The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1921-02-10
WORLD STUDIES
AMERICAN IDEAL
Hon. C. L. jerks of Evans
ton Delivers Inspiring
Address Here.
WAS GUEST MEETING

A season of tireless effort to stress
the Americanization phase of the
Daughters of the American Revolution
program was brought to climax Mon
day evening at a guest night meeting
at the Elks' club, in an address on
'The Power of the American Ideal"
| by Hon. Chancellor L. jerks of Evans
ton, Ill. Mr.. jerks is the director
general of the national society, Sons
of the Revolution. He has devoted
much time to the study of American
ism and his address denoted his sin
cere interest in the subject. Mr..
jerks is something more than a gift
ed speaker, he is controller who
works his audience as puppet, know
ing the exact moment for pathos to be
turned to laughter and laughter to
deeper understanding of the problems
of the day.
| "There is no audience l would ra-
Their address on patriotic subject than
one composed of Daughters of the
American Revolution" said Mr.. jerks.
'Your aims, your ideals, your high
purposes are identical with those of the
great organization I have the honor
to represent.
We owe to our big sisters much in
inspiration, in defniteness of direction,
in fearlessness. We are smaller in
numbers only because we fail to throw
ourselves into patriotic labor to the
extent you do. The time will come
when we will follow you more and more
closely The nearer we approach your
methods and your enthusiasm the
nearer we approach our own ideals
Not only are we united in patriotic
purpose but in the identity of our
ancestral requirements for member
ship. In both organizations the door
of admission is opened by the shadowy
hand of loyal Revolutionary fore
fathers"
Then followed a discourse on the
tracihgs of the family tree which Mr..
jerks defined as "good- humored rail-
lery"'. 81 have attempted" he Said,
'to poke little fun a tthe foibles
and snobbery of those who fall into
the error of basing claim to personal
recognition on their ancestors. It's
a fine thing to, be descended from. pa
triotic- forefathers provided the grad
lent sof the descent is not too abrupt.
"We as members of the Sons and
Daughters of the American Revolution
have serious responsibilities and SOL
emn duties. These do not rest upon
our descent. Our descent is merely an
incident. A fine descent is nothing
unless it makes us decent ourselves.
Our task is to invest the word patriot
ism with broader meaning. It is
ours to demonstrate that great truth
that our forefathers builded better
than they knew. 1t is ours to streng
then, enlarge, and beautify the super
structure which stands upon the
foundation our forefathers laid. We
must never cease to revere what was
(fnea in the past. But the only fitting
way to recognize and repay our debt
to the past is to ennoble the living
present.
''The war which we have been lately
engaged in was a testing time for the
souls of men. In the worldwide al
truistic effort of men to help their
brother man men and women attained
great heights of spirituality. Truth
became more definitely outlined in the
vision of men. A lofty purpose en-
nobled and steadied the thoughts of
the race These unselfsh inspirations
have the quality of eternal life. They
are as much a part of our present
spiritual experiences as in the days
of the wars activities. They were Civ
en- to us to hold forever. They have
not vanished regardless Of what the
whining pessimist may say. The great,
the beautiful, the true, the unselfsh
thought, is perpetually young. 1t is
infused with eternal youth"
The Ideal of Americanism.
Mr.. jerks carried his audience to
the days of 1917 when the boys went
"over there" He paid sincere tribute
to youth which could flaunt its joy
BUSINESS through hardship and danger.
"The inspiration of the late war will
never de-" said Mr.. jerks. "He is a
r3ltroon who entertains single gloomy
foreboding. Rather let US pattern af-
ter our soldier boys, let US achieve a
clearer concept of the value of cheer
and confidence in America. 1t is ours
to prove that the boys did not meet
lifes most splendid adventure in vain.
Their higher purpose was the uncov-
ering and exaltation Of certain fun
damental verities of life, which the
Grass world has buried in gross for
getfulness. They went over there to
crystalize the faith of mankind in the
power of good. AS your lad and my
lad grew into larger manhood under
the~ quickening inspirations of their
glorious emprise, we, too, if we were
worthy of our heroic sons, if the blood
of our forefathers has not weakened to
water in our veins, have experienced a
greatening of thought, an ennobling of
purpose which are to US wars com
pensations. Theirs was a grand and