- ? " 1 3
Are You a 100% American? I
(Ill
By ELMO SC<
HIS is the time of year
glory in our Americanis:
June 14, Flag Day,
the citizen who didn't fii
up and down his spine a
Banner" displayed evei
July 4 is at hand,
of July celebration with its flag
tion of the spirit of "the he-r-r-r
thing of the past. Yet there is s
still has the power to stir the s
Yes, it's great to be an '
American. And what prouder
boast than that a person is a
"100% American"?
But wait! How many of us
can say that and be speaking
the literal truth?
Granted that you were born
here and are therefore legal
ly a citizen of the United
States, i. e. an American.
Your father and mother, no
doubt, were also born here
and perhaps their fathers and
mothers before them. But
when you begin tracing your
ancestry back a few genera
tions, what do you find?
Somewhere back there you
come across the name of an an
cestor who was born in England
or France or Germany or Italy
or some other European country
and came to this country as an
"immigrant." No matter if he
or she did come over on the May
flower or on one of the ships that
brought Capt. John Smith's col
onists to Virginia, they were
"immigrants" just the same. So
where does that leave you
with your boast of being "100 per
cent American," especially if
ancestry is taken into account?
i The Only Real "Americans."
i Of course, if you happen to
be an American Indian you can
trace your ancestry back far
enough on this continent to qual
ify as a one-hundred percenter
in this respect. But there are
only a few thousands of you who
can. As for the rest of us? we
who have white skins, or black
or brown or yellow ? we're all
descendants of "immigrants"
who came over here at one time
or another during the last four
THE AVERAGE AMERICAN
centuries and immediately began
helping themselves to the lands
ef the "natives."
Not only that, but the earliest
"immigrants" tacked a name on
to these "natives" which wasn't
true at all. Christopher Colum
bus, the Italian, believing that he
had sailed far enough west to
reach the islands near the Asiatic
country of India, called the cop
per-skinned inhabitants of those
islands "Indians." Those who
followed him, even though they
knew that he was mistaken,
dv ^ajrthing- mikju. correct
ing this error in nomenclature.
So "Indians" they have been to
this day.
Moreover, when you call your
self an "American" just remem
ber that you're doing it because
back in 1507 a German geograph
er named Martin Waldseemuller
suggested that the newly-discov
ered continent be called "Amer
ica" for Americus Vespucci, an
Italian explorer.
But giving you that name
hasn't been the only contribution
of other lands and other peoples
to your every -day life in this
"land of the free and home of the
brave." Let's examine a typical
day in your life and see how well
this "100 per cent American"
characterization applies.
You're awakened In the morn
ing by a clock, which was in
)TT WATSON
when most of us are likely to
m.
is just past and stolid indeed is
id a few patriotic thrills chasing
t the sight of the "Star Spangled
?ywhere.
True, the old-fashioned Fourth
-waving oratory and its invoca
o-o-o-es of '76" is pretty much a
something about that day which
ouls of this modern generation.
i
vented in Europe in medieval
times, you throw back an eider
down quilt, first made in Scandi
navia, and jump out of a bed
which is built after exactly the
same pattern as those originated
in Persia or Asia Minor. You
glance out of the window to see
what sort of day it's going to
be and you're looking through
glass, first made by the ancient
Egyptians. You take off your
night-clothes (if it's pajamas you
wear, they originated among the
East Indians) and make a dash
for the bathroom.
There you step across a floor
of glazed tile, made by a process
that originated in the Near East,
run some water in a bowl of por
celain (first made in China with
the Mediterranean artisans of the
Bronze age contributing the art
of enameling on metal) and start
brushing your teeth ? a European
practice that didn't extend to
America until late in the Eight
eenth century. Next you begin
stirring up some lather from soap
(which was invented by the an
cient Gauls) and start to shave,
a rite first practiced by the
heathen priests of ancient Egypt
(and we don't dare tell you the
reason for this rite!). Your razor
blade is made from steel, which
is an iron-carbon alloy discovered
in India or Turkestan.
Having finished shaving, you
hop into the bath tub which
was invented by the ancient Ro
mans and after you've finished
your bath, you'll probably dry
yourself with a Turkish towel.
If your homf is steam-heated,
the only truly American inven
tion in it is the radiator but, of
course, it's made of iron, the use
of which goes back to an ancient
Asiatic industry.
Garments From Many Lands.
Now that you're finished with
your ablutions (that's from a Lat
in word meaning "to wash")
you start to get dressed. You put
on close fitting garments whose
form was first established by the
skin clothing of nomadic tribes on
the Asiatic steppes centuries ago.
