
ing been eliminated from the contest
For bear IN mind that as Americanism is
state Of mind, and trend Of thought as well
as a governmental and economic system based
upon equality, and reason and freedom and
justice,-so also Prussianism Is a state of mind
and trend of thought, and governmental and
economic system that depends not upon reason,
equality, freedom and justice, but upon the SUI
Periority of various instruments of force.
BOth-Americanism and Prussisnism--are
spirits, a texture Of impulse, a tendency of
mind, a sense of morals, quality of soul in
grown desgn,-and all outward manifesto
TONS In forms of government, modes of life.
and social, economic-even religious-atti-
tudes, are mere materialzatiCns of those spirits,
impulses, mentalities, morals, soul-Powers and
designs
Sheer at ideals as much as you like but the
lives of men and nations are both moulded by
them. It has been said that beauty. explained
Greece, and glory Rome; that conquest has
been the vice Of Spain; fickeness caused the
downfall of France. Power is ever England
dream, and force-autocratic force, to compel
world obedience to its wills the sole ambi-
ton of the Prussian.
What words, significant of destiny, exem-
plify America? To talk AUGMENTATION mere
ly In the language Of the constitution is the
cheapest kind Of twaddle. The constitution is
manifestation of AmericanSIn. not American
ism itself; "modus opersndr'-to borrow
from the Lstins,-same the grain IN the
fields are manifestations of the kind of seed
sown and of the fertility of the soil.
These manifestations are important as an ex-
hibition Of effects but to Americanize America
we must go back, or down, or up, and satu-
rate America with the cause. What must have
been the state Of the American mind sense of
morals, faint of impulse. quality OF soul, that