The united American : a magazine of good citizenchip., March 01, 1925, Page 9, Image 9

MARCH, 1925
THE UNITED AMERICAN
position where his every utterance on vital issues
would carry simultaneously to every corner of the
earth where telegraphic wires have been strung, he
paid his dues to the cigarmakers’ union and treasured
the membership card of his craft.
His was an exemplary life, devoted to the highest
ideals of the country of his adoption, serving most
effectively the purpose of repudiating the current
shilly-shally and Sinister agitation involving race, re­
ligion and place of birth.
American citizenship of the worth-while kind
transcends every origin and every faith.
The life of Samuel Gompers is the best proof of this
incontestable truth.
A useful citizen, in the broadest and biggest sense
of the word, was this master molder of man, this
humble immigrant, whose measurements of human
rights and human equality has been indelibly written
into the American code of justice and a square
deal — Samuel Gompers!
Credulity is a latin word in our American
vocabulary or rather a derivitive from the original latin word
“credo” which means “I believe.” The credulous people are
so numerous even in America that the “slickers” are getting
rich in spite of the blue sky laws we have enacted for the
protection of credulous people who are so easily led to believe
the schemers who are after their money that they depart
with small fortunes every day before they take time to
"think the proposition over” and consult their 'banker. Credulity
is a curse, It is the modem progeny of an equally abominable
progenitor. Don’t believe everything you hear even though
your best friend backs it up. Always take council before you
make an investment, and see those who are able to give you
sound advice. You will save yourself both grief and money
if you follow this rule.
PUTTING PEASE BACK INTO THE WORLD
(Continued from Page Seven)
can citizen than upon the individual citizen of any
other nation. If our pursuit of material gain and social
pleasure has so dulled our sense of responsibility that
we are unable to deliver a fair quota of individual co­
operation in the work of restoring domestic harmony,
confidence and faith among all our people, then we are
little worthy to carry the mantle of the America of a
recent past which brought about a full realization of
human emancipation.
PRESERVE THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC
(Continued from Page Four.)
Sherman, Governeur Morris, Alexander Hamilton and
their compatriots was as grand and glorious as that
of the martial heroes of that day.
We believe our present form of government is
the best to inspire the spirit of patriotism and to
encourage its universal existence. Fortunately,
patriotism, through the fortitude and heroism of
those who have gone before, renders it unnecessary
that the men of the present day should pay the price
of liberty, independence and good government; and
fortunate will this nation be if it preserves them for
many generations without the sacrifices! that it has
hitherto cost to achieve or maintain them. Naught
but universal intelligence, virtue and patriotism will
Page Eleven
ever maintain those institutions which our fathers
established.
I cannot better define patriotism than by bringing
the illustration home to every citizen. You have the
opportunity of benefitting your country by your in­
dividual acts or of marring its prosperity by in­
difference or disregard to its true interests.
Every time a citizen exercises his right of citizen­
ship ¡he either performs a treasonable or a patriotic
act. Every office-holder who devotes his time and
attention to personal interests or to secure his own
selfish purposes fails to discharge his duties as the
representative of a free people.
The executives, the legislators, the officials, and
servants of this country will 'be no better and no
worse than the people. It is the men that exercise
the power of citizenship who are responsible for
honesty and efficiency in our public affairs. The first
requisite of good government is universal intelligence
and moral character. To appreciate the principles of
our institutions, to be able to exercise the right of
citizenship intelligently, the sovereign citizen must
be intelligent and conscientious. The elements that
promote patriotism and good government are the
family circle, the churches, the public schools, uni­
versities of learning, the forum, and last, but not
least, the press, which is the great power to dissemi­
nate knowledge and to promote good influences' in
this country.
This republic must continue in its march of pro­
gress or it must lapse into decay by the acts of its
own citizens. There is a sacred duty devolving upon
every citizen. You can have just as good or just as
bad a government as you please, be it municipal, state
or national, and our only hope rests in the people’s
devotion to the principles of our government. May
their patriotism 'be of the 'highest order and the
influence of it felt in every department for thé
welfare, happiness and progress of our own people.
The appalling fate of Russia ought to be a warning
to America. I have been twice in Russia and over
the Trans-Siberian Railway. It is a country three
times the size of the United States and richer in
mineral and agricultural wealth, yet in the hands
of a horde of assassins representing 1 per cent of the
population, between two and three millions out of
employment, in a starving condition. They have
executed or murdered 1,766,000 men, 800,000 of them
farmers; 353,000 intellectuals, educated men; 10,000
doctors, altogether more men than were killed in the
British, American, Italian, Belgian and Greek armies
in the last great war.
We have all the elements of dissatisfaction,
anarchy and revolution in our country, but fortu­
nately the great mass of our people are intelligent,
loyal, patriotic citizens.
The great problem of universal peace and inter­
national concord is now interesting the people of the
world. Today many citizens and statesmen are con­
sidering this important subject. “Agree with thine
adversary quickly” is a divine admonition. Possibly
from the ashes of spoilation and the horrors and
sacrifices of war there may come forth the spirit of
universal peace that shall be appreciated and shall
actuate the hearts and motives of the human race.