Page:Frank David Ely -Why defend the nation? Sound Americanism... (1924).pdf/26

22 vantage to those within the groups, forced those who were without, and whose interests differed materially therefrom, to form other groups according to individual and collective needs. In the course of time some of the groups grew to great proportions and were called tribes, peoples, races, and nations.

The stronger and more virile groups and nations have always dominated the weak, compelling tribute or recognition in one form or another; and this dominance will continue so long as man possesses the primitive passions and the instinct for trade and commercial advantage. The teachings of civilization will ever soften and ameliorate the effects of power held by one nation superior to another; but it is contrary to human nature to yield power without an acceptable return or as the result of conquest, and “water won't run up hill.” A people who will not or cannot lead must then expect that other nations, more progressive, stronger, more virile, will seize the banner of leadership, which they can then only follow. And if they decline in emergency to defend their own—their homes, their business, their commerce, their domain—in a word, if they refuse to be soldiers when their very existence demands, then must they be prepared to yield—even to become slaves if that horrid condition be imposed; for without defensive strength and power they will be helpless to resist, however offensive to their civilization or to their sensitiveness be the demands. The mother who refuses “to raise her boy to be a soldier” in event of his country's need should then reflect: “Am I not then raising him to be a slave?”

Grave dangers to the Nation lie in our exposed and all too tempting wealth, which offers the very richest plunder to a warlike power or coalition prepared for quick struggle. They lie, too, in the discontent and the unbelief of certain classes in our ideals. They would substitute other forms, even communism (socialism), for this our heritage. The succession of communism in Russia, so recently witnessed, was a catastrophe; its establishment here would be a cataclysm. Americans mean that America shall endure. This demands our watchfulness of all nations and a wise guardianship of our own.