Page:Frank David Ely -Why defend the nation? Sound Americanism... (1924).pdf/59

Rh strom of discontent, of destitution, of suffering, and of fear for the future.

The Americas (North and South) alone of the nations of the world have neither near nor remote cause for fear. Be alert, yes; but that is inbred in us. The conquest of a mighty wilderness developed in our breed those traits of caution, inbred with courage, which fit the race for any emergency if we remain true to our ideals. So long as we hold to the course set by our forbears the Ship of State will sail smoothly and grandly down the eons of time until, gloriously alive, purified and sanctified by adherence to all that has made us as a people great, we cast anchor in the safe harbor of Eternity.

Just how may we accomplish today's and tomorrow's needs in completing and rounding out the education of our children and of our brother Americans who are foreign-born and untaught of America?

We should organize and establish a Foundation, widely endowed by popular subscription and devoted to the single purpose of the preservation of American ideals, traditions, and free institutions through a systematic, sustained, and nation-wide teaching of constitutional Americanism. A peculiarly favorable opportunity offers now for the development of a great and continuing agency for good government—one that should and must meet with the approval of every patriotic American, just as the Red Cross meets the universal approval of every charitably inclined person and organization. This Foundation would be dignified, comprehensive, adequate for its purpose, and highly fitting. It would avoid all "entangling alliances."

It would create and employ new agencies, and would utilize to the utmost every existing agency, for impressing upon every mind—the high and the low, the rich and the poor without distinction—all that is traditionally ideal in free America. The agencies employed would in turn help to draw in and influence the activities of others. As the Foundation grew and expanded no desirable agency which could render assistance would be ignored. Unity of all patriotic effort would be its goal.

Ample care would be taken to insure perpetual freedom from radicalism within the management, every step being carefully