Why Defend the Nation?/Americanism

by Frank David Ely

Why Defend the Nation?

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CHAPTER I

Americanism

ARE we doing all that is essential to insure that in the present and future this Nation shall not only endure, but shall healthily grow and develop in full keeping with the advance of science and of civilization, while still sacredly preserving American ideals?

Three hundred years ago this country was a virgin wilderness. Today it leads the world in power and wealth and in offering a desirable residence for free men. How did it all come about?

This Nation wasn't invented. It didn't “just grow.” It is an evolution, due to earnest effort of real men and women who, possessing high principles and high ideals, devoted their lives to them. It has cost much blood and treasure. It is ours to enjoy—ours to improve and glorify, and ours to perpetuate and hand on to posterity. This means we must ever defend it against all its foes, whether within or without; and the most subtle and dangerous foe is the one who works from within. This heritage is never to be regarded in the light of a personal gift, as we regard an inheritance of real or personal property; it is too precious, and other rights than our own is involved.

The ever increasing complexity and hurry of modern life are such that, unless purposeful effort be made to preserve and safeguard the national heritage, our oncoming generations may lose sight of those high ideals adherence to which has wrought this Nation—ideals which we today include under the term “Americanism.”

Our forefathers sought these shores to escape oppression and tyranny in one form and another—in a word, for freedom. They brought with them many Old-World prejudices which retarded early growth. But the desire for representative government; for tolerance of worship, each according to his own conscience, for justice, and for peace, was strongly inherent in all the Colonies. Throughout two centuries of growth and development the need of a Union to secure strength and protection became increasingly apparent; but such a Union was impossible so long as the Colonies remained subject to a foreign power. Finally, in 1776, independence was declared; but the mere declaration alone did not secure it. Only after long years of war, entailing untold suffering, hardship, and deprivation, during which the Colonies were held together by the force and character or and fortitude of Washington, Franklin, Samuel and John Adams, Robert Morris, Madison, Hamilton, and other patriots of equally high ideals, determination and enduring fame, was the enemy forced to surrender and the war terminated. But even then Independence was not concealed by the mother-country, which a quarter of a century later forced upon us a further effort to defend our birthright.

The same men who were so instrumental in winning independence for the country were prominent in the early welding of the Colonies into this Nation—the United States of North America. Not until eleven years after independence had been declared was a Constitution agreed upon; and two years later it was ratified by all of the thirteen Colonies. Thus was born in 1789, or one hundred and thirty-four years ago, this great free Nation which always has been, is now and ever must be the envy of the oppressed throughout the world—a land of the free!

In any study of American history it will be noted that through all the trials, tribulations, and growth of this country its development has been accomplished only through strict adherence to the high ideals which gave it birth. Real devotion to the idea of “Union” reached its height a considerable period after the adoption of the Constitution. The settlement of one of the great questions which the new Nation fell heir to—the question of slavery—rent ties asunder, cost a million lives, and rocked the young Nation to its very foundations. But the question was settled for all time, and happily settled, as not conceded alike by North and South. And the settlement of this trying question further settled, and forever, the fact of an inseparable Union of the States.

From the very birth of the Nation there have always been elements in its population (as there are in all peoples) inimical to the best that was in it—inimical to its development as a free people, tolerant, good-natured, and true to all mankind but mighty and terrible in just wrath. Such elements have gone by various names at different times, and at present are known as bolshevists, communists, etc. One glance over the map, and we see what has resulted where such elements of society have gained the ascendancy. We have much to learn from other peoples; but nothing that is desirable is to be learned from any political creed wherein hatred, intolerance, waste, ignorance, and disrespect for the law and established institutions take the place of those virtues reverence for which has carried America to the very pinnacle of progress among all the nations of the world.

The necessity for adopting a Consitution and establishing a government that should be a Union and possess strength and coercive power ⟨that⟩ are clearly stated in the preamble to our Constitution. The Confederation had failed, principally for lack of power to impose taxes and to raise armies, both sovereign powers. A more perfect union—justice—domestic peace—a common defense—the general welfare—and the insuring of all these blessings and of liberty to posterity were all actual needs, and these constitute a set of ideals for accomplishment which demand not only the exercise of our own best efforts but the best effort of each succeeding generation so long as the world shall endure.

No structure can be more enduring than its foundation, or than the material of which it is built. The foundations of the structure of this Government are our Constitution and our truly American ideals; and these have been proved to be sound throughout all our history. These foundations are permanent, unchanging. But the material of the structure of our great Republic is our whole body politic—our entire population, ever changing with the generations. To date this material has been sufficiently resistant to false theory and so true to American interests that it has successfully foiled every attack, whether from foe within or from foe without. This has been so because of the true understanding held in the masses of the people. In the changed conditions and increased complexity of life in this country, education in the basic American ideals and principles is far less universal than formerly; and we must assume the duty of properly preparing this material of government to serve all its needs, purposes, and ends by education during its growth, just as the steel-maker insures the quality of his product by correct processes and treatment during manufacture. So the question arises, and must hereafter be ever with us: Are we doing all that is essential to insure that in the present and future this nation shall not only endure, but shall healthily grow and develop in full keeping with the advances of science and of civilization, while still sacredly preserving American ideals?

That, fellow Americans, is the great all-inclusive question before us, now and forevermore. With the ever increasing complexity of live; with the increased difficulty of property assimilating our foreign populations; due to the prevalence throughout much of the world of unsound and revolutionary doctrines—because of these and other and new difficulties which will arise from time to time to be met and solved by this and each succeeding generation, it behooves every true American to be now and forevermore on guard.

“WE, THE people of the United States, in order to

1. Form a more perfect union,
2. Establish justice,
3. Insure domestic tranquility
4. Provide for the common defense,
5. Promote the general welfare and
6. Secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity,

do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”—Preamble to the Constitution.

The form in which the above is arranged sets forth more clearly the six great basic purposes of our forefathers in the forming of this Nation. They were the fundamental and determining reasons why all the Colonies, after over two centuries of individual struggles, found it necessary to form a strong central government in and through which all might endure and benefit.