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About The Northman. (Portland, Or.) 1920-192? | View Entire Issue (May 6, 1920)
May 6, 1920 THE NORTHMAN 8 would suffer the consequences unless I removed from my motor-car the small American flag that flew above the radiator. I answered this coward simply by covering the entire top of my car with _____ ____ _______________________ y a larger flag, and from that time on drove the V ----------------------- ------------------------ of Seattle with Old Glory above me.” HE Scandinavian is an idealist above occupying seats in the Diet or making streets But the flag-waving Ole Hanson means what all else; he believes in the ultimate speeches on labor problems, the peace he says. He is not merely a flag-waver. The flag to him means law and order, and law and triumph of the good and the true, and he movement, and the like. he wiil maintain at all costs. All good recognizes the rights of his fellow-man; Denmark’s laws relating to the poor are order are “folks” to him; hair-splitting philo his honesty is proverbial, and his hospi famous and they have been studied and people sophical questionings are alien to him. It is tality is a tradition; the long winters and praised by almost every social worker of significant that he shies at the very word “alien.” the gloomy aspect of nature during almost prominence. Mary Bronson Hartt, in One of the last chapters—“Bolshevism in half of the year have turned his thoughts speaking of this subject, says: “Denmark America; Its Causes and Some Remedies”—is with pertinent suggestions. Here Mr. inward to the contemplation of the prob is all things to all men. It draws a sharp replete Hanson shows a more mature judgment; one can lems of the soul; he has come to distin line between the man who can not support not escape the conviction that this section of the guish more strictly than many other himself and the man who will not. The book was thought out and written some time peoples between the value of the inner second it brands with the accursed name after the first part. Mr. Hanson very naturally can not quite maintain the balance of his logical essence of things and their external form; of pauper and proceeds to put him through faculties under the stress of immediate action he has become a mystic after the heart of a regenerative course of study. The first and emotion. Emerson and a philosopher after the man it shields from the very shadow of dis Ole Hanson on the subject of remedies is ner of Thureau; his convictions formed in grace. To the honest working people in worth reading. In his best judgment the “major the secluse of maturist meditation are as distress the Danish poor-law officer is a causes of unrest and anarchy in our own country” tenacious and long-lived as a northern sort of special providence. He not only are: 1. Unassimilated aliens. winter, and give way only when the bright provides funds to put the embarrassed on 2. Ignorant Americans. summer’s sun of truth and experience has their feet, but he helps find work and cheap 3. Increased cost of living. 4. “Red” Employers. distintegrated the old fabric; he is the lodgings. On the other hand, once the 5. Unthinking and dishonest adventurers and greatest believer in the world (in no other poor-law officer has convinced himself “Red ” misleaders of labor. country in Europe, except England, has that a man is a ne’er-do-well, society turns 6. Oppression of governmental employees. religion relatively so many ardent follow toward that man quite another face. It 7. Sickly sentimentalists. 8. Discontented failures and delinquents. ers as in Sweden), but his unquenchable will support him, and his wife and chil To eliminate these causes of unrest is by no thirst for truth leads him on to explore in dren, too, but on its own terms, the day means easy matter, but Mr. Hanson is ready the most forbidden fields of theology and he accepts the name of pauper by taking with a an definite program of reform. Restrict dogma, and for a principle once accepted aid he ought to do without, that day the immigration, he maintains, and take steps to as as true, he will fight with stubborness and man signs away his personal independ similate those aliens who are permitted to enter obstinacy, and sacrifice with enthusiasm ence. Society sets out to sicken him of the country. “Every facility should be provided enable the aliens already here to assimilate and joy. his choice. At a stroke she takes from to our ideals.” Just as the characteristics of the people him his right to vote, his rights to marry No one will deny that this is common sense. will explain the tendencies in various lines without a poor-house permit, and his right Mr. Hanson does not meet the question, however, whether or not it is largely the fault of America that have manifested themselves in Scan to pawn his own goods. He can no longer that aliens have heretofore been offered little dinavian history, so, too, the forms of gov choose his own occupation or his own opportunity to become assimilated; or that immi dwelling. Stricter laws apply to him than ernment, the education and culture of the grants have been imported in large numbers for purposes of exploitation and encouraged to segre people, the art and literature, the press to the honest man.” gate. and similar agencies will help us to under Says Mr. Hanson: “One of the greatest hind stand the particular reform movements rances to the Americanization of aliens is the that have been inaugurated and carried to fact that during the past years so many thousands have herded together and established various stages of development. Review By The Literary Digest. foreign centers or colonies in our great cities. I The