DR. FRANK CRANE’S DAILY EDITORIAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 121, 12 August 1927, Page 14

DR. FRANK CRANE’S DAILY EDITORIAL

THE NEW PATRIOTISM

(Copyright, 1927.)

r A BOOK of poems has come to my desk called “The New Patriotism,” by ***• Thomas Curtis Clark. . It is a different sort of patriotism from that which you usually find m popular books. It does not say anything about the country or the flag, or any of that sort of thing. It is patriotism to a new ideal, the idea of world brotherhood. It seems to take as a tacit assumption that as long as we inflame ourselves with the spirit of nationalism we shall never get the international idea. Nationalism is like liberty. It is a term that has been much abused. Liberty is very sweet, men are ready to fight and die for it, but when it verges into license and threatens anarchy we see that there is something better. „ , There can be no real liberty for the and non-ferocious unless there is a general adherence to law. Contrary to common notions, the law is not made for the strong, but is made to protect the weak. When the mob runs wild and anarchy threatens, the population turns to the dictator, as they do now to Mussolini in Italy. Order at most any price is preferable to the law of the jungle. It is the same way with patriotism. It is a good thing within limits. Nationalism is a healthy sentiment for all to cultivate, just as self-defence is valuable up to a certain point. But ali thinkers racegnise that undue stress made upon nationalism and an undue flaming of the spirit of nationalism lead to war, and war is the stupidest thing in which men engage. As Edwin Markham reminds us in his preface to this book, “Above all nations is humanity.” A , , True internationalism is made up of all countries that are all loyal units, but who sacrifice some of their rights for the general good. In other words, internationalism is not a colloid mass, but is like a brick wall whose integrity depends upon the solidity of the several bricks. The best way to bring about internationalism is to develop one’s country to the limit, make it a strong and vital factor among the society of nations. It is this planetary mind, this world consciousness that is slowly being developed, and the book in question appeals to this.