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

THE
UNITED
merican
A
A MAGAZINE OF GOOD CITIZENSHIP
Devoted to the Cause of
Americanization, Assimilation and Group Elimination; Pointing the way to a Constitutional
Americanism, to Equality in Citizenship, and a better understanding
between Native born and Foreign born.
Fol. 4 %““22
December, 1925
Number 3
SHATTERING THE RAMPARTS OF HATE
¡WARNING SOUNDED AGAINST PROPAGANDA OF STRIFE
By H. J. LANGOE
lur HEN THE PRESIDENT of the United States of
I
America, on October sixth, addressed the con-
vention of The American Legion, at Omaha, Nebraska,
he incidentally addressed the American people, a nation
of more than one hundred and twenty million, on a
subject of far greater importance than any other
■matter of public concern, which he as chief executive
of this nation may feel called upon to discuss.
The President of America has no time for idle dis-
cussion. It is therefore conceded that the chief execu­
tive never discourses on any subject unless it is related
to matters of greatest importance, matters vitally af-
fecting the American people at large, matters para-
mount to their contentment, prosperity and happiness.
In view of this fact it is safe to conclude that
■bigotry, nationality classification, rights of native
■versus foreign born, racial, and religious intolerance
■have become a sufficiently aggravated issue in America,
threatening the contentment, prosperity and happi-
ness of her people, in short, threatening America’s
■national existence, to cause the chief executive, under
■the proper auspices and with the proper setting, to
■raise his voice against all this, warning the American
■people of imminent danger.
Having called attention to the danger that is lurk;
ing in the shadow of this class, race and creed agita-
tion, which is carried on in the guise of patriotism,
■the President also pointed to the remedy which lies in
■accepting, living and exemplifying the true virtues in
■citizenship, obeying the mandate accepted when citi-
zenship is acquired or conferred — to uphold the Con-
stitution of America and sustain and defend, with our
■lives if need be, every civic, moral and religious right
■upon which America’s national structure stands.
The echoes from this speech are still resounding.
■The strongholds of intolerant groups, foreign and na-
tive, have been shaken on their foundations. The
■President spoke the mind of a large and growing por-
tion of our nation when he emphasized that our na­
tional unity is NOT threatened by our differences in
nationality origin and our racial traditions, but in the
menacing “manifestations of an intolerance of opinion,
a narrowness of outlook, a fixity of judgment” which
is now so evident in certain “racial, religious and social
groups of our people.”
At the close of the old year The United American
could not possibly suggest anything of greater im­
portance for final review than this speech of our Pres­
ident. It contains the nucleus for high resolves in citi­
zenship, the acme of New Year’s resolutions. What
better thing could we do than commit ourselves to a
conduct of fair thinking, tolerant speaking of and
honest dealings with our fellow citizens of other racial
origin and different religious conviction?
When a speech is first published a reader is prone
to overlook many vital points. For fear that some
among -The United American readers have done this
very thing, we present in reprint the following excerpts
from this speech:
In this period of after-war rigidity, suspicion and intoler­
ance our own country has not been exempt from unfortunate
experiences, Thanks to our comparative isolation, we have
known less of the international frictions and rivalries than
some other countries less fortunately situated. But among
groups of our
some of the varying racial, religious and social
.■■■■I
people there have been manifestations of an intolerance of
opinion, a narrowness of outlook, a fixity of judgment, against
which we may well be warned. It is not easy to conceive of
anything that would be more unfortunate in a community based
upon the ideals of which Americans boast than any consider­
able development of intolerance as regards religion. To a
great extent this country owes its beginning to the determina­
tion of our hardy ancestors to maintain complete freedom in
religion. Instead of a state church we have decreed that
every citizen shall be free to follow the dictates of his own
conscience as to his religious beliefs and affiliations. Under
that guaranty we have erected a system which certainly is
justified by its fruits. Under no other could we have dared
to invite the peoples of all countries and creeds to come here
and unite with us in creating the state of which we are all
citizens.
But having invited them here, having accepted their great
and varied contributions to the building of the Nation, it is for