government in the Scandinavian STRAIGHTFORWARD and naive narrative have visited these foreign settlements, and condi of what one American accomplished under countries has from prehistoric times been circumstances is Ole Hanson’s “American tions are unspeakable. One would not believe liberal and democratic. Only intervals of ism trying how many of these people live herded together Versus Bolshevism” (Doubleday, Page & short duration are exceptions. The lowly Co.). It is a timely book—not so timely now as in crowded tenements, with only the pavement man—the common people—has always it would have been some months ago, when the for playgrounds, with the foreign language read almost exclusively, and with foreign had a large share in the management of exploits of Mayor Hanson were echoed from press modes of life and. foreign methods of thinking coast to coast, and the bugaboo of Bolshevism local and national affairs. Some of the prevailing almost exclusively.” America might not yet given place to half-dozen other buga old-time freedom was lost in the period of had profitably face such a statement of her own boos. The best part of the book is that in which decay which enveloped all Europe, but the Mr. Hanson tells the story of his own fight. faults as this: Foreigners segregate because we ancient prerogatives have since been re This is interesting largely by reason of its reve have made it easier for them to live in colonies; live in tenements, not primarily because gained. The legislative halls of the three lation of a man with a single-track mind; it is they they wish to, but because they must. Poor a character portrayal, not a record; a portrait, nations have been opened to both sexes— not an interpretation. housing conditions can not be blamed upon the to the lowly burghers and the proud aris alien. The alien reads the foreign language press “Nauseated by the sickly sentimentality of tocrats on equal terms—and there are no all those who would conciliate, pander, and en because otherwise he can read nothing at all. But in spite of minbr errors in judgment or in freer citizens in the world today than the courage all who would destroy our government, fact, Mr. Hanson is on the right track. For one I have tried to learn the truth and tell it in Scandinavians. thing, he realizes that a problem almost as United States English of one or two syllables.” urgent as the Americanization of the aliens is the General education in the Scandinavian Such is Mr. Hanson’s aim. Americanization of Americans. Had Mr. Hanson been content to tell what he countries is of a high order and percentage Our national problems can not be solved by of illiteracy is smaller than that of any knew, had he confined himself to the relation of force; they can not be solved by talk; they can own interesting activities, he would have other people- In 1645 Sweden adopted the his be approached only after the facts are known. written only a pamphlet, but that pamphlet best school system in Europe of that day, would not have suffered—as does the book—from Education—in the broadest sense of the word— and compulsory education is 226 years old, the intrusion of a long “history” of Radicalism. is the one road to a successful solution. Mr. once scored a temporary success, and dating from the Ecclesiastical Law of “In this book I have briefly sketched the history Hanson issued from the conflict with flying colors. But syndicalism in France, Germany, England, 1686. That the general education, with its of Mr. Hanson’s seasoned suggestions are of infinite Russia, and the United States. I have conclu accompanying high intelligence of the sively proved that the Syndicalist, whether called ly greater value than his spectacular fight. It masses, has had its influence on the re Bolshevik or I. W. W., is simply a revolutionary is by brains and sympathetic understanding that we shall ultimately steer a straight course, not form movements and made possible a more criminal,” etc. with ropes and kerosene, revolvers and raids. reader is forced to decide whether or not rapid advance along certain lines than in Mr. The Hanson has attempted too much. For one many other countries can not be denied. thing he had endeavored to generalize from his When a thing’s done and you can’t undo it, The learned professions and the univer own experiences. His arguments are weak when there ’s no use in frettin’ and worryin’ yourself. sities in Scandinavia stand in close touch he delves into the past; his own record of achieve Jest put it out of your mind, and go on your way and git ready for the next trial that’s cornin’ to with the progressive movements of the ment loses in impressiveness as he hurls forth at the Radicals of the past three you. Eliza Calvert Hall. day, and nearly all of the statesmen and denunciations or four generations. The words we speak and the things we do to politicians are interested in and leaders of The Ole Hanson known to the public is the Ole various reforms. Professors, as well as' Hanson who defied the I. W. W., and went about day may seem to he lost, but in the great final lawyers and men of affairs, take a keen his daily business in the midst of danger. The revealing the smallest of them will appear. Lowell. anecdote shows the sort of man who interest in politics, studying earnestlf the following prides himself—and justly—on being, a “man of One Life; a little gem of Time between two social problems, and it is not uncommon action.” Eternities; one second chance to us forevermore! to see the greatest scholars, of the country “I received one message notifying me that I Carlyle. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCANDINAVIAN T Ole Hanson’s Book A r;.,t linant, 2 degree observer cwn
