Arizona republican., 1922-03-01
The Incunbency Of Greatness
BY OR. FRANK CRANE
Copyright 1921 by Frank Crane)

|
There seems to be little doubt that the United
States is great country.
She admits it.
And what is probably more to the point other
nations are admitting it.
She is great not only in natural resources, in
wealth, and in the vgor of her population but great
also in her moral influence what she says today has
probably more effect in the councils of the world than
has the word of any other nationality.
Two recent visitors have borne testimony to this
situation. One is Briton, Lord Rddell prominent
British newspaper publisher, who has returned home
after having served official representative at the
Disarmament Conference. He says that he detected
distinct undercurrent Of feeling in America that the
old world is the wane and that America is destined
to become the financial commercial shipping, artistic
and scientific center of the world and that she is also
destined to be the source from which political ideas
will emanate.
Marshal Foch, the distinguished Frenchman who
commanded the allied forces in the late war, made
visit to the United States Travelled throughout the
try, and as he stepped aboard the steamer for home
declared, according to the Paris Times:
America is a reservoir Of inexhaustibIe energy
and labor. had guessed its capacity, its power from
what we had seen the country do during the war; but
the spot brought home to me just what are the
fertile fields and extraordinary industries of the coun
airy. And we see only the commencement. When both
fields and industries fully exploited and giving
full yield the result will be prodigious."
Giving the due per cent off for national vanity
is at present. perhaps the talest broadesshouldered
brother among the family Of nations
Concerning which fact it might be well to remem-
Der that greatness has its incumbency.
And it may have one of two incumbencies or some
of BOTH
In the first place, any sort of prominence is bound
to produce envy. Any sort or all. If you are richer
than your felow-townsmen, certain number Of them
will hate you. If you are the bestloong girl in the
boarding you can depend upon certain amount
of catty hostility If you the best player the
baseball nine, there are quite to be some Of the
number who would be glad to see you fall and break
your leg. Even in the matter of goodness or virtue
the rule holds, for the best man in the world whom
none able to of sin, was bounded to death
and crucfied between two thieves.
We can, therefore, depend upon certain amount
of hostility from our neighbors.
The second incumbency is responsibility.
If the rich man uses his wealth to help his fellows
and not to trampe upon hem if the witty-mnded de-
votes his superior mental qualities in making people
happy instead Of ridcung them, and if the endowment
of virtue is used for the welfare of ones fellows in the
long such superiority will not only be beneficial to
Others but will provide security to the one that pos
sesses them.
If America realizes her responsibilities and turns
her great power toward helping her fellow nations it
will be the best possible of making her position
secure.
If America listens to the narrow-minded counsels
of vanity cocness isolation and unfriendiness with
which of her politicians and newspapers are pro-
fc she will naturally succeed in raising up for herself
enmity which in of time will be strong enough
to DESTROY her.