New-York tribune., 1920-03-28
Republic, by
]. .'lgno'ringPerils,
May Yet Fall
Military Invulnerability
Called a Misnomer in
Land That Still Stands as
/ Babe" Among Nations
Many Narrow Escapes
/ sAmericanization Through
the Medium of Education
: Is Proposed as Safeguard

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: For generations the American
people have basked in the sunshine of
false sense of security in regard to
their country and it's magnificent in
stitutions. The apparent sublime faith
: in the infallibility and perpetuity' of
! our civic contributions to mankind, as
( exemplitied by the Declaration of In
!. dependence and the Constitution of the
/ United States, is equalled only by the
stupendous folly of the persistent be-
lief in the military invulnerability of
our Republic. This frame of mind has
: become so characteristic that it is
sometimes hailed by those of little
vision as the "spirit of America" and
! is, unfortunately. often regarded abroad
{ as braggadocio.
|; But what basis have we for this sub
lime faith? Are, we not still "babe
in arms" in the history of nations? Is
our national existence of 140 years so
devoid of warnings and narrow cs-
capes, both from without and within,
as to warrant such confidence?
And, militarily, is not our history
! down to this very hour a series of ter
ribly costly experiences resulting from
{ the unheeded lessons of the past? No,
. there is no logical reason for this
I strange tenacious delusion of security
and invulne ability.
l.. L
fittest is immutable and it determines
the fate of nations. The conception of
our form of government was a magnif-
I icent experiment. 1t was launched and
received initial impetus by those
I master minds that conceived it. 1t
: must continue to be nourished from
never ending course of apprecative,
, libertyloving people. Why have we
an awakening of the national virl
ity only in wartime when there are
. twenty years of peace to one of war?
Simply because no definite and COM
prehensive policy to Americanize our
citizenry ever has been promulgated.
Americanization should be the most
important plank in the coming Repub-
lican platform. The party will do
Well 20 IeCOSHiLe lIllS anu Icdltle tlidI
it can be accomplished only through
education under Federal supervision,
making compulsory knowledge of our
! language, our form of government and
{ insistence upon the recognition of the
z principle of service to the state as
I an honor in addition to being the
paramount duty of citizenship.
Under present conditions probably
10 per cent of our citizens do most
,Epf the thinking and mold the opin-
lions OF the remainder. The privilege
and duty of franchise is treated too
,/andfferently and often wholly neg
Elected. All manner of subterfuge is
%resorted to in defrauding the govern
s>ment of its revenues and the evasion
<<of jury duty is common occurrence.
.<Yet what right have such offenders
.<peace slackers-to complain of condi-
3tions in a representative form of gov
ernment in which they refuse to "pull
s5their own weight in the boat?
" Until conditions are materially i'm
>provcd we will never be even par
Xtially justified in our present ("In God
1--WE Trust') faith in the security of
t>this beloved land. A. G.. JUDD