After each nation has separately recounted its prowess, and all are grouped effectively around the central figure, Liberty reminds them that though they have done heroic deeds in the past, much remains to accomplish in the present, even in this land of the free. She then proceeds to describe what foes still menace our real freedom in America, such foes as special privilege, mob rule, political corruption, white slavery, treatment of the feeble-minded as common criminals, a capitalistic press, and so on. Then in the final grand chorus the united nations would join together in proclaiming that, strengthened by their separate struggles overseas, they here and now unite their efforts to make this land, in deed as in name, the land of liberty. Could anything make more swiftly and surely for national solidarity than in some such way to stimulate each national element in our forming civilization to bring the best it has to the service of the future America? And what more patriotic and fitting deed could be accomplished than to transform the birthday of modern liberty from a day of meaningless destruction into a day of construction fraught with profound and beautiful significance? FOOTNOTES [1] _In “The Seven Ages of Washington.”_ [2] _In the Introduction to “The True History of the American Revolution.” For the most modern and unvarnished presentation of the inner history of the period see also his larger work, “The Struggle for American Independence.” (Lippincott.)_ [3] _From Chambers’ “Book of Days.”_ [4] _In “Curiosities of Popular Customs.”_ [5] _Let your hearts rise upward!_ [6] _From “The Struggle for American Independence,” by Sydney George Fisher, J. B. Lippincott & Co., Publishers, 1908._ [7] _From “The Chautauquan,” 1900._ [8] _From “The North American Review,” 1896._ [9] _By permission of the publishers, Houghton, Mifflin Co._ [10] _The Century Co., N. Y., publishers._ [11] _The origin of the words of the patriotic hymn, “America,” has been somewhat recently celebrated by an anniversary. The air, as is well known, is that of the national anthem of England, “God Save the King.” As such it has been in use, in one form or another, since the middle of the last century._ _In 1832, Dr. S. F. Smith came upon it in a “book of German music,” and on the spur of the moment, as it appears, wrote for it the hymn “America.” This was in Andover, Mass., in February, 1832. The hymn was first sung publicly at a children’s celebration at the Park Street Church, Boston, on July 4th of that year._ _“If I had anticipated the future of it, doubtless, I should have taken more pains with it,” wrote Doctor Smith, in 1872. “Such as it is, I am glad to have contributed this mite to the cause of American freedom.”_ [12] _From “The Youth’s Companion.”_ [13] _Reprinted from “The Independent.”_ [14] _By permission of the publishers, Houghton, Mifflin Co._ [15] _By permission of the publishers, Houghton, Mifflin Co._