Your shirt is made from cotton,
first domesticated in India; your
scarf is made from silk which
the Chinese first made and your
coat, vest and trousers are wool
taken from an animal that was a
native of Asia Minor. Of course,
if it's a hot day you may put on
a linen suit and linen was first
domesticated in the Near East.
Next you sit down on a chair,
which was invented in the Near
East, and begin putting on a
pair of shoes made from hide
that is prepared by a process
which was invented in ancient
Egypt and cut according to pat
terns that originated in Greece.
Take a final look at yourself in
the mirror now. Straighten your
tie ? your wearing it thus because
"way back when" the Croats
wore shoulder shawls. Notice
those buttons on the sleeves of your
coat ? they're there because the
fine gentlemen of Europe wore
lace cufTs on their shirts and
didn't want them dripping around
their hands. So they just buttoned
them back on the sleeve buttons
on their jackets.
Now it's time for breakfast.
When you sit down at the table
you find before you various pot
tery vessels which you call
china ? and that tells you what
country it came from. "Fingers
were made before forks," it's
true, but since medieval time*
in Italy we've been using forks.
You stir your first cup of coffee
(an Abyssinian plant first dis
covered by the Arabs) with a
spoon that's not much different
from one which Julius Caesar
used. You put in sugar, which
was Arst made in India, and
cream, "by courtesy of the copy
right-owners" on the domestica
tion Of cattle and the technique
of miwing? aficientHSIlabttantS Of
Asia Minor.
American (?) Food.
Will you have some fruit now?
Here's an orange, first domesti
cated in the region of the Medi
terranean ; a cantaloupe, first
domesticated in Persia; grapes,
domesticated in Asia Minor; or
an apple (no, not from the Gar
den of Eden ? but from the region
where it was located). Now, how
about some cereal? If it's made
from wheat or barley or- rye,
those grains were domesticated
in the Near East and the cereal
itself has been prepared by meth
ods which originated there. Of
course, if you want a really "100
per cent American" cereal, you
can have corn flakes or corn
meal mush, for the Indian corn
really is "native."
The
TYPICAL
AMERICAN
FAMILY
II you like waffles, thank the
Scandinavians for inventing them
and the inhabitants of the Near
East for originating the practice
of making the butter which you
put on the waffles. Bacon and
eggs or ham and eggs next? One
part of that famous combination
comes from a bird domesticated
in Southeastern Asia and the oth
er from an animal domesticated
in the same region, but the proc
ess of salting and smoking its
flesh originated in Northern Eu
rope.
Feeling well-fed now and ready
for the day's work, you start out.
Looks a bit rainy, doesn't it?
Better go back and get an um
brella (invented in India) and
your rubbers (made by a proc
ess discovered by the ancient
Mexicans). On your way to work,
you light a cigarette (also in
vented in Mexico) or a cigar
(originally from Brazil) or a pipe
(remember Sir Walter Raleigh
and his servant who thought he
was "on fire"?) and you inhale
the fumes of a burning plant that
really is "100 per cent Ameri
can."
But it's about the only thing
which you'll encounter during
the day that is. For nearly every
article which you use in work
or play every day of your life
has some European or Asiatic
origin and fully 90 per cent of
your daily habits are based on
customs which started beyond
the seas.
The Roman Influence.
Even as you read this article
you'll be confronted with con
stant reminders of the past and
of things which originated else
where than in America. If you're
reading it during the month of
June, remember that this month
was named for a Roman family
named Junius. If it's July, that's
the month of Julius Caesar and
if it's August, that was the month
which Augustus Caesar named
for himself? incidentally stealing
a day from February to make
his month as long as that of his
and its predecessor. This year
of Our Lord, 1937, represents a
method of reckoning time which
was originated by the Egyptians,
improved by Julius Caesar, first
connected with the birth of Christ
by Dionysius Exiguus, a Roman
AMERIGO VESPUCCI
abbot in the Sixth century, and
readjusted by Pope Gregory
XIII.
This article is printed on paper
which was first manufactured by
the Chinese centuries ago and in
troduced into Europe in the
Twelfth and Thirteenth centuries.
The letters of these words were
devised by the Phoenicians,
adopted by the Greeks, modified
by the Romans and, so far as the
"lower case" or "small letters"
are concerned, changed by the
scribes of medieval Europe.
This language in which the
words are written is based upon
a western German tongue used
by the Teutonic invaders of Eng
land in the Fifth century and
considerably altered when Latin
and Norman-French words were
mixed into it. It was brought to
this country by English colonists
three hundred years ago and M
Capt. John Smith and Capt.
