stitutions or customs have you which you would show him and which you think would exhibit America to him? Have you any which you would be willing to have America judged by? Be definite and honest. Name them, one, two, three. If there are no institutions or customs which would give such a visitor a fairly accurate idea of what America is, if your community is not now a typical crosssection of America, then it has a definite clear-cut task to occupy its thought and challenge the sincerity of its patriotism for the next twenty-five years. Certainly one of the first leading questions which such a visitor would naturally ask is this: "In a free county like yours, where the average man and now the average woman decides on public policies and elects public officials, you undoubtedly have, for the sake of your self-preservation, but I want to know for sure whether there is an organized activity to train coming citizens for the intelligent discharge of this high duty?" If you must confess that your community makes no attempt to meet this obvious and critical need in a country like ours, if such an activity glares by its absence, well, then, you need no one to point out your civic duty; your program is ready made to your hand. This is your first big task. Arise, let us proceed to meet it, and to organize a Citizenship Club. PART II PREPARATION OF A BOOK (A.) WHAT ARE AMERICA'S IDEALS? 1. Foundations of our Government. -THOMAS JEFFERSON 2. Sovereignty of the Common Man. |