Adventure, February 20, 1922 — page 179: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Camp-Fire | foreign American societies. Can anybody rise up and tell me that we are not also entitled to an American-American society? ~ We are not only entitled to one; we need one. [If all other nationalities are to be permitted to organize in our country to keep alive the associations, language, customs and other things that tend to:make them give at least a part of their allegiance or devotion to the foreign lands from which they or their fathers came, then all the “more surely do we need an organization of native-born Americans to foster the associ- ations, institutions and language that bind Americans to America and to counteract these other influences that to any degree . divide the allegiance of any of our citizens to this country, I AM particularly glad of the American Society’s stand for free speech. With- out free speech real democracy is impossible. Yet on every hand we see subtle pressure being brought to bear against it under this and that specious excuse. Free speech is the key, the very foundation, of our liberty and democracy. We can not afford to have it stolen er curtailed. And we shall lose it unless we organize to save it. .I do not believe in Bolshevism. I do not respect Soviet Russia, which has proved itself in practise as despotic as the despots it overthrew. But if any American citizen -— wants to preach Bolshevism here, let him preach it. If he wants Bolshevism instead of our present government, he has a right to express his view and to try to win others to it. So long as he advocates getting Bol- shevism by lawful, democratic methods, let him talk. If we suppress him, we sup- press something far more important than a Bolshevist. Bolshevist Russia does not play a fair game. She resents any outside interference in Russian affairs, but she considers it all right for ‘her to interfere in the affairs of other countries. But that is no reason for our suppressing free speech in this country founded on free speech. WEEN it comes to letting “non-citizens preach outside doctrines -in_ our country I’m not so sure. World-brother- hood is all right, but it is folly to attempt this larger unit until we’ve shown ourselves more capable of real brotherhood in the smaller national units. A country’s citi- 12 __ vision, send out the call to our “side-kicks,” “pals,” 177 zens support that country; I can see few = rights or privileges for non-citizens who = merely use the country, not giving it their support. It islikea man goingintoanother man’s house and insisting on teaching the =e other man’s children what he, the house- owner and family-supporter, does not. ap- prove. Sens A- nation is to be judged as a man is judged. If a man acted as Bolshevist Russia acts, I’d not respect him. Therefore, eee I can not respect Bolshevist Russia. Even 4 if her theory is all right, she is not all right. Nor can I respect the element in our own. country who strive to repress free speech. eS Neither their motives or their brains. But = we can not afford to underestimate either cS their power or their accomplishment. We = need an American society. os HE watch-word of the American So- — ciety is “One country, one flag, one language.”’ It seems humorous that Ameri- cans should have to argue for one language. — — More than one language in America is | ludicrous. But we certainly have more than one. : Here, in part, is the prospectus of the American Society. Since a few of you mis- understood their attitude toward the pres- — ent American Legion, let us first have a paragraph on that subject: With the present American Legion we have no . quarrel. We sincerely extend them every wish © for their well-being and success. Their object is a worthy one and their cause is just. But we feel that a greater ideal is in sight for fighting Americans than the objects they have in view. \ so we, the former members of the Chicago Di- . sé : - Lew of viMs - ‘ ' * , NAD EN oe and “buddies” of 714 to join us in our work. The prospectus follows: This is an aggressive, upstanding, forthright and 7 loyal organization, of- undiluted, unadulterated, simon-pure American men who have for their sole. : purpose the upbringing of forthcoming generations =e to a higher level of American progress and advance- ee ment. At the same time this organization consti- - tutes itself the first line of defense in war and peace, and will be vigilant and unswerving in the protection of American womanhood, American childhood, “© American manhood. < OUR OBJECT IN PUBLIC, not in secret; in the light, notin = = the dark; the American Society seeks to per- i form its function, fulfill its mission, and accomplish Cag the upbuilding of the Republic. ae The insidious forces, the sinister and subterra- nean enemies of our country’s weal, that seek to — . r y nb brute A 7 at . of Vike aed ?)