, 1922-05-26
American Idealism

After ali that has been said in re-
cent years to the dispara1ement of
American ideals in the International
affairs there remains Il least one
American who is not afraid to accept
She challenge of our European crltics
and to maintain boldly that in the
field OF humanitarianism the United
States has made an original contrfbu-
ton to the higher idealism of che
world. Professor Lindsey Biayney, Of
Rice Institute. Houston. Texas, de
tends this thesis in the North Ameri-
can Review.
In art, literature, law and science
it is admitted that our achievements.
while commendable. have not been
J outstanding. 1t would seem thai the
highest idealism of the UniteS States
mas not yet expressed itself in any
of these fields.
There was art, to be sure, before
Greece, legal systems before Rome,
and humanitarianism before the birth
of the United States. But art be
came great art first in Greece, be-
cause Hellenic ideaIism was profound
ly artistic; legal procedure became a
$500 u ~ "a III ANOAilts bE
cause the idealism of Rome was es-
sentiaIly legal; the spirit of philan-
thropic endeavor became worldwide
humanitarian service first in America.
because the idealism of the United
States has been and is prominently
humanitarian. We cast no aspersions
upon the artistic taste of other ma
tons in assigning a supreme place in
D. a-N - $780, --1.II - - -
same token. draw any %invidious com
parison in the field of humanitarian
ism when we recognize the simple his
~torical act that the United States
of America is the first great nation
OF the world to make lSe spirit of
distnterested human service the mea-
sure of a nation as well as of a man.
in the veins of whose Individual citi-
zens the spirit of classic art flowed
so irresistibly as in the citizen of
Athens, so there has never been a ma
ton in the blood of whose individual
citizens the spirit of philanthropy
and will to human service pulsated so
strongly as in that of the citizen OF
the United States. Greece gave TO
tho world supreme beauty in art. May
we rot hope that history will record
that the people of the United States
gave to the world supreme grandeur
in service?
In Professor Blayney's opinion it is
not the Great War. as many have
thought. but the war with Spain that
made America a world power.
h war with Spain was not willed
by President Mckinley. nor by his
associates, but vas demanded in
countless petitions and clamorous ap-
peals by the American people of all
classes in the name If justice and of
human rights at a moment when the
government hesitated to take the
grave step. n when the war was
brought to a victorious conclusion.
this selfish American people with
drew from Cuba without a thought of
reward or compensation. thereby add.
ing through disinterested idealism a
new and rich jewel TO tho bright dia-
dem OF young republics Of n world.
But before so doing. America trans
formed HAVANA at the sacrifice of the
lives OF courageous American medical
men, from a veritable pesthole into
one of the most healthful cities of
the world. In Panama, in Venezuela,
and again in h Philippines. the true
spirit Of DISTINGUISHED ~helpfulness and
of generous characterization was
eloquently exemplified by h people
of the United States.
When the story Of American admin
istration in the Philippines shall have
been finally recorded, brilliantly ilu-
mined by the long and illustrious roll
of honor of the American men and
women best interests OF an alien peo-
pie. no finer chapter of American his.
tory will have been penned, nor more
co elusive evidence adduced OF the
fundamentally humanitarian char
acter OF the American mind and heart.
And again. what a strange form Of ma
tional -selEishness' it wal which