Introducing the American Spirit

it at La

es, and I had never dreamed of going there. We were climbing the Brocken, and that which thrilled me more than its granite steeps and deeply mysterious pines was, the hundreds of school-boys and girls we met,

destination was Lake Mohonk, the scene of the Conference for International Arbitration, organized and supported by that noble Q

met at the railroad station by carriages, this being one of t

years ago, and neither was I, although I made a brave show and led

ike the Hartz," and my heart gave a joyous leap at his admission; "but several thi

rom a shaded spring. As we drank he recalled laughingly how, when we stopped at one of those nature's fountains in the Hartz, a man who had watched us, came running out of his house and warned

ind reverted to a scene the Herr Director and I witnessed after we had finally reached the summit of our mountain in the Hartz. It was nearly evening, and we could look far and wide above the forest into the happy and beautiful cou

illtops of thy m

ul and might

he would be laughed at, if noticed at all; over there he was

iful that we have not been able to encompass it. Yet there must be something very important lacking in such Americans as the one whom I met very recently. He had just returned from a "Seeing America First" tour, and had s

with genuine enthusiasm: "My! I wish I could get such a shade of silk in New York." The other said: "Too bad; so much perfectly good ice going to waste." He belonged to the much maligned tribe of ice-men. The rest of the men said n

s; but that evening as we looked from the Mountain House down upon the dark, deep lake, the rock gardens and the quaint bowers on every promontory,

is fellow guests, who represented not only the entire United States, but the United States at its best. Moreover, he and his w

ced this: to the degree that my English has improved, to that degree I have become less interesting to my Ameri

aving to spend the three days in the same shirt-waist. Telegrams were sent in all directions, while the Herr Director called our much boasted of baggage system hard names; my "best laid

a prudent man, he submitted his address to me. It was written with Teutonic thoroughness a

ut upon the higher plane of pure justice. He insisted upon retaining his statistics and also his appeal to the self

host, who usually reads the Scriptures, announces a hymn and then leads in prayer. It is as impressive as it is simple and dignified,

e expected to hear, were almost altogether unrepresented. In fact they have grown less in this assembly each year, largely because it is thought that the whole subject has reached the point when it is a pr

situation in Europe. Yet I am sure that even he did not know how many nations would be involved, nor how costly and deadly would be the conflict. He did foreshadow in his

eation; but the Herr Director did not ride or drive, nor play golf or tennis. He stayed

never loses its hospitable, home-like air, one always has the feeling of being before a high tribunal, whe

ning, men and women in varied walks of life, coming from a

is necessary for the best of men, to those who teach that war is a curse and that a certain warrior who compared it to the worst place which human imagination can conceive, might be sued for libelling his Satanic Majesty who presides over that place or state. On the whole, they represented the

Herr Director became the center of an interesting group of men who, while smoking their cigars, lost some of their American r

nd it was at such times that I sought to enlighten him, or have him enlightened by others;

dvertising scheme, carefully concealed. When he was told that to secure a room during the season one must apply long in advance, and most likel

t permitting the accepted social diversions, such as card playing, dancing, and

eme which had little or nothing to do with profits. All the Americans he had known about were void of ideals, and had

on of the common welfare as here. They do this, not having the incentive constantly held out to the European business man, namely: Recognition by the state and the reward which sovereigns may bestow, in much coveted titles and decorations. The average well-inclined Am

without legal compulsion, and for whom they have inaugurated welfare plans of far-reaching importance. It was certainly a

l view-point of those who took part in them. In all the discussions the most striking note was: "The United States wants not territor

conference, we could afford to be generous; but that at a time of national excitemen

ico is concerned, who fermented the trouble there but this same Uncle Sam,

n influential German newspaper. He wrote an editorial, accusing the United States of beginning the war with Spain for the sole

of the Herr Director, who could not easily refute my statements; for while I acknowledged bein

any which, to salve its hurt, sent a fleet of warships to China and helped the German eagle bury its beak in the Yellow

Sam is the only power which ever paid for anything gained by that

sisted that we are not a bit better than other people, but only so situated that we can afford to be generous. I assured him that I preferred to boast of our fair deali

le there, a letter reached me from the Herr Director, in which he sent greetings to his host and hostess and the members of the conference, and in which he recalled his former accusa

this bloody business of selling ammunition, and that I still firmly believe t

ice, and while I trust that this country may be kept from so great a catastrophe as war, and I be kept from so severe a trial of my loyalty a

I found that he acknowledged having discovered four things at Lake Mohonk. First, an unparallelled hospitality. Secondly, that the leading men of America are soberly practical, unemotional, somewhat self-centered; but, at the same time, men of high ideals. Thirdly, that its military men attend conferences for international arbitr