Evening star., 1923-09-16
A Lesson In Real Americanism
Given by Son of an Immigrant

If necessary. lie was taught that so
glorious was America that service in
her name could not be contracted for
by one of her sons. that whatever
could be done to preserve America
should be done without any thought
OF payment or reward, that service to
America must not be considered in
the light of sacrifice. but should be
rendered whole-heartedly as the low
ing service of a child to it's parents.
So thoroughly had this foreign-bor
man saturated the intellect and con-
science of his son with love for the
republic that everything in the way
or personal success and safety faded
away when danger TO the republic
threatened. ] need not elaborate. 1t
is sufficient to say that the young
man got his chance, that he made
good in camp, became an officer and
France.
The fortunes Of life brought us to-
gether again just the other day. He
had aged and matured since I saw
him in 1917. but he had the same love
for his country. the same faith that
1t was model for the world, the
same ideals as to his relation to his
country. He had gathered together
the broken skeins of his disrupted d
business. He was working TO re-
store what he had voluntarily thrown
away. He was cheerful, hopeful, con-
tented. He still held an unwavering
and soul-satisfying belief that Amer
lea was the land of freedom and op-
portunity. He was rebuilding his
life edlfice from the ground up.
happened to know that the state in
which he resided had voted a bonus
this reward probably had been of aid
to him. He told me he had not taken
the bonuS and had not the slightest
intention of taking il. Naturally. ]
asked why he was unwilling to ac-
cept this honestly earned and freely
given reward for faithful service. l
am not sure that / even yet grasp
his feeling. With a smile that is
rarely seen, he replied: IF my wife
should give me S5 for a kiss. would
be afraid that she doubted my love-"
Again. I reread the lesson. Amer
lea is not birth, nor rank. nor state.
America is not native born nor for
eign- born. America is just devotion
to an ideal. 1t is the refuge for all
who have been storm-tossed upon the
seas of political or religious persecu-
tion. II is for those VINO believe in
God, in country, in brotherhood. 1t
is like sunshine and pure air. 1t can
not be defined. 1t cannot be dissect-
ed. 1t Is an attribute to every right
thinking soul. 1t is love of justice
and truth, large-hearted and chari-
table judgment of ones fellowmen.
1t iS law and order. 1t is our COM
mon parent, who owes us nothing, but
whose preservation we should pour
unstinted sacrifices.
I would that we could get a clearer
conception of the fatheThood Of our
country We may make our compari-
sons along the lines of home life.
We all are children of this land.
Some few of US are seeking to serve: {:
too many of us are begging for
favors. Time is being wasted in seek =
ing ways of preferment. Time is
being lost in tilling the opportunities
for success. Too little time is being
used to impress upon the youth of
America the privilege we have in
serving our country. We have con-
sumed too many hours in speaking Of
our duty. Let us begin to use a few
hours in drowning our cold, calculat-
ing sense of duty in a hot sea of en-
tEusiasm for the opportunity which
we have TO serve America, and by
serving her to bring the worlds civ
iiZation a little nearer 10 the peace
ful ports of brotherhood.
Copyright, 1928. 21st Century Press.)