Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-07-15
Rev. John H. Yates
Writes On "Americanism"
In Church Magazine

Writes on "Americanism"
In Church Magazine
Rev. John II. Yates, rector Of ST.
Marks church of Waterville and
chaplain OF the American Legion.
State OF Maine, who during the war
was chaplain Of the L. S. s. Melville,
the flagship Of Admiral Sims. has a
thoughtful article in The American
Church Monthly" of New York.
The subject Of DR.. Yates article
fs "Anericanization and European
Culture"
America, to be true TO herself.
must reject every temptation to
pride. exclusiveness and intolerance
and must champion now, as in the
past, all that is best among all the
peoples OF the earth" declares Mr.
Yates.
He reaches this, his main thesis,
BY carefully built up and logicaI
argument. He opens his article with
a brief sketch of conditions before
the war when there was little inter
est in Annericanization until we were
"confronted by the necessity of ad-
Justing ourselves to the unprece-
dented task. for US, OF sending q
great army TO Europe"
With the coming OF the war we
&onnd that We were harboring whole
COLONIES of unassimilated foreigners.
millions OF whom were in active
sympathy with our enemies. The de-
mand 70 Americanize the foreigner
is now raised on every side. Into
the hot crucible of Americanism
must every foreigner be thrown and
there must he stew until every trace
OF foreign culture is consumed
The writer believes that in so far
as by Americanization is meant the
lifting up of the unlettered. uncul-
tured ignorant foreigner 10 the level
of the highest American standards
of culture, the movement is d worthy
one. an idealism combined with the
real interests Of our future peace
and prosperity.
But he thinks that the movement
has It's dangers. rs there not" he
asks, in the minds of many who are
pressing this cause with the great
est ZEAL feeling that America and
American ideals must be made su-
prerne, must dominate all other
ideals must perhaps. destroy all
other ideals?" He continues, IF
this is SO, is it not true that such
people are near to feeling, in respect
to our culture just the same way
that the Germans felt regarding
theirs; that 1t is the best and as such
should be made to supplant all 9TH
ers?"
IF Americanization means and
just IN SO far as II means, a lifting
up, 1t deserves our support. If i,
means a pulling down. it calls for
eevere condemnation"
Calling attention to the fact that
when our men began to pour into
France 1t was the hope o: many
that they would be greatly benefited
by contact with the magnificent cul-
turc OF that great nation, the writer
laments that the result was quite the
reverse. The boys came back with
the feeling that France is a pretty
poor place and that America alone
ie Code country. He tells Of the
"gob" who wrote q long description
Of Interesting places In England and
Scotland and closed with the conclu-
sion that It Is "a lot of old bunk"
Ignorance, you Eay>" queries the
writer, And what are we doing 10
combat It? II is ignorance and very
dangerous ignorance, for 1t is the
STUFF out OF which wars are bred.
Must We not balance the narrow
ing tendency OF Americanization by
teaching along with it the necessity
Of respect and admiration for for
e;gn culture md ideals? Now OF
oil times we need to have the great
est possible sympathy foc the other
nationa or the world. Now when the
~oTlc Is IN the throes accompanying
tho birth Of new age will 1t not
DO fatal to the worlds progress and
future poace for US to withdraw
within tho shell OF too carefully
guarded and circur1scribed nation
nl!sna? We must guard against de
veloptns the oxclusiveness of the
Jewa of old. who held all Gentiie.
In contempt of the Greeks who
Ecoraod tho barbay!ans, Of the Ro-
name who dospised the rest of man
kind and OF the Germans who did
likewise.
Tho millions who died in the
Great War died no. for France, for
Tor humanity. As result Of their
sacrifices a deepening sense Of hu-
man brotherhood. Of the solidarity
OF mankind. is spreading over the
world. It Is not unreasonable to be-
lieve that any nation. no matter how
great that nation may be, which ven-
lures, consciously or unconsciously to
oppose, for its own supposed inter
ests, that increasing purpose which
runs through the ages, whose end is
Righteousness. peace and love.-that
any such nation is in the way d.
cutting itself off from the line ii
true progress with the inevitable
certainty Of stagnation and death
ahead Of II.
This can not be the destiny OF
America The ideals of our FORE
fathers whom we venerate do not
point In this direction. America, tt
be true 70 itself. must reject every
tenn ptation TO pride. exclusiveness