New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-17
Our Nation of Many Races
The Problem Of the League as At.
fected BY Our Foreign Born

The Problem Of the League as A.
tected BY Our Foreign Born
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In 1.-THE New York Times" Of
the 11th there appears a letter which
attacks Senator Harding's declaration
in a recent speech that, because Of peo-
pie Of foreign birth in the country, the
Wilson league is conducive to disturb
causing the land of adoption of the
foreign born to "st in Judgment on
the land from whence they came" This
letter of Mr.. Forbes argues that the
exception thus taken by Harding, if
developed into a policy, would "scrap
our standard of international morality
which carried US even into the war
against the offending German Empire"
He condemns in his letter any attempt
to soothe the feelings of any part Of
our population in what he calls "our
struggle te achieve international JUS
tice."
Before the experience Of the recent
conflict had been gained and before
the actual demonstration that the
foreign element" 80 called, was Of \
proportion and of an Importance prob
ably never before realized, such a
policy of national Indifference as
urged by this letter might have been
justified. But any thoughtful man
must see In these words Of Harding's
timely warning gained from our ex-
perience in the war. Any one who has
been q witness to the great national
accomplishments which characterized
our part in the war, and who has even
specifically studied the effect on the
country's effort Of this "part Of our
population" must realize that our
Americans Of foreign birth or extrac-
ton have grown, from the beginning
of this nation until the present time.
to be such an essential part Of this
country in all its national activities
that their counsel and cooperation are
sufficiently vital to demand, as Ameri-
cans, consideration. 1t requires no
great deal of thought readily to ap-
preciate that the generous families of
these Americans gave men who formed
All enormous part Of our armies, in
dustrial and military, and that it would
be prejudiced policy, as we'll as an
unsafe one, which did not first strive
for national harmony among these
people, who are such vital and numcr-
GUS part Of this country, before it at
tempted international justice"
1t requires considerable short-sight-
edness, however, to be unable to see
that league which would commit US
to policy for achieving international
justice in any manner not calculated
to keep the foreign-born American
from cultivating partisan feelings of
regard toward the native country
would change us from a unified coun-
try to a collection Of dissenting peo-
Piles. 1t is evident, then, that we can
best achieve whatever international
justice" we may aspire to by avoid
ing the status of judge, if we, as a
nation, want to maintain the records
we have made.
1t was the patient and needful scru.
tiny that preceded our entry into the
war (though it seemed that the facts
justified our earlier entry than was
the case) which, showing up the true
situation Of an empire gone mad. guar
anteed the unified and triumphant en-.
try Of nation of men Of many bloods
but who responded as if they were the
same. Because our entry into the Euro
pean conflict was as q defender of the
sacred rights Of our countrymen, even
the great majority Of German born
Americans and those Of German extrac-
ton were loyal. The former German
Emperor realized this.
And SC review of what experience
we got from the war and the applica.
tion of 1t are reflected in this stand OF
Harding's. And his consideration Of
the millions of true Americans which
form such great part Of this "melt
ing pot" reveals forethought and prac-
ticai common sense. Whether a mar
is Democrat or Republican, so Ions
as he is an American. he ought to have
no difficulty in perceiving this dec
laration of Harding's to be q timely
warning to those who would imperi
Americas strength and consequent US.
TO the world.
JOHN Nj. VAN HEUSEN JR.
Montclair, N. j., Aug. IS, 1920.