Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-04-20
Youth and
American
Idealisn1
Present and Future
Generations Must
Garry On.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

A LAWYER friend of mine is dis
couraged about the ideals Of
America. Like all specialists, he sees
the world In his work. He has to do
with people who have broken the law,
who have lost their ideals, and he be-
gins to feel that America has lost her
soul. Most of us have to confess we
have felt that way before now. If we
are wise we shake off the notion and
prove the vitality of the American
ideal as soon as we can collect our
thoughts.
While he was talking my memory
went back to the time when I was a
little boy. living in one of the foreign
colonies" of New York. 1t is common
nowadays to say that foreigners. who
came to us by thousands. have diluted
the American ideals to the vanishing
point. 1t is not true. My memory
proves it otherwise.
One afternoon Solly and had gone
to class for religious instructions.
along with a lot of others. Solly got
certificate Of merit for reciting the
maximum number of verses and an
swering the catechism perfectly. 1t
was a beautiful certificate, lettered in
gold and red and set forth that Solly
had achieved merit by study Of the
Scriptures. We were admiring 1t when
Rusty, the block meanie, snatched 1t
and ran of hooting. Solly. with me
close at his heels, ran home and told
his mother.
"And you let him?" she said coldly
IF you are any son of mine, you'll find
him wherever he is and take it from
him and give him the worth Of it into
the bargain" And she turned her
back squarely upon us.
Now Rusty was expert at his game,
and Solly. though big and strong. was
peace loving. Slowly he went down the
steps to the street, but once there the
light Of battle rose in his eyes. He
headed for Rusty's headquarters. took
him by surprise. gave him black eye,
took the now dirty and crumpled GER
tifcate from him and returned to his
mother with 1t.
There now" said she. wiping the
-four from her hands, that's some
thing like. Never let the dog go with
your bone. Mind you. I'm not telling
you children to fight, but I'm trying
to make you feel up to fighting with
those that would belittle the things
you stand for. Fight II you have to-
and make the wrongdoer run for his
life. That's the only way you can keep
above the mud.
That's fine certificate, Solly. and
we'll frame 1t and keep 1t just to look
at. I can iron out the creases and it
win have Gods blessing just the same
as If it were new"
The American ideals are common
ly-and. believe rightly-supposed to
be those of the pilgrim fathers. who
feared God and nobody else. Those
ideals they upheld at the end Of their
muskets when they had to. They
were honorable, upright, dutiful men
and women who went about their daily
occasions as men and women do to-
day. They had their ideals to support
and from which to get support. see
those ideals in action every day among
the people who go and come about
the neighborhood. I see them in
structing their children as Solly's
mother instructed us that day. stick
up for what you think is right and
fight for it If you have to-"
There Is a vitality in American ideals
that defy hard times. They were born
in hard times. They have been pre-
served by all those who, coming from
other lands, have founded families
here. They will live even If we have
to fight to maintain them OCCASION
ally.
Copyright. 1850