Evening star., 1927-10-27

More than 30 years ago "blarsted
Britisher" named William t. Stead
wrote a book entitled IF Christ Came
to Chicago" The present mayor of
Chicago has heard of that book and
he Is mad about it. He is determined
to Gull out of Chicago libraries all
books that are found to favor Great
Britain. An injunction was obtained
barring him from burning the books
he finds in the public library, but his
honor sneers at the efficacy of an
Injunction against his doing what
he never really intended to attempt" ."
However, he has set a well known
sport mot Gene Tunney) at the task
Of reading the library books to dis
cover all that are pro-British, and
they make huge lot.
Mayor Thompson's political oppo-
nents emulate Dooley's famous re.
mark about the Carnegie bookless
it's architectoor, for they declare that
Mayor Thompson's onslaught upon the
books Is more concerned with suffrage
than with sufferance of anti.American.
ism.
However, Chicago is big enough to
fight its own battles, whatever else
may be said Of it's virtues. What con-
Germs the readers of The Evening Star
is not what would happen to Chicago
in case of an unexpected guest, but
what would come to the schools and
libraries of the National Capital If
Mayor ThOmpson-nOt to mention DIR.
Andrew, the superintendent of
schools Of Chicago-were to invade
Washington with the same sort of
weapons as are being used in the bat.
tie royal of the Windy City.
This query was propounded at the
Library Of Congress and almost pre-
cipitated a panic among the attend.
ants. If all the histories now in the
Library which scoff at American
righteousness and patriotism were
piled in one heap between the Library
and the Capitol and set afire, the ia.
nous Chicago fire of two generations
ago would fade into a mere smoke
screen.
Less than a month ago, the Bishop
Of London preached in the presence
of American Legionnaires and express
ed regret that American schools
were teaching the rising generation
to hate the British" The Legionnaires
were amazed and indignant at the
good bishops insular ignorance of
how the Muzzey, histories, the text
books Of Washington, Chicago and
other important villages, were incul.
eating into the rising generation the
belittling of American heroes and
American glory as was reported after
a similar investigation in New York
and elsewhere, few years ago. Then
it was reported by the investigators
annoipted hv NfaVOr HVlan.
LAS result Of these new texts. the
children are now being taught in our
public schools Misrepresentation such
as the following:
THAT the American Revolution was
merely civil war between the Eng
lish people on both sides of the sea
and their German king;
THAT the Magma Charta Is the real
source of our liberties, while the Dec
laration of Independence exerted nc
vital force;
THAT such patriots as Samuel
Adams, John Hancock and Patrick
Henry were mere disreputable char
acters;
THAT Thomas Jefferson deserved a
halter;
THAT Alexander Hamilton de
nounced the people as great beast
THAT the United States Constitution
and most of our free institutions were
borrowed from England;
THAT the War of 1872 was a mis-
take unfortunate and 'disgraceful;
THAT the Mexican War was a grat
Of territory;
THAT the North saved the Union
only through 'Englands heroic sup
port;
THAT our war with Spain was wor
because England prevented Germany
and all Europe taking sides against
us;
THAT our country's history has beer
hitherto distorted through unthinkins
adherence to national prejudice;
| THAT 1t Is now being set right
through newer tendencies in histori
cal writing and methods Of moderr
historical schnla rshin ~