Miles Standish came back to
Jamestown and Plymouth today,
they wouldn't have much difficul
ty in understanding the answers
to their questions about all the
astounding changes which have
taken place since they first vis
ited those places.
James Harvey Robinson, the
historian, in commenting on such
matters as these in his book. The
Human Comedy," says "These
are but a few of the ways we
unconsciously perpetuate the
past. But they are enough to de
preciate the stock of the one
hundred per cent American to a
point where it would have to be
reckoned in thirty-seconds of one
per cent."
? ? ?
After reading all this, are you
beginning to have doubts about
your being "100 per cent Ameri
can?" If so, perhaps you'll make
a better showing if you consider
yourself an "average American.
What are the specifications for
that individual? They were laid
down 10 years ago when the
American Magazine conducted a
nation-wide search for that per
son.
First the 1920 census figures
were divided by 49 and on the
basis of population Iowa was
found to be nearest the average
state. Then Iowa's population
was divided by 205, (the number
of Iowa towns with a population
of more than 1,000) and Fort
Madison was found to have near
est the average population. Amer
ican census figures showed that
the average family contains 4.3
persons and out of Fort Madi
son's 11,299 citizens. Hoy L.
Gray, a clothing store operator,
was chosen as the "Average
American." Here are the "speci
fications":
His family numbered four?
himself, his wife, a son and a
daughter.
He is a native American born
of native American parents.
He is neither short nor tall,
thin nor fat.
His tastes are average, he lixes
business, makes money, believes
in God, the soundness of t h e
country and the virtue of his fel
low-men. He sleeps lat? on Sun
days. He drives a car. He lil?s
peace, a pipe, slippers ?
newspapers. Such is
age American" (for further de
tails see the picture of him re
produced with this article) ? now
closely do you resemble himT
Four years after the American
Magazine announced his selection
It started on ? nation-wide lUti*;
tical search for the ' typical
American family"
which most nearly m
every respect the 29.000,000 fam
ilies in the United States. Chosen
for that honor eventually was
the family consisting of Mr and
Mrs. Merrill J. Brown of Indian
apolis. Ind., and their two chil
dren, John, thirteen, and Louise,
fifteen.
In this typical family the
was forty-four and he was five
feet, eight and one-half inches
tall His wife was five years
younger and they had been mar
ried 17 years. Both children at
tended the public schools. Their
home was a deUched e.gM-room
house equipped with electric
sweeper, washer and ironer, au
tomatic refrigerator, telephone
and radio. Near the house was
a garage where they kept the au
tomobile in which ^frequently
went on trips together. Butch.efly
their pleasure was an evening
together at home.
Look at the picture at the top
of this article. Do you recognize
vourself in that family group?
yOUT?wJ?fm
AROUND
?h. HOUSE
Items of Interest
to the Housewife
Preserving Broom. ? Soaking a
broom in boiling salt water every
two weeks will help preserve it.
? ? ?
Picking Raspberries. ? Red
raspberries will keep better if
picked early in the morning.
? ? ?
Fire Prevention.? To avoid ftres
keep all cleaning cloths that have
been treated with oil in a covered
metal container.
? ? ?
Apple and Rhnbarb Jelly.? Cut
apples into quarters. To every
pound of apples add one cup of
rhubarb juice. Simmer until the
apples are soft. Strain through
a jelly bag without pressure. To
each pint of juice add one pound
of sugar. Boil slowly, removing
all scum until the juice will jell.
Pour into tumblers and seal with
paraffin.
Removing Peach Stains.? Fresh
peach stains can be removed from
linen with a weak solution of chlo
ride of lime.
? ? ?
Washing White Gloves. ? White
gloves can be kept white by wash
ing them after each wearing with
a soft brush and a pure soap.
? ? ?
Cheese Molds.? Pour 1V4 cup
fuls milk over 2 cupfuls soft
breadcrumbs; add 3 well-beaten
eggs, 1 heaped cupful grated
cheese, 1 teaspoonful salt, pepper
to taste, and 1 tablespoonful melt
ed butter. Pour into buttered
molds and bake from 20 to 30
minutes in a moderate oven.
? ? ?
Orange Peel Marmalade.? Take
six orange rinds, or four orange,
two grapefruit or orange and lem
on rinds, cover with water and
pinch of soda, cook till tender;
drain. Take out white pulp with
spoon. Put rinds through chop
per, yielding two cups chopped
rind, add water to cover, about I
two cups add sugar, about two
cups ; simmer slowly (or three i
hours. Bottle in the usual way. 1
* * * I
Keeping Peeled Apples.? Peeled
apples can be kept white until i
used by keeping them immersed I
in water to which a little salt has
been added. 1
WNU Service. j
Use of Copra
The word "copra" comes from
the Malayan "kopperah," or co- i
conut, and is now used to denote ;
the diried meat of the nut. The
oil extracted from copra is used I
tor making soaps, candles and |
butter substitutes; the residue or
pulp, is used (or (eeding cattle. ]
Much o( the product gathered on i
the South Sea islands goes to Syd
ney, Australia, (or this purpose.
