The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-03-21


Represented In the 0snsrsi Advertising Field by
CONE. LoRENzEN wooDMAN
| chicaso Detro Kansas CITY, Atlanta
FRIDAY MoRNNo. MAacH g 1s1e
AMERICA AND AMERICANISM.
Franklin X. Lane, secretary of the interior
says:
4 1T has never seemed to me that it was diff.
cult to define Americanization or Americanism
I appreciate something, / admire something,
love something. want you, my friends, my
neighobors, to appreciate and admire and love
that thing, too. That something is America. :
The process is not one of science; the process
is one Of humanity. But just as there is nc
way by which the breath of life can be put into
q mans body, once it has gone OUT so there Is
no manner by which, with all our wills, we car
make an American out of man who is not IN
spired by our ideals and there is way by
which we can make anyone feel that it is q
blessed and splendid thing to be an American
unless we are ourselves aglow it'll the sacred fire
unless we interpret Americanism by our kind
ness our courage, our generosity, our fairness.
We have made stintless sacrifices during this
war; sacrifices of money and blood sacrifices
sacrifices in our industries; sacrifices of time
and effort and preferment and prejudice. Much
of that sacrifice shall be found vain if we do not
prepare to draw to ourselves those later corners
who are at once opportunity and our re-
sponsibility and such responsibilities invoke and
fortify the noblest qualities of national character
There is in every one of us. however educated
and polished a secret, selfish, arrogant ego and
there is in every one of US also real nobility.
In this war could see that there came out i'm
mediately the finer man, and that better self
we must keep alive.
We expect that man to search out his immi-
:<~Il, Ioy1d
mine as well. Let me share in the wisdom and
instruct me in the arts and crafts you have
brought from other lands and shall help you
succeed here"
There is no difficulty in this, if our attitude
is right Americanism is entirely an attitude Of
mind; it is the way we look e. Nhings that makes
us Americans.
When the immigrant has gained his first idea
Of American law and order by being helped to
avoid the contract labor law, he finds he has
changed the poverty of peasants hut for the
misery of tenement, miners shack or con-
struction camp and the tyranny of monarch
who was long way off for that Of a straw boss
who is always very near.
His first experience as an elector and joint
ruler of great nation is apt to come through
vote for his job.
He is untouched by the stream Of democracy
that flows through the corner grocery, the vii
lage church, the local lodge, the public school
and the Chautauqua. His relation to govern
ment is through the saloon-keeper and petty boss
Of his own nationality who transmits, at very
long range, the orders of great corporation con-
trolled political machine.
The only place where he enjoys equality of
thought and action is in the gang where he
works. There he shares grievances rather than
privileges.
The union becomes to him what the commit
tees of correspondence" were to the revolution
airy fathers of 1776. It is the common demo-
cracy that helps him to throw off the tyranny
that is nearest and most hateful to him. It gives
him share in the government that touches him
most closely-that of the shop.
In the union hall he finds the modern type of
town meeting. AS in that earlier gathering,
from which historians trace free Institutions,
the common affairs of daily life. affecting the
manner of working and living in their closest
details, are discussed and determined. Here he
finds democracy that is still real, growing and
concerned with the present.
In his union the immigrant first casts an equal