The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-06-08
GIVES PRAISE
FOR PART IN
BUILDING u. S.
CONTINUED from page one)

anu tnelT country. we are tnank1u
for all Of them, and yet more thank
full that the experiment of thei
common citizenship has been so mag
Efficiently justified in its results.
one were seeking proof of basi
brotherhood among all races of men
if one were to challenge the riddl,
of Babel in support Of aspirations
for a unity capable Of assuring peac,
to the nations, in such an inquiry
suppose no better testimony coult
be taken than the experience of thi
country. Out Of the confusion o.
tongues, the conflict of traditions
the variations Of historical setting
the vast differences in talents ano
tastes there has been evolved
spiritual union accompanied by
range of capacity and genius which
marks this Nation for preeminen,
destiny. The American people have
commanded the respect of the world
1t is good thing that anniver-
saries such as this are so widely
commemorated. The next few years
will be filled with a continuing sue
cession of similar occasions. | wish
that every one of them might be so
impressively celebrated that all Am
orleans would be moved to study the
history which each one represents
| can think Of no effort that would
produce so much inspiration to high
and intelligent patriotism. Occa-
sions Of this nature bring to our at
tention VIII ole regions of the past
that would otherwise remain unex-
plred, tend to be forgotten even by
scholars, and pass entirely from the
public mind. These incentives to
special examination of particular
historical phases teach US better to
understand our country and our
countrymen. Any one who will stu
dy the institutions and people of
America will come more and more to
admire them.
A Human Story
One reason that moved me to ac-
cept the cordial invitations to come
here today was the hope of direct
ing some measure of national atten-
ton to the absorbingly interesting
subject of the social backgrounds Of
our country. The making of such a
country is not be told in any mere
category of dates, battles. political
evolutions, and partisan controver-
sizes. Back of all these, which are
too often the chief material of his
unsung millions of plain people whose
names are strangers to public place
and fame. Their lives have been
replete with quiet, unpretentious,
modest but none the less heroic vir-
tues. From these has been COM
posed the sum of that magnificent
and wondrous adventure, the making
of our own America. Somewhere in
the epic of struggle to subjugate a
continent there will be found phil
osophy of human relations that the
world will greatly prize. If we could
seize and fix it, il we could turn it
over, examine and understand it, we
would have taken a long step toward
solving some of the hardest prob
lens of mankind
1t is not SO many years since Wis.,
itors from other quarters of the
world were wont to contemplate our
conc curse of races, origins, and in
terests, and shake their heads omin-
ously. They feared that from such
melting pot of diverse elements
we could never draw the tested,
tempered 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 nation. They
wondered if perhaps we had merely
brought together large number Of
people in a large place. Had these
misgivngs been justified when the
hour of trial came, it would have
meant disaster to US and to the
world. But instead of crumbling
into a chaos of discordant elements
America proved it's truly national
unity. 1t demonstrated conclusively
that there is a spiritual quality
shared by all races and conditions
bf men which is their universal
full enough to hold this people to a
why may we not hope that the same
influence will at length reach men
and women wherever they are found
on earth? If fraternity and coop
Grafton are possible on the scale of
this continent among people so wide
ly diverse, why not on the scale of
4 world? 1t is not new thought,
but it is profoundly engaging one.
firmly believe it is more than a
thimera. l feel it is possible of
realization. I am convinced that our
national story might somewhat help
to guide mankind toward such a
goal. Therefore, | urge the deeply
thoughtful study and teaching of
our history.
Guideposts on the Way
(: No country has a history which
Starts with it's discovery or at it's
boundaries. For the real beginnings
Of any people we must 60 back to the
beginnings of all peoples. From the
tombs Of Egypt and the sands of
Mesopotamia men are now unearth-
ing 4 the records of civilizations so
fncient that by comparison we think
Of the recovered wonders Of Garth
age as almost modern. But all that
we shall learn from the glvphs of
Ur, the tombs of the Pharaohs, and
the monuments of Crete and Garth
xge is part of our own history, il
Elimination for our todays, guide
posts on the way to our to-morrows.
All the past lives in the present. All
the works and thoughts of those
Who have gone before have left their
mark on what we think and do.
: These Norsemen whose beginnings
IN the United States we here cele-
brate have exercised great influ-
QflCc upon HOueTH history anu
western civilization which it is diff
Hke number Of people. In many
ways their influence upon northern
and western Europe NAV be com
pared to that of the Greek states
upon the civilization. of the Mediter-
ranean. They were the first deep
sea navigators. They pioneered the
migrations which boldly struck
across the western waters. They
were at once the terrors of the West
ern Roman Empire and the guardians
@ the Eastern. The medieval Medi-
terranean was happy hunting
Ground for them. They branded their
name upon French Normandy, and
from it descended upon Britain in
the Norman conquest from which
there was the beginning Of modern
English history go