Evening star., 1922-09-24
ALL AMERICANS URGED
TO STUDY CONSTITUTION
Nationwide Movement Under Way to
Fanilarize> People With Organic
Law of Lancf.. dr. 4 T.

verbally OF otherwise assaultirg our
government on any occasion. Some
members of Congress are now consider
:ng seriously the necessity Of requiring
all discussions In forum or press where
assauatss upon the. Constitution and on
fundamental institutions are made un-
der the guise Of governmental ques-
tions to be carried on in the English
language. and it may be found wise to
limit it in the presence of a government
official. ;.:: = =f
The gravest question is the Amer
icanization of the American who as
saults. our: fundamental institutions.
Repa esentatiye Fess argues. There are
such within our, borders who are not
subject TO Sexportetion. At times like
these. when coming put of war period
where all fundamental principles of
economics were for the time suspended
and where much suffering is inevitable.
awaiting readjustment, these agitators
sefse upon the occasion to further their
dangerous doctrines by holding the gov
ernrnent responsible for the ills of the
times. "
Calls for Teamwork.
This situation calls for a united ef-
fort on the part Of our entire people.
This work cannot be done by legisla-
tion. 1t must be done by education.
Neither is it the work of the school,
room alone, While the function Of
education is with the, child primarily
work Of Americanization must deal
with the., adult also. 1t must be
done by cooperation of all agen-
cies in the making of public opinion
operating under general direction by
which effective teamwork can be Sc
cured-the church, the press, business
organizations, civic societies. Read
ing the Constitution as a political BIZ
Bile will build up the requisite morale,
these leaders feel certain.
What is this Constitution? From
his lifetime study of it DR.. Fess told
his colleagues: ;
"a group Of men. decade after the
announcement of the fundamental
principle upon which self-government.
was later builded, framed an instru-
ment Of seven short articles. twenty
four short sections. eighty-four brief:
paragraphs, couched in about 400
words. That is the Constitution Of
the United States. written at q time
when men had never seen a steam
boat Or a steam car on an electric!
appliance of any sort. written at a
time when we were but thirteen.
states, 100000 of people. no compli-...
Gated society. but quite simple; writ !
ten at time when, while it is true
that there was one nationality in:
New York, another down in the ex-,,
treme southland of Florida al
though that was not a member of the
thirteen -states-another nationality
in Delaware. and then throughout the
colonies still a fourth nationality.
this instrument, written for these ma
tionalities, constituting 100000 of
people, has lasted up to today, when
we have over 10O.0O0.000 people and
the thirteen states sKirting the sea-
board have now encompassed the con-
tinent, covering a territory so wide
in extent and so diversified in char
acter of resources as to present
problem from that standpoint alone
of national Importance.
Only SIX Notifications.
These empire states, each enjoying
self-government, in interest seem to
be totally antagonistic.. Yet this in
strument-the lConstitution-hasb been
the organic law under which this
marvellous growth, the wonder of the
world, has taken place within the
hundred years Of our. existence as a
nation. Yet In all that time we have
modified it In only six fundamental
items.
up to 1889 there had been proposed
1.736 amendments, but only fifteen
ratified, Which represented but half
dozen real changes.
Respect is due to the fathers and
the instrument that they gave to the
world, which up to date has been the
sheet anchor Of our liberties, and,
which must operate against all the
wild mouthfngs Of the un-American
elements In our midst :. o..
Backed by these feaders.in thought
and legislation and the state execu-
tives. a. nationwide organization IL
growing by leaps and bounds. which
In a few weeks has spread into at
least two-thirds or the states, the
first purpose of which is to maintain
the fundamental. principles Of the
American Eenstituti6n.i: - i
! ~
= = : 7.S !. 49, = = - q