Daily Kennebec journal., 1925-06-09

over the way national unity has been
FUSED from various racial elemtns.
President Coolidge was introduced
by Governor Christensen, who de-
clared that Minnesota and the north
west believe in Calvin Coolidge"
Minnesota State Fair Grounds.
June 8-(AP)-America's success in
fusing national unity from it's melt
ing pot of diverse racial elements
points the way for fraternity and CO.
operation among peoples on a world
wide scale, President Coolidge de-
clared today in an address at the
Morse American Centennial.
II fraternity and cooperation" he
said, are possible on the scale of this
continent among people SO widely
diverse, why not on the scale of the
world? feel it Is possible of real
ization. am convinced that our
national story might somewhat help
to guide mankind toward such a
goal"
The President told his audience
that in the midst of Royalties that
are all beyond possibility of ques-
ton" 1t was difficult to choose
among the many national and racial
for their home and their country"
I'VE are thankful for all of them,
and yet more thankful that the ex-
pertinent of their common citizen
ship has been SO magnificently justi-
fed in its results" he said. .If one
were seeking proof of a basic BROTH
erhood among all races of men, If
one We're to challenge the riddle of
Babel in support of aspirations for a
unity capable of assuring peace to
the nations, in such an inquiry l sup
pose no better testimony could be
taken than the experience Of this
country.
t"Out of the confusion of tongues,
the conflict Of traditions, the varia-
tions of historical setting, the vast
differences in talents and tastes
there has been eveolved spiritual
union accompanied by a range of
capacity and genius which marks
this nation for pre- eminent destiny.
The American people have COM
manded the respect Of the world.
1t is not SO many years since Wis
ltors from other quarters of the
world were wont to contemplate our
concourse of races, origins, and in
terests, and shake their heads omi-
nously. They feared that from such
a melting pot of diverse elements we
could never draw the tested, tenn
pered metal that is the only sub
stance for national character. Even
among ourselves were many who
listened with serious concern to such
forebodings. They were not quite
sure whether we had created a ma
ton with the soul of a nation. They
wondered if perhaps we had merely
brought together large number of
people in a large place.
Had these misgivings been justi-
fled when the hour of trial came, it
would have meant disaster to us and
to the world. But instead of crumb-
ling into a chaos of discordant ele-
ments, America proved it's truly ma
tional unity. 1t demonstrated con-
clusively that there is a Spiritual
quality shared by all races and con-
ditions of men which is their univer-
sal heritage and common nature.
Powerful enough to hold this people
to high ideal in time of supreme
trial, why may we not hope that the
same influence will at length reach
men and women wherever they are
found on earth 2"
president Coolidge praised the
Scandinavian immigrants for their
contribution to American life, but
made no direct reference to present
day immigration problems which
prompted Congress to enact the law
designed to limit the flow of aliens
from South Europe and encourage
immigration from countries in the
northern part of the continent.
Itx.-. %l,x
years ago group Of So persons set
out from Norway on the Aston
sloop Restauration as the first or
ganized party of immigrants from
that country, the President said that
Minnesota would not be Minnesota.
the group of imperial northwestern
states would not be what they are,
but for the contribution that has
been made to them by the Scandi-
navian countries"
During the period from 1915 to
1S4S, Mr.. Coolidge asserted, immi-
grafton from northern and western
Europe not only built the United
States into numbers. wealth and
authority in the world. but had a
tremendous reflex on Europe"
+ But for American example and
influence" he added, "the democratic
movements of 1923 and 1S4S in Eu-
rope might have been long postponed.
The broadly democratic evolution
which swayed Europe so greatly in
the latter half of the nineteenth CEN
tury might have failed entirely"
Immigration from north and uoSt