Show 1 G REVIEWS The Forum What Americanism Means By Theodore Roosvelt IN this article Mr Theodore Roosvelt poin points ts out the folly of assailing a noble idea because it can be used as a cloak for evil He says that II the men who do iniquity in the name of patriotism of reform of Americanism are merely small divisions of a class that has always existed and always will exist the class of hypocrites and demagogues always prompt to steal the watchwords of righteousness and use them in the interests of evil doing It is certainly wrong and un-American un to invoke the spirit of to prevent needed r reforms or to protect existing wrongs There really seems to exist preposterous and inconsistent as it must appear to all intelligent persons a feeling feeling- that in the domain of politics and reform what is not American in its origin must be essentially bad America is all too willing willing willing will will- ing to all allow w Paris to take the lead in fashion and in social matters she is is even willing to allow foreigners to dictate in matters more serious and reaching far-reaching than these but let it be a areal areal areal real reform that is proposed the cry of un American is at once raised But Mr Roosvelt says truly that we must not let the men who use the idea of Americans to cloak their narrow and base designs to blind us to the nobility of that idea II Our nation holds in its hands the fate of the coming years To work out our great destiny we m must st work intelligently without undue prejudice prejudice prejudice dice without surrendering to a foolish pessimism or to a timid and ignoble pessimism II There is one quality which we must bring to the solution of every problem an intense and fervid Americanism This is the theone r rone one one indispensable quality quality yet it is is a quality o often tet mis conceived Patriotism Patriotism Patriot Patriot- i ism m is necessary and above all intelligent intelli intelli- 4 fj gent patriotism J The article by Mr Roosvelt t is IS well written and unprejudiced The best way to cultivate ulti ate true and nd intelligent Americanism Americanism Ameri Ameri- 3 is IS to read just such articles We commend it to our readers Y |