Writings in the United Amateur, 1915-1922
Page 26
THE UNITED AMATEUR JULY 1919
Americanism
Howard Phillips Lovecraft
Laureate
It is easy to sentimentalise on the subject of "the Americanspirit"--what it is, may be, or should be. Exponents of various novelpolitical and social theories are particularly given to this practice,nearly always concluding that "true Americanism" is nothing more or lessthan a national application of their respective individual doctrines.
Slightly less superficial observers hit upon the abstract principle of"Liberty" as the keynote of Americanism, interpreting this justlyesteemed principle as anything from Bolshevism to the right to drink2.75 per cent. beer. "Opportunity" is another favourite byword, and onewhich is certainly not without real significance. The synonymousness of"America" and "opportunity" has been inculcated into many a young headof the present generation by Emerson via Montgomery's "Leading Facts ofAmerican History." But it is worthy of note that nearly all would-bedefiners of "Americanism" fail through their prejudiced unwillingness totrace the quality to its European source. They cannot bring themselvesto see that abiogenesis is as rare in the realm of ideas as it is in thekingdom of organic life; and consequently waste their efforts in tryingto treat America as if it were an isolated phenomenon without ancestry.
"Americanism" is expanded Anglo-Saxonism. It is the spirit of England,transplanted to a soil of vast extent and diversity, and nourished for atime under pioneer conditions calculated to increase its democraticaspects without impairing its fundamental virtues. It is the spirit oftruth, honour, justice, morality, moderation, individualism,conservative liberty, magnanimity, toleration, enterprise,industriousness, and progress--which is England--plus the element ofequality and opportunity caused by pioneer settlement. It is theexpression of the world's highest race under the most favourable social,political, and geographical conditions. Those who endeavour to belittlethe importance of our British ancestry, are invited to consider theother nations of this continent. All these are equally "American" inevery particular, differing only in race-stock and heritage; yet of themall, none save British Canada will even bear comparison with us. We aregreat because we are a part of the great Anglo-Saxon cultural sphere; asection detached only after a century and a half of heavy colonisationand English rule, which gave to our land the ineradicable stamp ofBritish civilisation.
Most dangerous and fallacious of the several misconceptions ofAmericanism is that of the so-called "melting-pot" of races andtraditions. It is true that this country has received a vast influx ofnon-English immigrants who come hither to enjoy without hardship theliberties which our British ancestors carved out in toil and bloodshed.It is also true that such of them as belong to the Teutonic and Celticraces are capable of assimilation to our English type and of becomingvaluable acquisitions to the population. But, from this it does notfollow that a mixture of really alien blood or ideas has accomplished orcan accomplish anything but harm. Observation of Europe shows us therelative status and capability of the several races, and we see that themelting together of English gold and alien brass is not very likely toproduce any alloy superior or even equal to the original gold.Immigration cannot, perhaps, be cut off altogether, but it should beunderstood that aliens who choose America as their residence must acceptthe prevailing language and culture as their own; and neither try tomodify our institutions, nor to keep alive their own in our midst. Wemust not, as the greatest man of our age declared, suffer this nation tobecome a "polyglot boarding house."
The greatest foe to rational Americanism is that dislike for our parentnation which holds sway amongst the ignorant and bigoted, and which iskept alive largely by certain elements of the population who seem toconsider the sentiments of Southern and Western Ireland more importantthan those of the United States. In spite of the plain fact that aseparate Ireland would weaken civilisation and menace the world's peaceby introducing a hostile and undependable wedge betwixt the two majorparts of Saxondom, these irresponsible elements continue to encouragerebellion in the Green Isle; and in so doing tend to place this nationin a distressingly anomalous position as an abettor of crime andsedition against the Mother Land. Disgusting beyond words are the publichonours paid to political criminals like Edward, alias Eamonn, deValera, whose very presence at large among us is an affront to ourdignity and heritage. Never may we appreciate or even fully comprehendour own place and mission in the world, till we can banish those cloudsof misunderstanding which float between us and the source of ourculture.
But the features of Americanism peculiar to this continent must not bebelittled. In the abolition of fixed and rigid class lines a distinctsociological advance is made, permitting a steady and progressiverecruiting of the upper levels from the fresh and vigorous body of thepeople beneath. Thus opportunities of the choicest sort await everycitizen alike, whilst the biological quality of the cultivated classesis improved by the cessation of that narrow inbreeding whichcharacterises European aristocracy.
Total separation of civil and religious affairs, the greatest politicaland intellectual advance since the Renaissance, is also a localAmerican--and more particularly a Rhode Island--triumph. Agencies aretoday subtly at work to undermine this principle, and to impose upon usthrough devious political influences the Papal chains which Henry VIIIfirst struck from our limbs; chains unfelt since the bloody reign ofMary, and infinitely worse than the ecclesiastical machinery which RogerWilliams rejected. But when the vital relation of intellectual freedomto genuine Americanism shall be fully impressed upon the people, it islikely that such sinister undercurrents will subside.
The main struggle which awaits Americanism is not with reaction, butwith radicalism. Our age is one of restless and unintelligenticonoclasm, and abounds with shrewd sophists who use the name"Americanism" to cover attacks on that institution itself. Such familiarterms and phrases as "democracy," "liberty," or "freedom of speech" arebeing distorted to cover the wildest forms of anarchy, whilst our oldrepresentative institutions are being attacked as "un-American" byforeign immigrants who are incapable both of understanding them or ofdevising anything better.
This country would benefit from a wider practice of sound Americanism,with its accompanying recognition of an Anglo-Saxon source. Americanismimplies freedom, progress, and independence; but it does not imply arejection of the past, nor a renunciation of traditions and experience.Let us view the term in its real, practical, and unsentimental meaning.