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CHAPTER XII

PATRIOTIC SONGS, SYMBOLS, AND SOCIETIES

CARE not who makes the laws of a country, if

I may write its songs," is the oft-quoted dictum of one who knew the relation of cause and effect in history. It was a music hall ditty,

We don't want to fight,

But, by jingo, if we do,

We've got the ships,

We've got the men,

We've got the money, too,

which a generation ago inflamed the English people and had tremendous weight in creating war sentiment. It is a matter for consideration whether children throughout our land are to be taught that "conquer we must, for our cause it is just." Even if the word "when" is substituted for "for," the error is as great. It is a survival of the medieval superstition that the victim thrown into the river who could float was not guilty and that Elsa's innocence could be proved by the valiant sword of Lohengrin. War is but a gigantic duel; the stronger and more skilful

wins, regardless of justice. We won the Mexican War, not because we were right, but because we were strong, as the Assyrians conquered the Jews for the same reason. Success is almost always on the side of "the heaviest battalions" in any war. Children who grow up with the ingrained notion that their country must always be right and, therefore, always successful become the zealots and hot-heads who foment other wars.

The Star Spangled Banner has been selected by the army and navy as the national anthem, and a thoughtless public seems to assume that this is conclusive and the question is not to be reopened. So jealous are certain persons for the pre-eminence of this particular song, that one almost runs the risk of being called unpatriotic if he is heretical enough to question it. But the decision of the small body of army and navy officials, though somewhat influential in shaping public opinion, can settle nothing. The rulers of the republic, the people, must decide whether this song, written for a special time and place in the War of 1812, is to be their chief expression of national faith. The Star Spangled Banner is far from being great poetry, and it is vocally difficult-the people cannot sing it. These two defects should prevent its adoption as the national song. But it is also unsuited to many hours and places. At sunset, when the flag is lowered, is it not rather absurd to ask, "O, say, can you see by the dawn's early light"? The song deals with one incident, and

that a war incident. "The perilous night" was one special and comparatively unimportant night in our history. Whatever is special or local or refers to facts not generally known is not suited for a national anthem, to be learned by heart, to be sung by millions of all classes, to shape the national ideals of a powerful people. As during our whole history we have been at war less than one tenth of the time, war should not be the sole topic referred to in our chief national anthem.

"My country, ""sweet land of liberty," "freedom's holy light," "our fathers' God" are nobler and more universal themes than "the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air." To-day, America is undeniably the American people's dearest national hymn as the Battle Hymn of the Republic is the most inspiring and poetic in its verse, and Eichberg's To Thee O Country, presents the noblest music. Why should not the army respect the feeling of the people rather than the people obey the behest of a few army officers? Let this purely military song of the The Star Spangled Banner be retained in the repertoire of military bands, and be sung sometimes with various other national songs, like Hail Columbia; but let the great body of teachers, preachers, editors, the mothers, and the civic patriots of our land choose as the national anthem a song which does not ignore the interests, life, and faith of a great Christian people. That America is sung to a tune of German origin, which is also used as the

national air of our "kin beyond sea," and by the Swiss as well, does not condemn it but rather gives an honourable historic ancestry for the national anthem of a great cosmopolitan people like our own. One of the most thrilling experiences of many sea voyages has been the rising at the close of the ship's concert and singing that air, common to both countries, each passenger singing the words of his own land. National anthems cannot be written to order: they must evolve. We may be long in finding the ideal one; England has not yet found hers. But let no silly shame because of the present doubt as to what our chief anthem shall be, hasten us to accept an unrepresentative and inadequate one.

The exaggerated attention given to the symbol of our country, so noticeable in the last few years, is in keeping with the exaggerated attention to all that is external and spectacular in modern life. The most sacred symbols of religion have in times past become such fetiches that for a time all who loved the thought for which they stood more than the symbols have discarded them. There is danger of a Puritan revolution sometime against patriotic symbols, if the symbol is allowed to become a fetich and the real thing for which it stands is overshadowed by it.

An illustration of the extreme attention to a symbol was shown in the action of a certain society of patriotic women some years ago on the occasion of the arrest of a poor foreigner who was

carrying home potatoes wrapped in an old flag. The bewilderment of this man, who was obliged to pay a large share of his week's wages as fine for this act which, in his ignorance of the law, had seemed to him so innocent, did not appeal to these "patriots." The heroism of the policeman who had performed the brave deed of arrest they thought worthy to be honoured, and accordingly they arranged the presentation of a cup and flag, with an accompanying eulogy, as if he had risked his life in capturing a thug.

In a certain Patriotic Primer, in a long catechism for children upon the flag, we find the pupils called to state in answer to questions that the flag must be of "all wool bunting or silk." "The union must be one third the length of the flag, extending to the bottom of the fourth red stripe." "The flag was first raised over Fort Stanwix, on the present site of the city of Rome, N. Y., August 2, 1777. The first salute ever given in a foreign country was on February 14, 1778. There were sixty-four designs made before the Stars and Stripes were adopted," etc. Betsy Ross is frequently mentioned on Flag Day, and children are taught that the first flag was made out of a soldier's white shirt, an old blue army coat, and a red petticoat. It is well enough to record these facts, but they are not important, not the kind of facts to emphasise. Is there not danger in patriotism as well as in religion of tithing mint and anise and cummin and forgetting to emphasise the weightier matters?