Evening star., 1923-06-29
HYPHENISM IN ]. S.
HIT BY PRESIDENT
War Worth Its Cost in Re-
/ vealing Soul of America,
Executive Declares.
ny DAVID LAWRENCE.

HARDING, June 2S.-Wnat possible
connection can there be between tax
alton and hyphenated Americanism
What has prohibition, law enforce
ment and lawless drinking to do with
the world court?
Maybe the people who have been
reading President Harding's speeches
have wondered at the sudden transi-
ton. in some of the prepared ad-
dresses, from the main theme to what
may seem to be extraneous topics,
The answer Is that Mr.. Harding has
been accommodating thoughts on
number of different subjects in the
last two years and he has planned to
use the first occasion that presented
itself to emphasize the points that
have occurred to him. These isolated
themes are not less significant be-
cause they are not the subject OF an
entire speech or because they are TO.
tally unrelated to the main topic or
Mr.. Harding's speaking itinerary.
Remarks on Hyphenism.
Some of the interpolated para
graphs are not prefaced by any ex-
PLANTATION as to the reasons prompt
ing the President to discuss them. AS
an example. take the last paragraph
of the speech on taxation winch
without any introduction to the sub
ject of hyphenated Americanism, reads
as follows:
War brought US the lesson that
we had not been so American In
spirit as we had honestly pretended.
Some of our adopted citizenship wore
tIr,oa rs a a.
were not conseerated in soul. Some
to whom we have given all the ad-
vantages of American Citizenship
would destroy the very institutions
under which they have accepted our
hospitality. Hence our commitment
to the necessary Americanization
which we too long neglected
THE American Legion, baptized
battlefields, is playing it's splendid
part Those who bore wars burdens
at home have joined and all America
must fully participate: 1t is not
enough to enlist the sincere allegl-
ance of those who come to accept our
citizenship; we must make sure. for
ourselves, for all of u.s. that we cling
TO the fundamentals, to the practices
which enabled us to build so success
fully. and avoid the errors which tend
to impair our vigor and becloud the
future"
heIerreu tO SONIet'
The last sentence referred. of
course. to the preservation of the
present economic system of America
as contrasted with the experimental
ism of the Russian soviets. and 1t is
being inferred that the President
used the illustration of wartime hy-
phenates to impress upon the coun-
try the dangers of foreign born agi-
tators.
Another and even more abrupt turn
in one of the Presidents speeches on
law enforcement and prohibition led
the audience at Denver from a sermon
on drinking to some added thoughts
on the world court which apparently
the President did not feel that he had
covered adequately in st. Louis. Be
cause of the greater emphasis given
prohibition that day by the President,
a very pointed reference to the world
war which has an interesting back
ground was not stressed. To under
stand it's significance one must re-
member that Mr.. Harding as SEN
ator voted for Americas declaration
of the slogan Of war for democracy
or humanity. but because of a con-
viction which he expressed at the
time, namely, the defense OF American
rights on the nlsn Seas ne uiiii
admit the broader aspects of civiliza-
tion's challenge to be controlling.
Here is the viewpoint he holds today:
Sees Gains From War.
"The world war was frightful
calamity, from which the earth will
not have fully recovered in century
TO come. Nearly five years have
passed and peace is not yet secure.
Our own cost was beyond an under
standable appraisal. but I sometimes
feel it was worth much of it's cost,
because 1t brought an American
awakening and revealed the soul OF
the republic We experienced. the su-
preme commitment.
1--WE saw our America ready TO do
or die for our concept of civilization
and it's guarantees. It-exalted Hs and
made US a better. more patr1otlcally
devoted people. I would like to go
on, with soul af1ame, in eagerness to
aid humankind while promoting Sc
Curity for ourselves.
This is more in line with the Will
sonian concept of the reasons for
America s entry into the war than
anything Mr. Harding has said since
he voted for war, and lit is In contrast
TO what Ambassador Harvey. said In
one of his first speeches in Britain
namely that America didn't enter the
war for humanity or to save her SOUL
but for primary reasons of selfish Sc
curity.
Service His Theme.
Never has President Harding
preached more fervently the law Of
service to mankind than on this west
ern trip. He derives his broader view
point from the exalted ideas he, has of
the value Of the International Court
of Justice. He says. for instance, in
an incidental reference to the world
court:
TT Is too much to say. that such a
court will give a guaranty against
war, but it will prove the longest
step toward war prevention and
maintained peace since the world be-
gan. In such a thought is concern for
our own country, no less than anxiety
for a world which is finding read
justment difficult. I am thinking of
more than our freedom from conflict
with all it's attending burdens and
sorrow. I am thinking of our America
having d commitment to an exalt-
ing enterprise to save us from the
reaction to a mere sordfd existence
and to keep our hearts aglow while
we serve as vanguard in the march
OF civilization"
Enthusiaam for Court.
There will be much dispute over
the real scope Of a world court, how
ever. commendable the enterprise
itself, for since each nation can re-
fuse to submit a controversy to the
court and usually these major quar-
A-gA