The sun., 1919-01-26
patriotism. the gener

York and vicinity. was developed At The
January meeting by paper on current
events read by the secretary, Frank 5.
Hackett, a Lieutenant from the Flying
Squadron" of speakers and headmaster
of Riverdale Country School. The gath
ering was held at the Columbia Cniver-
sity Club. West For;y-third street The
newly elected president. Frederick II.
Paine of E,aatern District High School.
occupied the chair in place OF Or. Eugene
c. Alder of Adelphi Academy, Brooklyn.
who has Just arrived in Paris for his
work with the Khaki University.
At the meeting proper beautiful tribute
was pa id to the late Theodore G. Mitchll.
head of the Jamaica High School. who
had read the principal paper on the
teaching of patriotism through English
at the very last gathering of the associa-
ton. The memorial minutes to Mr..
Mitchlll are published elsewhere on this
page. There was also a memorial reso-
luton for Orville q. Wheeler.
Prior to the topic of the meeting Major
Frederick S. Greene OF the Engineers OF
the Seventy-seventh Division. who has
just arrived from France, told the Won
derful story of how the New York boys
won the terrific battle of the Argonne
Forest. Major Greene was applauded to
the echo.
Captain Alfred Brown of the American
Red Cross. Field Director of Civilian Re-
lief OF the Third Naval district, also
painted vivid picture of an artists
conception of democracy versus radical
ism. He was very much for democracy.
On the teaching OF patriotism through
current events the ideas of Mr.. HaCkett
received the warm approval of the entire
meeting Furthermore, a resolution was
unanimously passed approving the bill
now being introduced in the Legislature
at Albany by Senator Law forbidding
the use OF the red flag at public gather
ings in this State. Mr. Hacketts paper.
in part, follows:
What we Americans mean by patriot
ism needs no philosophical definition. 1t
has been amply demonstrated in this
war
When without thought OF national
gain we threw ourselves into this con-
fct when without regard to class or
race, or creed. or previous occupation we
summoned the able to fight, and then
trained and equipped in marvellously
short time the most democratic army.
and the army which our allies so grace
fully call most effective: when through
out the length and breadth of our land
we Joined the army behind the army"
and stinted ourselves that we might sup
port with beth food and supplies not
only our own soldiers, but the devas-
tated countries of Europe and the near
East: when the myriad workers in the
unheralded places made possible the
bridge OF ships, the mountains Of am
munition and guns and the vast clouds
of airplanes: when the chemical engi-
reers denying heir bodies rest. some of
them even to the death. applied them
selves relentlessly until they had discov-
cred the means of thwarting the fiendish
gases Of the Huns. and until they had
developed a gas OF irresistible power.
which had much TO do with the swift de-
bacle Of the enemy; when everywhere
plain men and women turned unheralded
from gainful occupations to serve the
Government, and when big merchants
and little transformed their whole man
ner Of business TO help the cause--then
indeed the world learned what contem-
porary American patriotism is.
You will realize of course that this
IN no way implies that I feel our patrio-
tism exceeds that our our Allies. How
sorry figure we should make at boast
ing! To be infinitely humble we have
only 20 remember the four dark years
Of this struggle, during three Of which
we wondered and talked-but did rot
prepare. Meanwhile that grim gray iinc
OF English ships alone kept the Hun
from his cowardly attacks upon our un-
defended seaports. and those thrown to-
sether armies of the glorious Belgians.
the heroic French and the sturdy Brit
ons held back the m!ghtiest army the
world had ever conceived We can
Cever forget that what was permitted
us TO achieve was possible only because
of the infinite sacrifice, the vast work
and the supreme planning OF our allies
which preceded our entry.
These great facts. however, In no
way diminish the superb American ia
triotism which our participation in the
war has shown. OF this patriotism. I
think II may fairly be said that It was
taught, and. indeed. that 1t was sent
home by. II not through. current events
Though the profession OF teaching has
always made my heart beat high. It
has never sent the blood more swiftly
coursing than now. ! cannot but re-
member that our country IS not yet
fully a nation. It has in abundance
material out OF which We can build a
great nation; out of which this war
has developed finer national con-
seriousness than ever before. but out of
which l am sure none of US feels that
there has yet fully been wrought the
structure planned by the sgners OF the
Declaration of Independence and by the
makers of the Constitution. To realize
this we have only to remember THAT the
five millions or more OF our neighbors
who do not speak our tongue, and the
indefinite number who understand al
most nothing of our ideals. Let US re-
member. however. that progressive bet
terInent, and not fulflment. Is the true
great mass Of our people as Jefferson
insisted. are teachable. With all the
shortcomings OF cur work as teachers
we still in this army have shown a great
Job. for We prepared the leaders for
The swift acquisition by our whole ma
ton of martial spirit and ability.
With all due tribute TO the rank and
fle OF our draft army Il Is the fact that
this spirit Of American patriotism was
instilled largely by the leaders. VITA
all possible reverence for the WONDER
full spirit Of our country by and large,
II is also the truth that vast numbers
had to be educated as to the causes OF
the war and the meaning OF American
participation. I cannot but feel that
this particular group of men. and those
brave spirits who before us have made
the Schoolmasters Association a power
for educational advancement, have
shared in this splendid victory.
Far the greater number of officers
we're volunteers, college men trained at
Plattsburg. In these youths our work
has certainly not failed to preserve the
fine strain OF American tradition. Called
not only by tho high adventure of war
but by deep reverence for the American
cause, a. those OF US who have had their
confidence must know, they leaped at
the first opportunity to serve. Without
enobbery or pretence. without any
''holier than thou" attitude they schooled
themselves to be worthy leaders of fell
Tow Americans II is significant that no
single instance OF cowardice is to nv
knowledge. recorded, and that even cases