Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-07-20
Appreciates The South.

virginia, mac tnls 10 say about the
southern city and its people:
Nothing looked small or cheap and
Richmond, indeed, as for that any
other city, may be proud OF it. had
the privilege Of seeing the pageant
from the browning OF the queen to the
last performance on Monday night,
May %, and | can say was perhaps
more interested in it than many a Vir-
ginian, although was not born in this
country and have only read in my
school years about the glorious Amer
lean history, but can congratulate
Richmond for such grand success.
1t was not this outward success
which impressed me most as went for
two weeks in and out among the good
people Of Virginia, but studied the
faces. temperaments, the behavior and
the habits Of the people in Dixieland
Psychology has always been my hobby
and may, therefore, perhaps be
pardoned when make special study
Of men and women OF the respective
countries in which travel Let me
tell you right here, have never felt
that | was in America till struck
Virginia. Why so, is the question, of
course.
Because New York and most of the
Northern cities, as to the population,
are very much like Europe. But
when came down South Of the Mason
Dixon line, believe | found the best
American physical specimens. These
fine, tall, frank, open-faced men of
Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky
and these beautiful Southern ladies,
no doubt are the descendants Of the
original American emigrants Of which
the pageant in its historic aspect re-
minded me. II seemed to me could
read the spirit Of idealsm in all rep
resentatives faces, and couldn't help
but admire the intelligent, contented,
kind, consderate, self-possessed and
self-respectng spirit Of the true South
erners, which is not found much in the
materialistic cities OF the North and
West, which a thoughtful outside OBJ
server is forced to notice. A fine peo-
pie, these Virgnians, | could not help
but say to myself, and if we're to
select the people to live among, and the
place in America to stay, Virginia and
her people would be the place.
Now, Just one word more, il am
permitted, about the great good such
historical pageant is bound to pro-
duce. don't wish to emphasize the
commercial or political value of this so
much, although they are bound to be
gerat III time, but must tell the good
American people the enormous patri-
otto value of such a celebration. Eu-
rope has been for the last fifty years,
and is at the present time, in a most
awful way infected by the deadly germs
of Bo!SheviSm, Communism and an
archy, which in the end will ruin any
country and people if permitted to
grow. 1t has ruined Russia, it has
ruined Hungary, Austria and Germany /
in part 1t is today threatening Eng /.
land, France, and in fact all Europe |
and Asia. Its influence is felt in this ,
dear land, especially in the northern .
cities, and if not counteracted, will get
such 4 good hold in America that il will
come to blOodshed and God only know
what We, in little Switzerland. which .
has been a republic for nearly 700 .
years, are situated right in the middlt
OF these movements and agitations. .
We have for years been tormented .
by the propaganda of anarchism and .
communism, but we have stood the .
the storm, and We stand today a free
and united little people surrounded /
on all sides BY the wreckage of wars
and revolution. How did you do it?
How I'D YOU hold out? How could
you stand it. These are the questions
wh;-0 have teen asked a hundred
times sine ! came to America. The
answer IS very simple. 1t is this:
We remained true to ourselves. That
lis, we remained Swiss. We taught
our children the glorious history of
Switzerland. in the school, in drama,
in pageants, till every boy and girl was
im5ued with the spirit of Swiss ratri-
otism, so that BoSheviSm and extreme
socialism and anarchism. and any Of
these destructive theories could find
no room in their heart or head
,pagea7ts. yes, pageants, in every