Coconuts are the wealth o( the i
islanders. They supply food and ,
drink to the natives, and the milk
of the growing nut is changed by
(ermentation into a toddy.
A Drop of Honey
"IF YOU would win a man to
* your cause," Lincoln said
on one occasion, "first convince
him that you are his true
friend. Therein is a drop of
honey which will catch his heart
? and which, say what you will,
is the greatest high road to his
reason ? and which, once
gained, you will have little
trouble in convincing him of
the justness of your cause."
Lincoln prepared himself for
every interview ? he studied the
prospect. "I spend one-third of
my time figuring what I am
going to say, and two-thirds of
my time thinking what the oth
er fellow is going to say."
UntLPkll^
SeufA:
Better Improve the Other Foot
Put your best foot forward, gf
course, but that doesn't conceal
the defects in the other one; it's
got to come. too.
"Trove* is broadening;" H
makes one more reaigeed to the
nuisances at home.
Civilization may not be doorML
but it may be doomed to a goM
many dark ages in which braiafc
are flouted.
An Interest Worth While
You can't buy friendship. Yoo
can sometimes buy Interest 1b
yourself that turns to friendship. ,
One of the greatest of mhfihw
is to stop a man on the street to
point oat an error he has made.
People dress handsomely to
please themselves more than to
impress others.
There's one big fine word to say
for a banquet; you forget the
day's troubles there.
CLASSIFIED
DEPARTMENT
WOMEN
Cart Ytar Owa lair P*?i
minutes. Send 10c (or two test ?
(or 30 curl supply. YiathblMn <
ties. M E. WMhlafUi St.. ~
BOOKS? PAMPHLETS
of business opportunities, !
dred beautliui photo p
FLOID SOVEKEIGI
A IVIessage to Farmers
WHO WANT TO MAKE MORE MONEY
66
In order to liquidate property
owned by the lot* George L
Carter, I hov? been ordered by
Mr. James Walter Carter to tell
at auction the famous FORT
CHlSWai fARMS - locoted in
the finest part of the Blue Grass
section near Wytheville, in south
western Virginia. I shall do so
with the greatest pleasure; for
this is some of the best land ?
whether for farming or for graz
ing - that I have seen in all my
40 years' experience.
FORT CHISWEU FAUMS have
everything demanded by the
fanner who wants to make the
most money from his efforts: ?
unusually rich soil, a fine climate,
well-watered fields, easily ac
cessible markets.
So, if you are not farming "for
your health", read carefully
every word in this announce
ment. Then send for a free illus
trated book which gives com
plete facts about FORT CHIS
WEU. FARMS and the money
making opportunities offered to
?hose who attend the auction on
33 FORT CHISWELL FARMS
parcels of 30 to 300 acres to be soW soparataif
AUCTION
SAT., JULY 3ni
ON THE PROPERTY, RAM OR SHINE AT 2 rOtOE
BtTWKKN
PULASKI & WYTHEVILLE, VKGWff
at tfce juctioa of U. S. Reatas No. 11 A la. 52.
Moot el the farms front on a U. S?
or a Virginia highway, havo afccblc
curront availabla and havo tow art
houooo, farm and othor baihflng#.
LEADING AUTHORITIES AGREE:
Fort Chijweli Farms are among the finest in
south western Virginia.
* The land is good soil, well adapted' to the
production of corn, small grain and forage
crop*. Most of the farms are in good sod,
blue eras* being a predominant plant, which
is splendid for grazing. Some of the lands
are well-adapted to apple* and other fruit.
The farms rank far above the average for
the county in productive ability. The fields
are well-watered, making favorable coodi
boot for all classes of live stock.
COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES > In x?
tioa to the opportunities that the auction wftl
offer to farmer*, there are a number ?f other
money-making openings of unusual interest
? such as excellent sites for gas station*,
stores, etc.
LIBERAL TERMS
V ^ if Auction? r /
Write or pfcoM far fan pankolan ud FREE ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET, to P. O. Bos IM, Wytfcerfll*
Virginia. Trfapboat Mas Mctdowi 615, local n<a on property. Execvdn Oico; 67 Liberty St, Nrw York City
.A2