AMERICANISM
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] have been asked to give a definition, or at least my idea of a definition, of the term " Americanism." According to my understanding, Americanism can be defined as the " ism " or idea or ideal of a real American. An American who is fairly representative of American ideas and ideals is one who has an understanding of, and who gives full acceptance to, the theory of government under which the American Republic was founded and has since been maintained.
He must also be in substantial accord with the conception that has been carried out since the founding of the Republic of the relations of the individual citizen with his -city,' with his State, and with the national government. I emphasize the point that the character of a representative American, depends not upon race heritage, but upon his political beliefs.
The typical American understands that the men who founded the Republic based their contentions on the prin- ciples laid down on June 15th, 1215, in the Great Charter. The Charter itself contains not only ideas, but phrases which were repeated by the men who framed the Declaration of Independence of 1776 and the Constitution of 1789..
The man who undertakes to emphasize his patriotism from a local; sectional, or extreme national point of view, with some such words as " I am for America first, last.-and all
the time," is in ray judgment no true American. - America once was, at the time of the founding of the Republic, largely shut off by three thousand miles of ocean from the questions and from the issues which were - active among the other nations of the world. The educated American now realizes that this ocean is no longer a barrier but 8 pathway. He understands that whether or not America accepts official membership • in such an organization as the
League of Nations, she cannot escape the responsibilities as the :greatest and richest nation in the world, belonging to a member of the Family of Nations.
One phase of Americanism has been expressed by the enormous service rendered with the resources of our country in helping the suffering communities of Europe. Another phase of Americanism was emphasized when our boys in khaki and our boys in blue took their part with the Armies of England and of France in opposing the attempt of military Imperialism to dominate the civilized world.
Our Americanism has upon it the responsibility not only of helping to make the world safe for democracy, but of making democracy safe for the world. The Government of our Republic has been utilized as a model by the citizens of Czecho-Slovakia, working under the wise direction of President Masaryk ; to some extent by the leaders in Jugo- Slavia, and to some extent also by those who are shaping the Government of Poland.
We hold that when America does its part in the work of the world, not only the citizens of our Republic, but believers throughout the world in the principles of representative government, will come to understand the purport and the purpose of Americanism.—I am, Sir, &c., GEORGE HAVEN PUTNAM.
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