Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-18
THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE
STEEPLE
By DR.. Frank Crane

1t is generally conceded that loyalty is
among the first of virtues.
The loyal man is hero, and the disloyal
man the lowest of creatures.
1t is very hard, however, to get people to
grasp any idea except in the very simplest of
terms And the trouble is that the greatest
and most important ideas are not simple at all.
They are complex and they need adjustment
to other ideas.
When we get hold of some one enthusiasm
and cling to it excluding all others, we are
led into fanaticism and often into cruelty and
into the most abomfnable inhumanity.
Internationalism, humanity, and universal
brotherhood, for instance, are fine things. But
if we become obsessed by these ideals and for
get that we are human beings having other
relations, and go about assassinating pres1
dents and blowing up factories, we are danger
Gus bugs.
We need to keep this in mind when think
ing about loyalty We need to ask Loyal to
what and to whom?" Also we need to ask,
'Of two loyalties, which comes first?'
The primitive loyalty is to ones self, as ex-
dressed by the proverb, "Self-defense is the
first law of Nature"
But we do not have to travel very far in
the steps of civilization to discover that good
as this self loyalty may be it must be subor-
dinated to better. And we justly deem "a
man to be poltroon when he will not be
IoyaI to his wife and his children even when
it envolves danger to himself.
Every step in civilization involves higher
loyalty After self comes the family and after
the family comes the state or nation.
fry 10
armies of Germany invaded France, it becomes
the duty of every one of us to supersede 10y
atty to himself and even to his family by a
higher loyalty, a loyalty to his nation and
his flag.
This is rather generally acknowledged
throughout the world. But it is not the end
There is still higher loyalty. There is
loyalty to humanity or to the human race.
To this highest of all loyalties even patriot
| ism must become subservient. When it does
not it may be a curse instead of a blessing.
| IT, for instance, it is conceivable that our
country should decide upon an inquitous in
vason of Canada or Mexico it would be the
duty of every citizen to renounce and disobey
! such a Government.
Of course our Government is not likely to
Join upon us a duty which involves being
disloyal to our family, to ourself, or to hui
manity.
But the only reason why it will not do such
| n thing is because the sentiment of natiOnalism
! is held in check by the sentiment of humanity,
/! justice, and right which has the higher claim
The problem of today is to subject the senti
ment of patriotism to the more universal and
Fundamental sentiment of loyalty to humanity
For loyalty 10 humanity is the only kind
that can be called loyalty to God.
In the little town Of Ruffey-les Echlrey in
| France they have decided to paint the church
steeple in the national tolors. 1t is striking
illustration of disordered sentiment
National colors have business upon the
House Of God. For Whoever or Whatever He
may be- God certainly is not the God O
France nor the God of America nor the Coo
of Germany neither is He the God of thu
Buddhists the Mahometans the Christians
If there is any God at all He is the God of tn
! human race.
Copyright, 1929